• As a 37-year-old, I spent the past year traveling instead of following a traditional path. • My 93-year-old great aunt — a superager — distilled a century of wisdom: "Do whatever you want." • Her words helped me embrace my unconventional journey without shame.

In September 2024, I ended my lease in Washington, D.C., and left for six weeks of working remotely while exploring the Mediterranean coast of Spain. It turned into a nine-month journey: Southern Spain, England, Montenegro, and back to Spain.

On paper, it looked like a dream: beaches, new cities, new experiences. But in reality, it included long stretches of loneliness and the ache of watching my peers reach traditional milestones I hadn't.

Along the way, I chased meaning. I questioned my choices during a cold December in Lo

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