Rediscovering Dreams and Pushing Boundaries: My Van Life Journey
Last weekend marked a significant milestone in my journey towards embracing my dreams and pushing beyond my boundaries. We finished the van and embarked on its first real camping adventure. When I say "real camping," I mean being in the middle of the forest, far from any cell phone signal, and completely immersed in nature – not just an RV park. While RV parks have their charm, my vision of van life has always been about connecting with nature on a deeper level.
Having everything at my fingertips was a surreal experience. We made dinner and enjoyed it on my pull-out table, surrounded by the tranquility of the forest. It was a moment that reminded me of the simplicity and beauty of life.
I've been reflecting on the spiritual side of life recently. This van dream was born in my early twenties when I had no money to my name and nothing to lose. Just a young woman with a vision of becoming the traveling personal trainer.
Back in my twenties, fear began to control my life decisions. I was afraid of not having money, of failure, and of disappointing my parents. I convinced myself that my dreams were unrealistic and unimportant. I believed I needed to find someone to take care of me and get a "real" job. As a result, this dream felt like a distant memory, something I had left behind a decade ago.
Reflecting on the past ten years, I've come to realize that my van dream wasn't meant to happen back then. I needed to go through the steps I did. I needed to tell my younger self that her dreams didn't matter and endure the pain of suppressing my entrepreneurial spirit. This journey taught me valuable lessons.
It showed me a life I never dreamed possible growing up in a middle-class family in the Midwest. It exposed me to parts of the world I might never have seen otherwise. It awakened values I didn't know I had. And through the rejection of parts of myself, I learned how that can manifest physically, with stomach aches and rashes.
I believe in divine timing, and this van life experience was meant to happen for me now. It was the perfect mix of pain and life experience that led me to my new mission – to understand and push beyond my boundaries.
My hope is that by sharing my experiences, I can inspire you to overcome what holds you back and better understand your personal boundaries so others can love you more deeply.
Here are some ways I plan to push beyond my boundaries:
Sobriety for 365 days – as I write this, I am at day 88!
Not wearing makeup or looking in a mirror for a week.
Sleeping outside in nothing but a sleeping bag – being one with nature and embracing vulnerability.
30 days of facing my biggest fear: rejection – ironic, considering I face rejection daily in sales.
A day of radical honesty.
48 hours of silence and no electronics.
Participating in a poetry slam.
Starting a vlog.
Being able to do a pull-up.
A day of voicing my opinion.
Taking a self-defense class.
Spending the winter in Baja as a solo female van lifer.
I invite you to follow my journey and find inspiration in pushing beyond your own boundaries. Sign up for my newsletter and join me as we embrace the beauty of life's challenges together.
