July 8, 2022
In the few months we’ve been on this journey, I have heard that phrase more than once.
We had dreamed of traveling in an RV full-time, or most-time, for years. We had also dreamed of living elsewhere in Florida, but wasn’t sure where to go, based on weekends and day trips, and wanted to explore more and immerse ourselves in with locals until we found the perfect place. With the housing market booming in Florida and our family dynamic downsizing, it was a perfect time.
We sold our home and most of our belongings, paid off our debts, bought our rig and truck, and established a home base at a family member’s home to live at when we weren’t traveling. I was already a virtual teacher and our son a virtual student, so my husband just finished up work for his small business. I was already blogging here along with teaching, so I just added other aspects to the blog. He began establishing our social media spots and finding how to grow his photography hobby into a business.
In the beginning, it was flattering, since this was something we had dreamed of for so long and were finally getting to do. Now that we have settled into this life, the excitement isn’t quite as strong, but the appeal is still there.
Recently, we went to a campground we had very high hopes for but, alas, it was hot and there weren’t as many families and kids our son’s age to play with, nor were there parks and sites to go and see. After 2 nights, we made the decision to pack up early, cancel our reservation and go on to our next location early. We are nomads, after all. Nothing said we have to stay.
Daily life while traveling is the same as anywhere. There is work that must be done, chores and meals to keep up with, shopping and laundry to contend with. But in a smaller space, they don’t take as long and we are all a part of it, making it more a family event than a chore.
But the off time is when we really notice the joys. Some places we’ve stayed had lots of sites to visit. When we were close to the beach, we went to watch the full moon rise. Walks down by the river or at dusk to see the bats and owls are a favorite at our current location. Our next stop is in Dark Sky Area and on a new moon, so there will be lots of star gazing and using the telescope we’ve given valuable storage space to. Bike rides and campground activities are a fun way to pass the time, as well.
It’s not all smiles and good times. We still have things break, struggles to deal with and doctor’s visits or weather to work around. But because we focus on the value and not the negative, they are small blips.
So, our dream of traveling together, my dream of being a travel writer, and my husband’s dream of being a travel photographer have all morphed into the life we are living now. No, we aren’t traveling the country or the world. Yes, we go slower since we need to give our son a structured life and still maintain friendships and be available to our family. But there is so much to see and do in our home state and we are experiencing things we didn’t even know were here already.
If you have a dream, I encourage you to put pen to paper (or, as we did, a marker to a giant dry erase board we hung up to map and remind us–color coded, of course) and start planning. Then, set check in dates every month to see where you are and if you are on track or if things have changed. This was how we realized we could do this 10 years earlier than expected.
Start with these questions:
- What do you want to do?
- What do you need to do to get there?
- What obstacles are keeping you from it now?
- What can you start opting out of or saying no to, to help get you there quicker?
- Can you adapt your dream and live a variation of it now while you transition?
- How will you take care of life maintenance tasks that can’t be neglected?
Be sure to hold yourself accountable by sharing with someone, journaling, or starting a social media page to share your journey. You may be the next one inspiring someone to reach their goals and hearing that phrase “you’re living my dream!”
Comment below and tell me what your dream is. I’d love to hear and, if you are on social media, share your media and handle so we can follow along your journey!
Like or comment below and share with others to support the blog. I post twice a week about teaching, traveling and family. Until next time, you can find me on Twitter @AddictedtoTeac1 or on Tiktok: @sonya.BOMSquadleader. You can find more about our adventures on our our website at BarnesOnMove.com, Facebook, TikTok & Twitter: @BarnesOnMove . Support us and get more in depth and personal interactions at Patreon: Barnes On Move