{"id":55566,"date":"2026-01-03T20:20:49","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T01:20:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/i-made-2025-a-year-of-travel-and-im-done-with-the-wait-until-retirement-myth\/03\/01\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-01-03T20:20:49","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T01:20:49","slug":"i-made-2025-a-year-of-travel-and-im-done-with-the-wait-until-retirement-myth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/i-made-2025-a-year-of-travel-and-im-done-with-the-wait-until-retirement-myth\/03\/01\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"I made 2025 a year of travel\u2014and I\u2019m done with the \u201cwait until retirement\u201d myth"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">I\u2019m the youngest person in the room almost <em>every<\/em> time I travel. In every instance where I had a chance to chat with older adults, I found them asking many questions about my travels and my story. Almost every person I chatted with, from my food tour group<a href=\"https:\/\/www.themanual.com\/travel\/naples-romeo-hotel-alain-ducasse-tasting\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:in Naples, Italy;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"> in Naples, Italy<\/a> to the staff at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/inside-look-atlantis-palm-dubai-130045682.html\" rel=\"\" data-ylk=\"slk:Atlantis, the Palm Dubai,;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\">Atlantis, the Palm Dubai,<\/a> found it enlightening to see young people traveling internationally.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">This begs the question: Why is it less common to see younger people traveling? Is it the lack of money associated with youth? Is it the \u2018hustle\u2019 culture that doesn\u2019t allow enough PTO time to travel the world? Is this the \u2018wait for retirement\u2019 myth so many boomers fell into? This mindset of waiting until our older years to begin really <em>living<\/em> is one I don\u2019t subscribe to. Instead, I made 2025 the best year of my life \u2014 experiencing new cultures, places, and sights that made me see life in a whole new light.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">The \u2018wait until retirement\u2019 myth<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"credit\">Emily Caldwell \/ The Manual<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cThe idea that travel should wait until retirement [to travel] comes from an outdated model of life and work, where people assumed steady careers, guaranteed pensions, and predictable health,\u201d says Linda R. Jensen, an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heartfinancialgroup.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:expert;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">expert<\/a> in wealth management for individuals &amp; business owners. \u201cIn reality, time, energy, and opportunity are often more available earlier than money ever will be later. From a financial standpoint, the real flaw is framing travel as an all or nothing luxury. When travel is planned intentionally, it can coexist with saving, investing, and long term security. Good financial planning is not about delaying life until retirement. It is about building a life that can be lived along the way,\u201d she shares.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">While I fully understand both sides of the \u201cwait until retirement\u201d philosophy, the concept of waiting for a day that may never come is one I can\u2019t seem to wrap my mind around. This assumption of guaranteed health, time, and desire may sense in the mind of a 30 year old, but what if life gets in the way? I don\u2019t believe in saving life for a version of yourself that may never exist. 65 year old me may not want to (or be able to) climb Mount Vesuvius or trek up the stairs to the Acropolis in Athens.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">\u201cFrom a financial perspective, delaying travel assumes continued health, mobility, and time later in life, while ignoring the compounding value of experiences earlier on: cultural fluency, adaptability, expanded networks, and even clearer career direction. From a human perspective, it often postpones joy, curiosity, and learning in ways that are never guaranteed to be available later,\u201d says Luther Yeates, Head of Mortgages at UK Expat Mortgage.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Why I travel now and don\u2019t wait for later<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Iceland\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/OfQNfehEm7NiBtyx2rJ7Mg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcyMDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the_manual_309\/67c77730304718cdb199c8a2bfdb4f9b\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"credit\">Emily Caldwell \/ The Manual<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Traveling young may come with sacrifices. Maybe you can\u2019t be away as long, as you have a family or a job waiting for you back home. Perhaps you have a budget to stick to. For me, these small sacrifices are worth the reward for the amazing benefits you get from experiencing new cultures and ways of life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In 2025 alone, my experiences have completely shaped how the way I see the world and how I\u2019ve chosen to live the rest of life. I will continue to travel for as long as I am healthy, willing, and able, but I am especially grateful for the memories I\u2019ve made so far. From exploring the Berber villages in Morocco to the fortified walls of Malta, traveling has given me a gift that no physical item can provide: perspective.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Targeting specific types of travel<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Architecture, Building, Temple\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/82DKVvRM13z1D01dfyoYIQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTcyMDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the_manual_309\/482e20c8cdc480b1f1af663e01f1cdad\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p><span class=\"credit\">Image used with permission by copyright holder<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">If this year taught me anything, it\u2019s that travel isn\u2019t one-size-fits-all; it means something different to everyone. This year, I found myself enjoying all of the places social media told me to stay away from, such as Malta, Dubai, and Morocco, and feeling underwhelmed by the hyped up destinations <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/articles\/amalfi-coast-wasn-t-expected-120000644.html\" rel=\"\" data-ylk=\"slk:like Amalfi Coast, Italy;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\">like Amalfi Coast, Italy<\/a>. Every traveler is looking to get something different out of a trip \u2014 and this same theory applies to the \u2018wait until you\u2019re retired to travel\u2019 concept.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Whether you choose to travel while you\u2019re young or wait to travel when you\u2019re retired (or both), should depend on what you\u2019re looking to get out of a trip. While waiting until retirement to travel could mean you have more time, freedom, and money for luxury travel, it could also mean you don\u2019t have the physical energy and health needed to tackle things like a 30,000+ step day in Rome.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Either way, the choice is deeply personal. I recommend you consider what you really want out of travel. Is it the thrill of riding in a hot air balloon over the mountains in Marrakesh as the sun comes up, or climbing to the top of the Acropolis for the views? Or is it the 5-star luxury beach hotel or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/articles\/book-inclusive-resort-u-caribbean-150000717.html\" rel=\"\" data-ylk=\"slk:fancy all-inclusive resort;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\" target=\"_blank\">fancy all-inclusive resort <\/a>you\u2019re after? I believe there\u2019s a time and place for <em>every<\/em> type of vacation. For me personally, splitting my travel between <em>now<\/em> and <em>retirement<\/em> makes sense. Right now, I\u2019ve chosen destinations that are harder to get to or require more physical exertion to explore. But this doesn\u2019t mean it is the \u201cright\u201d way to do it. Every traveler\u2019s needs and preferences are different and there\u2019s an argument to be made for both approaches to travel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/articles\/made-2025-travel-m-done-230000678.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&rsquo;m the youngest person in the room almost every time I travel. In every instance where I had a chance to chat<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/i-made-2025-a-year-of-travel-and-im-done-with-the-wait-until-retirement-myth\/03\/01\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":55567,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/4hpZlYBeMfZ4nPpw7nrHQQ--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MTA7Y2Y9d2VicA--\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/the_manual_309\/ace497a37c6da30829a291444bd9fd1d","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55566"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55566"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55566\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55567"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55566"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55566"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55566"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}