A while ago, I took a leap of faith. I decided to stop working for a year and use the time off to travel around the world. Working for so long had taken its toll. I felt weary and wanted time, albeit temporarily, off the hamster wheel. I needed a break to ponder, reflect and decide on my life. In the end, I didn’t travel around the world. But I went to UK to celebrate a wedding, Thailand to meditate, Penang for coffee, HK to eat my favorite roast, Japan to smell the sakura, USA to visit a friend and Canada for the Niagara Falls. Adding to the list was a 3 months backpacking trip to Europe too. Mostly, I was occupied. I learned to live life slower, made new friends and tried out retirement. This period also meant no salary, no company benefits and to some perhaps, no security. ......