We had the good fortune of connecting with Rose Bragg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rose, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My life has catapulted from one side of that spectrum to the other and the stark contrasts have given me the perspective I never knew I needed. As the youngest of a family of successful adults who either married hardworking career men or have created their own career paths, I always felt behind. I craved the respect of being seen as an equal adult and not the pip squeak sibling, so I dove headfirst towards the “American Dream.” Straight out of college I sought the 9-5 job and a place to call home. However, I soon learned that one person’s dream can be another person’s nightmare. A demanding boss, catty coworkers and never-ending emails lead me straight into misery. I started to wonder if this was what I wanted and what my own dream could be and I found myself stuck on the idea of traveling more. Finally I set a date and even though the pandemic changed the where and how, I stuck to that date and quit my job.

For the past 7-8 months I have had nothing but time. Everyday I get to decide where I am going and what I am doing. Although this often feels liberating, I have also noticed I am aimless. Working was rough, but I always knew what my day held and I got a sense of accomplishment from earning an income. I also have taken a break from posting Youtube videos while on this journey. I wanted to focus on living in the moment and I really have been. I have fallen asleep with my eyes on the stars in the deserts of Utah. I have swam with sea turtles in the paradise of Oahu. I have soaked in hot springs watching the pale pink sun rise over Texas. I definitely wouldn’t say my current life is balanced, but I’ve gained a lot of perspective. I’ve learned that there are more options than we realize in our lives and work. Most people don’t even know of all the different kinds of jobs there are and they also forget who is the boss in their own life. People give their power away to their bosses and their routine, like I once did. We forget about the why. In the future I plan to post videos and work again, but this time I will have the patience to find a job that fits and the confidence to post content more authentic to me without worrying about perfection.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Currently I wouldn’t quite say I am working, but I would like to soon apply a strong focus to my YouTube channel – Braggworthy Adventures. It is a travel based channel that focuses on providing valuable and authentic content to help guide and inspire others as they plan their trips. One of the biggest downfalls in traveling can be mismanaged expectations, so I seek to provide a realistic view in my videos. I don’t use photoshop to eliminate other tourists from my photos and I like to complete an experience myself before recommending it to others. Though I hope someday to lead tours to a variety of destinations, write a book or create specific tools to help fellow travelers (an app for travel planning and/or travel clothing that is versatile and beautiful), the main goal with Braggworthy Adventures is to provide simple steps and real life feedback for people who are tentative to travel.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Funny you should ask – I have literally made powerpoints to this effect. As a traveler I always love to have friends and family visit so I can treat my own town as a vacation location. I typically like to create themes based on certain spots in the Southeast Florida area. I would like to begin in Boca Raton, the place I have been living the past four years. Boca Raton boasts amazing beaches and typically this is the first place visitors want to see. Right near the beaches they can visit Gumbo Limbo – a conservation, education and research based establishment with a boardwalk, aquariums and recuperating turtles to view.

To get even closer to Florida’s natural wildlife I would recommend a short drive north to The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge where they can rent a canoe and take a water trail through the marsh alongside alligators. While up in Palm Beach they can also get under the water at a snorkel trail at Blue Heron Bridge where I have seen sting rays, sea stars and octopi.If my visitors are starting to tire of the sun and water, I would recommend eating and shopping on Atlantic Avenue or at Mizner Park in the Palm Beach and Boca Raton areas.

If people want to head south then I would recommend going to Hollywood to try glass blowing at Hollywood Hot Glass before a dessert of epic proportions at Jaxon’s. Closer to the city of Miami it’s possible to enjoy historic and architecturally amazing sites like the Venetian pools, which uses natural ground filtration and is the only pool added to the National Register of Historic Places, or Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, an early 20th century estate previously owned by James Deering. There is plenty more to be done, but I feel these items highlight my favorite parts of Florida.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Honestly, none of what I am currently doing could be possible without the help and generosity of many others. My plan for this year of travel and taste of nomadic life went haywire when the pandemic caused border closures. I’ve spent a lot more time in the United States in an outfitted Van exploring new and known places. Friends and family have opened up their homes to me and allowed me a front seat into the most authentic and personal parts of their lives. To my Mother and Father who hosted me first and who continue to say yes to my piling request of favors I owe a lot, but to my husband I owe everything. He put his life on hold to follow MY dream. He helped figure out problems with our van, routes for our travel and is going to take on one of his bigger fears – international travel. I hope I can be as good of a cheerleader for his dreams in our life as he has continually been for mine.

Website: braggworthyadventures.com

Instagram: @braggworthyadventures

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/braggworthyadventures

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