Cynthia Clampitt is indeed an escapee from 9 to 5. Fresh out of college, she headed for corporate America. The world of giant international corporations was fun and exciting at first. Her problem-solving skills led to rapid promotion and a tremendous range of opportunities. As the years passed, however, she could tell it wasn’t where she belonged. Still working full time, she started graduate school, thinking an advanced degree in English Lit might lead her toward something that suited her better. After one year, a professor informed Cynthia that she was a brilliant writer, but that wasn’t the same as being a great scholar. He meant it as criticism, but for her, it was as if a light had been turned on. “I was supposed to be a writer. I had to get out of the corporate world and write‹not just as a hobby, as it had been, but really write”.
With her goal in place, Cynthia began saving for and planning her escape and rebirth. Australia seemed to be the best, and farthest, place to start over, a place where she could shake off her corporate mindset and test her limits, so that’s where she headed when she finally broke free. She read lots of books on australia, polishing her writing skills, and photography. Cynthia spent six months and covered nearly 20,000 miles, circling and crossing the continent, delighting in the beauty and wonder, as well as in the delightful people she met everywhere. “I returned home a very different person. I had had amazing adventures, and I was writing every day. I had discovered who I really was”.
Follow Your Passion
Cynthia built a new career around her passions of writing, history, geography, food, and travel — though that rebuilding took a few years. Today, she is a successful freelance writer with a multi-faceted career. She enjoys the ability to arrange her own schedule. that includes being able to go to the gym in the middle of the day when there is no line for equipment. She has returned to Australia, and has been to dozens of other countries, as well. With a happy ending firmly in place, Cynthia wrote Waltzing Australia, the (award-winning) story of her six-month adventure in Australia and the redirecting of her career.
For those considering escaping from the 9 to 5, “figure out what matters most to you, and then pursue it, doing whatever it takes to make it happen”. Cynthia suggests keeping your goals in front of you. “I had an envelope on my dresser with AUSTRALIA written in large letters. Every time I didn’t buy something frivolous, like a designer coffee, I put money in the envelope. Seeing the envelope every morning and watching it get fatter both helped me keep on track, saving for my escape”. To keep excited about her goals she created an “Escape Tape” with songs like “Already Gone” and “Cool Change”, as well as some Australian specific songs like “Living in the Land Down Under” and “Southern Cross”.
Cynthia is working on two new books – and she’s always planning her next trip. You can learn more about Cynthia, her writing and adventures on her various blogs.
Book Site http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com
Food Site http://worldsfare.wordpress.com
Writing site http://www.worldplate.com/
