Hi! I’m Amy Martinez, and welcome to Gap Year With Amy: A Guide for Professional Adults—a blog dedicated to helping professional adults hit pause on the grind, reclaim their freedom, and design a gap year that’s as bold and vibrant as they dare to dream. This is a space about stepping away from the 9-to-5 script, shedding the “someday” excuses, and chasing what makes life spectacular—whether that’s through travel, new passions, or simply the space to rediscover yourself.
At 47, after 25 years in a finance career that had me staring down a crossroads, I made a choice. It was a wild leap—AND a deliberate snap of my corporate laptop shutting for good. In that moment, I knew I was done playing small. I traded the predictable for a gap year fueled by curiosity and courage, committing to a life that lights me up—full of adventure, bold ideas, and the people and places that make this world extraordinary.
I started Gap Year With Amy: A Guide for Professional Adults to share that journey with you—openly tackling the questions I get about taking a career break, offering practical tips from my own experience, and showing how a gap year can be the spark that reignites your vibrancy. Because here’s the truth I’ve learned: giving yourself permission to step away isn’t just a timeout—it’s a radiant reset that can transform everything.
If you’re a professional craving more—yearning for the freedom to explore, create, or just breathe—then you’re in the right place. Gap Year With Amy: A Guide for Professional Adults is your road map for making a purposeful pause happen, with all the how-to’s, inspiration, and real-talk you need to live boldly on your own terms. Let’s kick start your electrifying gap year—together!