It all started with our first “Big Trip” in July 2017. We spent 22 days traveling cross country from Raleigh to San Diego and back. We had a blast and made so many memories that we began to consider the idea of full-time travel. In late 2019, we put a plan together to tour the United States in an RV. 2020 had other plans, though! As the pandemic shut down the world, RV sales soared and national parks were packed. We decided to pivot and broaden our horizons, asking ourselves the question… “What if we travel the WORLD?”

We committed to some significant changes to make our dream a reality:

1. Sold our house. This was the place we called home for 10 years. Many people decide to rent their house or use it as an Airbnb if they travel for an extended period of time. We decided that we didn’t want the burden of a house to maintain while traveling for long periods. Ultimately, we know that our “home” is wherever we are together. We moved into a temporary rental, downsized our belongings, and moved treasured items to a storage facility.

2. Reinvented the way we earn income. Kevin has always been a bit of a rebel as it relates to his career. He wanted to be free to focus on family and travel so he left his corporate job. He works to fund our adventures by managing our investment portfolios and writing.

3. Began homeschooling. We experienced an unexpected benefit from being forced into virtual schooling during the pandemic. We learned that our girls experienced fewer distractions and were very responsible about completing their work.

   Without this learning, the idea of homeschooling might have been too intimidating. We did the research and found that it wasn’t as difficult as we had imagined. After filing the proper paperwork with the state, we opened our own homeschool. We chose the platform and curriculum that best met our needs and continue to evaluate it regularly.

4. Booked our flights to Paris. After spending a few weeks tracking flight prices, Kevin found a deal that was too good to pass up. He booked our flights which put a stake in the ground and helped to make our dreams of traveling the world seem more real. We started to brainstorm all the places we wanted to see and things we wanted to do. With a plan to stay for the 90 day maximum allowed on a Schengen visa, we thought it would be plenty of time to explore all of France. (Boy were we wrong!)

5. Got organized. We filled our Trello boards and started completing all the necessary tasks before our flight on September 15, 2021. All eyes were on the goal and, despite distractions, we worked one step at a time to make our travels a reality.

6. Took that first trip. We traveled all over France. We saw the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, visited the Louvre and the Palace of Versailles. We explored Normandy, Nice, Nantes, and Nimes. We toured chateaux and museums, drank French wine and ate a lot of baguettes. We stayed in the French Riviera and traveled to the top of Aiguille du Midi where we could have a closer view of the highest peak in Europe - Mont Blanc.

We experienced the Christmas Markets in Strasbourg and visited Disneyland Paris for both Halloween and Christmas! We found some amazing amusement parks and learned so much history. We navigated more roundabouts than should be allowed to exist! We learned enough French to communicate with the locals and met the MOST friendly and amazing people. With all we accomplished in those three months, we barely even scratched the surface. AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO DO IT AGAIN!

Once upon a time, the kind of freedom that we now experience was just a dream. We decided to stop dreaming and start putting our time and future back in our own control. By releasing some of the tethers that dictated our schedule, we have given ourselves the freedom to plan extravagant trips but also the ability to be spontaneous. We still deal with the inevitable frustrations that life throws our way but we are living on our own terms now.

What dreams do you have? What little (or big) steps could you take now to get you closer to making those dreams a reality? What are some things that are keeping you from getting started? How can you put yourself in the driver’s seat of your own future?