As we are sharing all about the Smart Travel Super Bundle this week, it was a perfect time to talk about what lessons we've learned looking back on our travels, and what we would say to those who are fearful of taking the leap. Is family travel really worth it? Looking back at our top 10 lessons learned we can confidently say, "why yes. Yes, it is."
In This Episode, Nathan and I talk about what pushed us to act, and what to consider as you think of your "one day" dreams with your family
Listen to this episode on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, YouTube, iHeartRadio or your RSS Feed *Now also on the Pandora app and Radio.com!
What is the Smart Travel Super Bundle?
Given how badly I’ve been bit by the travel bug, I couldn’t be more excited to tell you about something I am SO excited to be a part of -- the Smart Travel Super Bundle.
With 13 eBooks, 10 eCourses, 5 printable packs, and 2 workbooks inside, I’m confident you’ll find the inspiration to get behind the wheel of an RV, book your next flight, or take off for your next backpacking adventure. I'm proud to have my course, "90 Day Family Road Trip" in the mix as one of the elite courses.
Check it out, but hurry! This great price is only available this week.
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Taking 90 Days to travel breaks the glass ceiling on what is possible for your family. If you can do 90 days, you can do fulltime.
Where are we this week?
We hit the road and had a blast at City Museum in St. Louis! I post all of my pictures in our FieldTripGypsies account -quite honestly because I convert them into Chatbooks where we have picture memories of our adventures (Use this code to get your first book free: RGYCAMC3).
I've been adding more InstaStories, however, in my @MamaSaysNamaste account - so you can see a full rundown of our adventure there!
Follow us on our journey on Insta as the FieldTripGypsies!
How willing are Families to Take the Leap?
The first listener question we addressed was from Daniel, who asked this:
How willing are families to take the plunge on living their dream life? What really holds them back?
Our answer is this: Families are willing, but very overwhelmed with the process to get there. Especially with small children, you can have great intentions and a perfect game-plan...and then you have a sick baby, a toddler having a meltdown, or tween in the midst of an emotional "crisis", and all plans go out the window.
People are volatile and unpredictable. Shrink that down to immature child emotions and it can be like you're walking around with a ticking time bomb. So parents get stuck - stuck in simply providing for and reacting to the tiny dictators in their home, and it's a hard thing to step out of. It takes a lot of work - but for the ones that do it, it's so, so worth it.
Looking Back...
Another listener question was this:
What is one thing you wish you had known before you started your travels?
I can't say we really have any regrets, because what got us to where we are today are those lessons learned along the way. With our "functional education" mindset, it's all about opportunities for growth, anyway!
Dig Deeper...
Some additional resources for you
- Dreaming of your own family adventure? Start Here
- The Smart Travel Super Bundle
- How to Take the Ultimate Family Road Trip FREE Webinar
- Learn the personality styles of those in your family
- Dig deeper with coaching for your unique situation
- Curious what personality style your children are, and they aren't yet five? Check out the "Family DISCovery Playbook"
Put a Date On It
A big thing to make your "bucket list" dream happen, especially when it comes to travel, is to go ahead and put that date on it! Your mind can quickly take you down all the "what if" scenarios and you can just rule it out - when you put a date on it, it makes it real and concrete, and it's the first step in seeing the possibility and not the pitfall.
We hash out personality styles a bit more on the podcast, and talk about my tendency to just jump into things as a D/I, where Nathan pulls back a bit more as an S/I.
Control can be a big issue - when we are trying to control our lives, once we get it under our grips, sometimes we don't want to let go of that. It can get comfortable. But comfortable can be extremely boring! It takes facing your fear to take the leap in order to move out of that. The other side of that fear has become the "magic side of life" for Nathan.
Travel Brings Awareness to the Present Moment
Life is fleeting. All of it. And when we travel, we tend to focus on the present, as we know we are just visiting an area. So we pay attention, and we really see it. This was a big reason why we chose to make this our lifestyle - to focus on the present moment and bring awe and awareness to it.
We chose to take our life out of auto-pilot and really soak it in. We wanted to notice more, pay attention, and be fully present.
Revisit that Fear - is it worth it?
Really break this down - what would it take to make you feel that comfort even through the process of fear? How are you going to move past to push yourself to grow?
I highly recommend the book, "Do It Scared" if you feel fear is really holding you back. My friend Ruth has an awesome Fear Assessment that she breaks down in the book, and it can really help you process and move past what fears may be limiting you in your life.
Put a Date On Your Dreaming
Go beyond just putting a date on your "one day" - before you even get there, put a date on your dreaming! Make sure that this isn't just an open-ended forever option. My parents have a 2 week window for their decision-making. No matter how big it is, two weeks is their window before they have to act.
This helps so much with the different personality styles, where one person wants to process and process and the other is ready to act yesterday. This helps to have a common ground - an agreed upon date to move to the next step.
Dream together - what would this look like?
If nothing were to change in your life, 3 years from now, would you be happy with where you are? Are you settling in contentment out of safety, or are you truly happy?
If you were to lay out your perfect dream day, what would that look like? Here was mine:
A perfect day for an intense hike up to Grinnel Lake in Glacier National Park to an epic view and tailgating out of the back of our truck some delicious homemade hummus and some camp stove cappuccinos.
But what if this was Nathan's idea of a perfect day?
For the record, it's not at all - ha! But, if you have one that loves push-button entertainment, being waited on, big fancy meals and where all the crowds are, and the other is an extreme introvert who would rather not see another human...you have some different expectations, which can lead to some major conflict!
Recognize your impermanence
Sometimes we hold off on our dreams because they seem too daunting, like we have to commit to them for life. But nothing is permanent. You are looking at an adventure. A season of your life. Not what it will be forever. You will change, and so will your desires, and that's okay. That should not prevent you from forging ahead, just because you know more change will happen.
This life is fleeting. You don't know when it will end, and you don't know how long you have with those you love. Don't put anything on hold that is important just banking on you'll get to it "one day"
Come together as family team
Don't have all the weight on one person to make all the decisions. Give your children the wings to help them navigate as well, even if they struggle. Be a team in this, and give everyone a role. It helps SO MUCH when each person knows what's expected of them instead of aimlessly wandering around or getting into trouble! Plus, when each person has an assigned role, you're much less likely to miss something.
Allow for Re-sets
We believe in a "clean slate" mentality. We will all slip off the tracks at times, and even with the best laid plans, we may end up with plans derailed or just get lazy. But when we draw light on this and seek to re-set, we can get back on track - it's not starting over.
Course-correction simply shows that you're moving - if there is no course-correcting, are you really growing?
There is so much more than you think
There are SO MANY opportunities for learning out there. Everything from Jr. Ranger programs and the knowledge at the State and National Parks, the science centers and zoos and sanctuaries, and simply talking to people along the way - there is so much to take in. Everywhere you go is a new chapter - and even those places you go back to, you see with different eyes as you grow.
You will find your community
You will find your community. Here is a full podcast on how to find your community on the road.
Your Weekly Challenge:
Dream with your family. Hear from all of them. And then put a date on it.
Learn about who you are and how you want to navigate this world. Talk with your family and learn about who they are. Explore with open eyes and hearts, and embrace how the uniqueness in each of us strengthens all of us.
Questions or comments?
Personality styles, marriage/intimacy, parenting, education, minimalism or travel - what is pressing on your mind?
Or, hop on over to the Mama Says Namaste or Unschooling Families FB groups and ask your question there!
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