There is an endless amount of advice about how to start traveling. Get a remote job, sell your belongings, do seasonal work, etc… I can only speak from the (privileged) perspective of someone from the US, who did not have a lot of money but had lots of dreams of traveling, and here is my list of advice that I hope is realistic and accessible to people in a similair position.
Start Small
Many Americans feel as though they have never traveled because they have never left the US, but in such a gigantic and diverse country, even crossing state lines can be a great adventure and a way to experience something new. I am from Texas, and even different parts of my state are foreign to me. Start exploring nearby cities, and go on solo camping trips. Look for National parks and monuments near you. I highly recommend camping (if that’s your thing) solo as this greatly increased my confidence and my ability to look after myself. Before I began teaching English Abroad I felt as though I had never traveled compared to my European peers, but I have been to New York City, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. I have been to many beautiful National Parks: The Grand Canyon, Big Bend, Yosemite, and Saguaro, and have been to no less than eight states. I treasure these trips; they prepared me more than I could have known for international travel.
Create a plan
On social media, it can seem that most travelers follow wherever the wind may blow them, and once I started traveling I became this leaf in the wind, but not at the start. Before my first trip I was nervously twiddling my thumbs and jealousy watching people live my dream. It’s easier to start when you make a plan. There can be a lot of administration going into traveling abroad, especially if you plan to work abroad like I did. Flights, visas, vaccines, and the like. There is a huge research phase you will probably go through before leaving the country. I created a document to help keep me on track. This document included: everything I needed for my visa, everything I needed to pack, the places I wanted to visit, cultural norms, phrases to practice, and a rough budget of how much I could spend each week. Write. Down. Your. Plans. Tell at least a few close people of your plans in advance, writing it down and speaking things aloud will help make your travel dreams feel more tangible. Your plans won’t go accordingly, but that’s okay, this is just a jumping off point.
Figure your stuff out
A lot of us in the West have so much stuff. Clothes, furniture, books, pots, pans-everything. If you plan to travel long-term, this is a great time to finally donate/sell those things you don’t want or need. You will have to practice prioritizing. I am very fortunate that my parents have the space and were willing to let me keep things in my childhood home (many of my things were already there anyway). I was able to park my van there and leave all the items I did not yet want to part with. However, I got rid of a lot of stuff. I donated a lot of clothes, shoes, and kitchenware. I sold my desk, my car, and all my big pieces of furniture. I gave away my plants to people I love. I thought of myself as not a very materialistic person, but some of these things were hard to part with. Overall, it was very freeing to get rid of so much, and selling my car was one of the biggest things that helped me to fund my travels. So, will you still be renting and leaving your stuff in your own dwelling, or will you rely on friends and family, rent a storage unit, or get rid of almost everything?
However, “stuff” goes beyond the material. Ask yourself: why do I want to travel? This why will help motivate you to book that flight even if it seems scary. Your why may help you connect with other travelers and locals with a similar mindset along the way.
Book the damn flight
I want to say this with my chest because I made a huge mistake on my first international trip. I knew when I was leaving and what flight I needed to take to attend my work orientation. The one-way ticket to the other side of the world was listed at about $460. As I stared at Google flights I was filled with anxiety, so instead of booking the flight I clicked out of the browser and decided to sleep on it and wait for the next day. The next day came, and the flight was now $1000 for a one-way ticket. I was frozen by fear and failed to take action, which literally cost me. In the end, I got the same flight, and the only thing that changed was that I paid double the price because I hesitated, solely out of nervousness and fear. I say all this to say: book the flight! Book the accommodation! Apply for the job, the work exchange, the whatever! Just do the damn thing!
This list may not seem extensive, but I wanted to give you tangible steps. Overall I think a lot of times we overthink everything. As long as we do our due diligence in researching, gathering our documents, and saving money, any dream you have is possible, but any dream you have must be bought at the price of hard work. You don’t have to go off and be a full-time traveler to experience the world, take in everything as much as you can, whether it’s for days, weeks, or months at a time. To quote Anthony Bourdain, “Open your mind, get up off the couch, move.”
Elsewhere Letters 
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