A Decade's Journey
After dedicating 11 years to climbing the corporate ladder with established firms like JPMorgan, Accenture, and Wipro, Apeksha Jain made a significant
decision in 2023. She resigned from her highly compensated tech role in Bengaluru, where she was earning approximately ₹2.5 lakh each month, to embark on a journey of full-time travel across India on a shoestring budget. This choice, potentially bewildering to many, stemmed from a growing sense of detachment from her work. Jain expressed that she no longer felt connected to the products she was building for remote international clients, questioning the tangible impact of her contributions. This feeling of disillusionment, which began around her eighth year in the tech industry, spurred a search for more meaningful engagement and a life that felt truly her own.
The 'More Alive' Feeling
Apeksha Jain, originally from Nagpur, had built an extensive career across various cities in India and abroad, including London. Her early weekend getaways around Bengaluru, however, began to reveal a deeper passion: travel. This realization brought about a profound shift, making her feel more vibrant and authentic when exploring new places. She articulated a desire to transition this passion into a full-time endeavor, envisioning a lifestyle of 'slow travel.' This approach involves not just visiting tourist hotspots but immersing herself in local cultures by staying longer in destinations and truly absorbing the environment. This quest for fulfillment led her to seek opportunities that aligned with her newfound purpose, ultimately culminating in her departure from the traditional corporate path.
Grief and Reevaluation
The COVID-19 pandemic served as a significant catalyst for Apeksha Jain's life reassessment. The loss of her mother during the second wave profoundly altered her perspective on success and happiness. This deeply personal experience highlighted the inherent unpredictability of life, prompting a thorough reevaluation of her life goals and the true meaning of happiness. Feeling burnt out from over a decade of corporate work and motivated by this personal tragedy, Jain decided it was time for a radical change. She had explored options like changing companies and job roles, but nothing provided the deep sense of fulfillment she craved. This led her to strategically save and plan for a sabbatical, ultimately quitting her job in 2023 to embrace a life of full-time travel. She found solace and healing in nature – mountains and rivers becoming her companions during her grief journey.
Strategic Planning for Freedom
Apeksha Jain emphasizes that her transition from the corporate world was far from an impulsive act; it was the result of four years of meticulous saving and planning. Her primary goal was to ensure her departure wasn't merely an escape but a genuine pursuit of fulfillment. Before resigning, she meticulously calculated her financial needs, estimating the expenses for 7 to 8 months of budget travel, along with a crucial emergency buffer. Despite having family responsibilities, including assisting her father with a home loan and supporting her sibling's education, she managed to build a corpus of ₹5 lakh. This amount, she believed, was sufficient for approximately 8 to 9 months of travel, covering essential costs like accommodation in hostels, food, leisure, and potential health emergencies, all while maintaining a 20% contingency fund. This financial foresight gave her the confidence to proceed with her life-altering decision.
Life in Hostels and Cafes
Following her resignation, Apeksha Jain immersed herself in full-time travel, actively volunteering at cafes and hostels across popular destinations like Spiti, Manali, and Nainital. Her roles varied, including property and team management, offering her unique insights into people-centric environments. She described her new mornings, which often involve serving chai and engaging in conversations with strangers, as a profound departure from her past life of deadlines. While acknowledging that not every day is glamorous, she finds immense satisfaction in this self-directed existence. Currently based in Bir, Himachal Pradesh, she sustains herself through various creative endeavors, including selling her artwork such as wall paintings, resin art, jewelry, and fridge magnets. She has also secured bulk orders, building a network and turning her art into a primary income source. This shift has allowed her to feel more connected to her work and the people she encounters.
No Regrets, Just Fulfillment
When questioned about potentially regretting the significant lifestyle adjustment from a ₹2.5 lakh monthly salary to an income of approximately ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 per month from roles like property management, Apeksha Jain unequivocally stated she has no regrets. For the 35-year-old, her current life is far more meaningful and fulfilling than her previous corporate existence. She believes that perceptions of success and comfort evolve with life stages. While her corporate career provided stability, it lacked fulfillment. Conversely, her current path, despite the financial downgrade, offers a deep sense of purpose. She acknowledges that initially, she had to draw from her savings, but her income from art and other ventures quickly supplemented her earnings, making it her primary source of livelihood. This newfound contentment and alignment with her personal values underscore her satisfaction with this significant life change.
A Word of Caution
Apeksha Jain describes her departure from the corporate world as liberating, yet she acknowledges the foundational role her decade-long employment played in enabling this transition. She appreciates the security her corporate jobs provided, which allowed her the freedom to take this break, but recognizes that such roles can become draining over time. While she finds her current life more fulfilling, she strongly advises others against romanticizing the idea of quitting corporate jobs without thorough planning. Jain cautions that the reality of travel can be arduous, often less glamorous than portrayed online, and fraught with uncertainties and challenges. Therefore, she stresses the importance of making such significant life decisions thoughtfully and with a clear understanding of the practicalities involved, rather than acting impulsively.
