There’s something about unfinished chapters.
They don’t shout. They don’t demand attention. They simply linger — quietly — until the timing feels right to resurface.
This post is the beginning of a new chapter on Escapes with TKay. It’s not the most obvious story to start with, but it feels like the right one. Because context matters. And this story has followed me for almost nineteen years.
It’s been nearly two decades since my final year of high school — Matric, as we call it in South Africa. Recently, as I’ve been wrestling with the idea of taking what I can only describe as a nomadic sabbatical, a long-buried memory resurfaced.
I’ll be honest: the language around it still feels uncomfortable.
Gap year. Sabbatical. Nomadic life.
They sound neat, curated, and Instagram-friendly. What I’m feeling, though, is messier and far more human.
It feels like a persistent internal nudge saying: pause… and reformat.
For months, I’ve felt disconnected and misaligned. I’ve tried to rationalise it away. On paper, life looks good. I’ve grown professionally. I’ve reached milestones I once dreamed of. I’ve built a career, a reputation, and a business.
And yet, something feels off.
That feeling took me back to my Matric year at St Andrew’s School in Bloemfontein.
After our final exam — I honestly can’t remember which subject it was — the excitement around Matric vacation was electric. Most of my classmates were heading to the coast, to Sodwana Bay, to celebrate the end of school and the beginning of adulthood.
It symbolised freedom. Friendship. Closure. New beginnings.
And unknowingly, it was our final moment together before life sent us in different directions — across universities, countries, and futures.
But I didn’t go.
I was called back home to Mafeteng, Lesotho, to help at the family business. It was peak season, and responsibility came first. So I cancelled my trip.
At the time, it felt like the right decision. Sensible. Necessary.
What I didn’t realise then was that something remained incomplete.
For years afterward, I did what I knew best — I focused on building.
I built qualifications. I built discipline. I built a career in financial services. And eventually, I built TKO Financial Wellness.
I invested aggressively in professional development, skills, and personal growth. Somewhere along the way, though, I deprioritised something equally important — the ability to pause, explore, and simply be.
That’s where Escapes with TKay entered my life.
What began as a creative outlet slowly became a grounding force. A space to document experiences, travel intentionally, and reconnect with parts of myself that productivity alone couldn’t satisfy. It reminded me that financial planning isn’t just about the future — it’s about creating space to live well in the present.
Now, I find myself at a crossroads.
One version of me is the financial wellness coach — structured, responsible, and deeply aware of risk.
The other is a human being whose soul is asking for movement, perspective, and a break from the monotony of staying rooted in one place.
What started as a simple rebrand of Escapes with TKay quietly evolved into a deeper realisation: I may need a sabbatical. Not to escape life — but to realign with it. To work remotely, travel slowly, and challenge the idea that success must always look stationary.
I won’t pretend this decision feels easy.
I’m nervous.
I’m uncertain.
I’m fearful — and also deeply excited.
Which leaves me with a question I’m finally brave enough to ask:
Should I give myself permission to go now — as an adult — when the decision is fully mine, unlike my Matric days?
This blog will document that journey — the planning, the finances, the travel, and the becoming. It will be honest, imperfect, and grounded in real-life decisions.
If you’ve ever felt successful on paper but quietly misaligned inside, I hope you’ll walk this path with me.
If this resonates, subscribe to Escapes with TKay for reflections on money, travel, and intentional living — and follow the journey as it unfolds
— Tokiso “TKay” Nthebe
Escapes with TKay | Where Money Meets Freedom
