Living DevOps
At 35, life threw an unexpected curveball my way. A brain stroke—something I never imagined happening so soon—became the jarring wake-up call that altered the course of my life. While the recovery process was physically challenging, it also became a time of deep introspection, forcing me to reevaluate how I had been living. It dawned on me that I had been following a rigid, linear path, much like the Waterfall model of software development—education, career, retirement—without truly savoring the moments in between.
The stroke forced me to pause, to reflect. It made me realize that life shouldn’t be a long, straight line toward some distant goal like retirement. Instead, it could be an ongoing cycle of growth, rest, and fulfillment—a dynamic, iterative process akin to the DevOps approach in software development. In DevOps, nothing is final; there’s always feedback, always room for improvement, and always space for new experiences to shape the next iteration. Why shouldn’t life be the same?
This revelation led me to make a significant decision: to embark on a 6-month world trip, breaking away from the traditional trajectory of career-driven progress. My goal isn’t to become someone entirely different by the end of this adventure, but rather to allow the journey to guide me. No expectations, no comparisons—just a clean slate with each new country, each new experience.
I’ll post my reflections and stories when I feel moved to, with no pressure to meet deadlines or follow a schedule. This is a journey of the moment, of living in the now, and sharing that experience as authentically as possible.
SHIFTING FROM CAREER TO ADVENTURE
Making the decision to pause my career for six months wasn’t easy. In many ways, it felt like stepping off a well-worn path that I had been walking for years—one marked by stability, ambition, and hard work, much like my father’s life. Growing up, I had always admired his dedication. He spent decades working for the same company, tirelessly committed to his career, with the belief that retirement would bring the reward of finally slowing down and enjoying life.
I found myself unconsciously following in his footsteps. I pursued higher education, including an MBA, and worked diligently to build an executive profile. I secured a prestigious opportunity through Siemens’ CEO* Program, proving to myself that I was climbing the corporate ladder as expected. But in doing so, I found myself constantly looking forward—focused on the next milestone, the next project, the next promotion; the next carrot—without really living in the present.
The stroke forced me to confront a hard truth: the future is uncertain, and there’s no guarantee that all the rewards I’ve been working toward will materialize when I reach retirement. What’s the point of deferring enjoyment until later if later may never come? That realization was the catalyst for change. I no longer wanted to be the person with blinders on, racing toward a goal without stopping to appreciate what’s around me.
So, I made a conscious decision to shift my focus—to take a step back from the demands of my professional life and give myself the space to explore, to travel, to experience life fully in the present. This 6-month world trip became the vehicle for that change. It’s not about abandoning my career; it’s about giving myself the freedom to rediscover what drives me, to engage with the world in new ways, and to let adventure, rather than ambition, guide me for a while.
HOW DO YOU PACK FOR THE UNKNOWN?
One of the most overwhelming aspects of preparing for this adventure was realizing that everything we’d need for six months had to fit into just two backpacks. Together, those backpacks would hold a total of 100 liters. That’s less than a liter of space per day across 180 days. The thought was almost paralyzing at first—how could we fit our lives into such a small space? But it forced us to focus on what was truly essential.
There’s something oddly liberating about paring down your belongings to the bare minimum. I was reminded of my time on the Camino de Santiago, where I learned that less is more. When you’re on the move, it’s not about having everything you could possibly need, it’s about carrying what you need most. Clothing? You only need so much. If something is missing, you can get it along the way. Luxuries and comforts start to lose their value when every gram counts.
At one point, we considered bringing this coffeemaker and hand grinder to make good coffee on the road—a small luxury we enjoy at home. Oh I will miss that smell of freshly grinded coffee. But as Fabienne reminded me, “every gram counts.” That would’ve added an extra 2,000 grams to our load. In the end, we decided to leave it behind. After all, this is supposed to be an adventure, not a vacation. There’s something thrilling about stepping into the unknown, stripped of unnecessary comforts.
