Meet, Plan, Go! helps you trade a desk for the open road

In an age of economic anxiety when many Americans don't even take the measly two weeks of vacation they're allotted each year, the message behind "Meet, Plan, Go!" — break out of your cubicle, pack your bag, and travel the world — might seem a tough sell.

But as "Meet, Plan, Go!" co-founder Sherry Ott told me, feeding wanderlust can have unexpected payoffs.

Negotiating a sabbatical or temporary leave may be easier than you think. And "if you've been laid off this could very well be the best time to take a career break and pursue your travel dreams. You've actually been given this thing that we all want — time off — and this is your chance to do something with it," Ott points out. "When you return you will have new skills, the economic outlook may be better, and you will have something that sets you apart on your resume."

Next week's "Meet, Plan, Go!" seminars, offered Oct. 16 in Austin, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Minneapolis, New York City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto for $20 per person, feature stories from "been there, done that" career breakers plus practical tips on turning long-term travel dreams into reality.

"There is never the 'right' time to go.' You have to simply decide if this is something that you really want to do and make it happen, no matter what the timing," Ott adds. "I've met many career breakers, and never met one who regretted it. For each person, it changed their life for the better in some way."