Writing My Story as I Go With the Flo: 3 Months of Full Time Vanlife
Today marks exactly 3 months of full time living in our van Florence (Flo) and traveling across the United States.
One year ago at this time I was counting down the days of the last month of my last year teaching in a classroom that had been my second home for almost a decade. I was giving notice at our apartment because we knew that come the fall, we would be traveling, even though we hadn’t worked out the details yet.
We were fairly certain that our new home would be a home on wheels, but none of the details were worked out yet. The three things I knew for sure at this time last year were:
it was time to move on from my job,
resigning our lease felt like a stagnant move, and
traveling (with our dog) and working from anywhere was going to happen.
Looking back, I don’t even think I gave myself enough credit for how strongly I tuned into what my gut knew I needed, and how much I trusted that if I put this idea out into the universe, I would make it happen.
I am so grateful that I decided this chapter would be part of my journey, and watching the story unfold each day as I continually trust that everything is working out for me has been magical.
It wasn’t until July that we found our van and it wasn’t until December that it was ready for travel. And, it wasn’t until February 17 that we were ready to embark on our cross country adventure. But though the timeline in my mind was delayed a bit, I look back and am amazed at how fast our dream actually became a reality.
The time between last May 17th and this one has not been all rainbows and butterflies.
There have been moments of doubt, of worry, of anger, and of getting very uncomfortable. There always will be moments like that when you make the brave decision to follow your gut and rewrite your story, but when you’re in your new reality looking back at all the tiny decisions and wins along the way that landed you there, there is no better feeling.
From the decision to quit my job & pursue my freelance career full time, to the endless planning that went into making #vanlife a reality, to the day to day of life on the road, there have been 5 things that have made it all possible.
Even if your brave decisions and dreams are different from mine (of course they are!) I know that these can help you write a new chapter of your story, too.
Open-mindedness:
The decision to live in 70 sq feet, designing the layout of our tiny home on wheels, and living on the road instead of in a stationary conventional home has required quite a bit of open-mindedness! We’ve trusted the process, been open to things not going according to plan, and best of all we have been exposed to different cultures, beliefs, and customs. Embracing new experiences requires an open mind, and open-mindedness changes you for the better.
Adaptability:
Living on the road has required us to be more flexible than I ever have been before (and I used to teach preschool!). We are constantly making adjustments, changing the plan, and living moment by moment. You cannot make a big (or small) change without willing to be adaptable, and vanlife has strengthened my adaptability more than anything!
Presence:
We always hear about the importance of living in the moment, but it’s no easy feat to stay present and not be thinking about the future. Living on the road has forced me to be present all the time because we are truly living moment to moment: where will we sleep tonight, get water? (Thank you iOverlander for help with that - my favorite vanlife app!). Do we have enough gas? Is our van working optimally? Do we have cell service for work or should we put out the Starlink? Not only logistical things but the importance of stopping to appreciate the beautiful places we are visiting and magical moments. Wherever you’re at, be present. Enjoy every moment you’ll never get back and trust you’re exactly where you need to be.
Problem-solving:
Raise your hand if you’ve ever encountered an unexpected challenge! Life is unpredictable. Thinking creatively and problem-solving played huge roles in building our van and is essential in our life on the road. Learning to find solutions to problems and overcome obstacles is necessary when making changes in your life, and I find that obstacles are quite often detours in the right direction if you’re open to it.
Gratitude:
There are so many things to be grateful for every single day, even on the days when there feels like a million problems to solve and you’re sick of being open minded ;) Though I’ve always done my best to show gratitude for the people and moments in my life, 3 months on the road has given me a deeper appreciation for the little things in life (that are actually pretty big that we take for granted) like getting from a to b safely, being able to problem solve and adapt, obstacles that detoured us in the right direction, finding clean water, having our health, sunshine, flowers in the desert, intuition, people met along the way, friends and family checking in… the list goes on.
This entire experience is showing me that there is no dream you cannot achieve. And, though there will be moments of challenge on the way to new adventures, there will be endless valuable lessons and experiences, too.
If any of this resonates, I think you may like 10 Journal Prompts to inspire change and help you write + share your story.
Download below!
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