It’s also made me think about the countless hours we’ll spend in the air, with at least 28 flights ahead of us, and the many different beds we’ll sleep in. But the logistics are just part of the story—this trip is about more than just moving from one place to another. It’s about letting go of the familiar and embracing a new way of living.
At the same time, I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wondered whether this break will set me back professionally. Stepping away from my career, even for just six months, feels risky. My feeling is, this trip may be a standstill to make a leap forward professionally. Perhaps that’s part of the point—learning to trust that what’s meant for me will be there when I return, and understanding that this journey is a vital part of my growth, both personally and professionally.
FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS BEFORE DEPARTURE
As the departure date approaches, a mix of emotions has started to set in. Excitement, of course—there’s something incredibly freeing about stepping away from the day-to-day grind and immersing myself in the unknown. The thought of exploring new places, meeting new people, and experiencing different cultures is exhilarating. Alongside the excitement, there’s also a subtle undercurrent of anxiety.
I think it’s natural to feel a sense of unease when you’re about to leave behind the familiar—my career, my routines, the comfortable rhythm of everyday life. There are moments when I wonder: will everything be the same when I return? What if I miss out on opportunities? What if things move on without me? These questions pop up in the quiet moments before bed or in the morning when I’m getting ready for the day. When I catch myself falling into that worry, I remind myself that life is unpredictable no matter what. And that’s exactly why this trip is so important.
There’s a kind of calm that washes over me when I think about the adventure that lies ahead. The sense of possibility—the feeling that anything could happen—is something I’ve been missing. Life has a way of moving so fast that we rarely get the chance to just be still, to open ourselves up to whatever comes our way. I’m stepping away from my career not to escape it, but to create space for something new, something that I can’t yet predict or define.
I’ve come to realize that it’s okay to feel uncertainty. In fact, it’s in that space of uncertainty where real growth happens. As I prepare for this trip, I’m not seeking answers or specific outcomes. I’m simply opening myself up to the experiences, the people, and the lessons that the world has to offer. It’s a feeling of surrender, of letting go of the need to control every aspect of my life, and instead allowing life to guide me.
There’s also a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to take this trip, for the people who have supported me along the way, and for the lessons I’ve learned—both the easy and the hard ones. The stroke reminded me that time is not guaranteed, that I don’t get to choose when life throws me a curveball. I do get to choose how I respond. And right now, I’m choosing to embrace the uncertainty, to step into the unknown, and to trust that this journey will bring me exactly where I need to be.
#KEEPONWALKING
As I take this first step into the unknown, I want to let you know that I’ll be sharing updates about the trip, but not on any set schedule. Feel free to check the blog every so often for new posts, and if you’d like to be notified, you can subscribe for the newsletter. I’ll send out an update whenever there’s something new to share. For those who prefer a more visual account of where we are and what we’re doing, Fabienne and I have created an Instagram profile: @fato_adventures. You’re more than welcome to follow along there and join us on this adventure.
One of the ideas that has stuck with me as I prepare for this trip is something my colleague Bas used to say: #keeponwalking. It’s a simple mantra, but one that speaks volumes about how life should be approached—step by step, one foot in front of the other, no matter what lies ahead. It seems fitting that the first leg of our journey will take us to Tanzania, where we’ll attempt to summit Mount Kilimanjaro. For the first 12 days or so, there may not be much activity from me online, as we’ll be embracing the quiet, breathing the thin air, and tackling the challenge one step at a time. It will be a time of reflection, of taking in the moment, and living the mantra of #keeponwalking.
I’ll also continue to share my workout videos on Instagram. For me, the 1% daily improvement philosophy isn’t just a mindset—it’s a practice. No matter where I am in the world, I’ll continue to focus on health and fitness as a way of grounding myself and staying connected to that ongoing growth.
This is just the beginning. The journey ahead is wide open, and I’m ready to take the first step. I hope you’ll join me, whether through the blog, the newsletter, or Instagram. Here’s to embracing the adventure, savoring the present, and taking one step at a time. I’d love to hear your thoughts—feel free to leave a comment and share your reflections on this journey with me.
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