Pregnancy without Adrenal Fatigue

Hey, friend! I know it’s been quite a long time since you’ve heard from me and I promise there is very good reason for that! After several years, we have decided to take on the journey of having another child. I’ve taken a tremendous amount of time in between our first two kids to build a new business and to address thoroughly the chronic adrenal fatigue I was suffering from.

At the end of last year I spent 3 months re-evaluating my health and IT IS OFFICIAL... I am 100% recovered from Adrenal Fatigue. ALL my levels are “great” and I feel better than ever. It was very happy news to be 100% certain that I was fully recovered so that I can continue to improve my physical wellbeing moving onward.

I want to share how my experience of pregnancy without adrenal fatigue compared to the first two pregnancies with adrenal fatigue, as well as how I’ve been keeping up during this process because is the same approach for any life-change that imposes more daily stress; be it a new home, new baby, new job, etc. As we review the story of each pregnancy, maybe you’ll be able to identify some key differences that effected each outcome.

During the first pregnancy I was young, in my early-mid twenties. I didn’t know what I was doing and I thought I was invincible. For a lot of us, during that phase of life we were used to abusing our bodies: late nights, little sleep, junk food... and we kept going and going... until we reached those later years where we hit some kind of massive wall — for seemingly no reason. Sound familiar?

 So here I am, in my twenties, pregnant, and I thought this baby wasn’t going to slow me down. I kept forcing myself to exercise, despite feeling exhausted, and sticking to a restricted, vegan diet. Unsurprisingly, I was eventually put on bed rest due to the risk of pre-term labor. Not only was life warning me to slow down, my body was begging for it... needing it.

 After giving birth, I really had a tough time adjusting to it all. Our baby had colic and at that time I had no idea I was struggling with a physical health deficit, so I thought “I need to stop being lazy and get my mindset straight”. I assumed I was suffering from childhood PTSD triggered by the experience of becoming a mom or starting a family. And although there were definitely things I had to address due to my traumas... it wasn’t the real reason I felt completely overwhelmed.

 My second pregnancy was very different. I didn’t want to risk any of the complications I had in my first, so I re-created my environment and spaces. We moved to Utah and I had a completely new birth team and different lifestyle that was more slow paced and grounding.

 I began to prioritize my health by creating a daily self-care schedule with morning yoga, daily walks, meditation, specific nap times and bedtimes... as well as a more flexible diet, omitting only major food sensitivities. I also had weekly therapy, to address my mindset, and some of the fears I had over starting a family and my role as a mom.

 Despite having these “to-do’s” there was always room for flexibility or free-flow. Some days yoga would look like 15 minute of passive stretching and then I’d fall asleep on my mat. Or, I’d make it two blocks on our morning walk before having to turn around because it was too exhausting to continue… My sole goal (aside from creating a balanced and supportive lifestyle) was to listen to, and, honor my body.

 This was the first time in my life I was learning to do that and the effects were pretty magical. The birth of my second child was unreal... It was simple, quiet, and peaceful. It was 100% pain-less.

 Despite this remarkable experience, I did not maintain this daily balance or perspective. My second daughter had colic that lasted several months and reached a peak when both kids got sick and my husband ended up in the hospital with an emergency surgery. Long story... But at this point, I was drowning and stacked up on my exhaustion, furthering the chronic fatigue.

 If you’ve been around the last few years, you’ll recognize this brand has been all about my journey to rehabilitating energy, balance, and health in my life since then... which leads me to right now. 100% recovered and pregnant. So how does it all differ?

To be honest... not that much... But in the grand scheme of things it’s totally different! Let me explain.

I still feel the same feeling of exhaustion and fatigue. Not to the extreme or the constant as before, but definitely moments of it. As you become more “fine tuned” with your body, it becomes more sensitive. It tells you, complains to you, warns you... sooner, when things start getting out of balance. So the truth is, the feeling of tiredness and fatigue feels similar a lot of the time.

The reason it’s different is because my lifestyle is nothing like my first two pregnancies. I’m currently working full time, I haven’t taken any leave (yet), aside from holidays and some much needed rest days... I have a full blown social life, weekly family events, a rigorous schedule of study and exercise, five acres of property with gardens and animals, and two homeschooled children - who also have extracurriculars and a schedule of their own. 

There is NO WAY on earth I would have been able to keep up with this lifestyle, while I had adrenal fatigue, let alone being pregnant. And yet, here I am, and I feel better than ever before. This has nothing to do with my own talents or skills... it has everything to do with how remarkable the human body is when it’s supported, cared for, and in-balance.

Although I follow the same principles as I did my second pregnancy the major differences are: I don’t burn out as fast, I recover quicker, and I have some leeway to “push” myself when times call for it. I now know how to support it and maintain balance. I also know now, how do identify when and what is off balance and what to do about it.

So here’s the process: Restore. Eat. Move. The 3 steps that I discuss in the Level Up Program that are required to support growing energy and maintaining balance.

 You must restore your body equally and substantially compared to the efforts it produces. In pregnancy, or abnormal stresses, you are going to need to restore more. That’s just how it is. You have to adjust and accommodate to the changes of life so you don’t fall into a deficit.

Eat. Food is your fuel and the quality of your fuel determines the quality of your output. This cannot be overlooked. Plan ahead, feed yourself well, don’t skip on meals, and stay hydrated. Also, implementing the practice of minimalism... cut out the things that don’t serve you. That means getting tested to not only make sure you’re keeping up with healthy nutrient levels, but to understand your unique system and what foods may cause more stress or irritation to your body. 

Lastly, Move. The hardest week of my current pregnancy was dealing with the most debilitating migraine I’ve ever experienced in my life. I discovered, it’s because I had stopped moving... as much and as vigorously as I’m used to moving daily. And while that’s understandable, I mean... I’m pregnant... the body requires movement to maintain it’s flexibility and health. I incorporated more yoga and gentle, but active exercise. The migraine was gone within a couple days. It may not be the same intensity as pre-pregnancy, but the idea is to keep movement in your life. Find your threshold, meet it, and then learn to expand it as you gain more energy and momentum in your life.

So that’s really it in a nutshell... Restore. Eat. And Move.

Sometimes we look at our past performance and neglect how we feel in each moment, expecting more out of ourselves. And while I am a firm believer of showing up and being your best, you can only truly be your best when you are supporting yourself in all the best ways.

Overcoming fatigue and increasing energy isn’t a passive occurrence. Intentionality and presence are necessary. What can you do to become more intentional with how your care for yourself or support your energy?

Let me know and I’ll continue to look for ideas and more info to help.
Until next time!

With gratitude,

~ MJ

1 Step to Increase your Health, Happiness, and Success

If you could do one simple thing each day that would change your life for the better would you do it? In this interview with Karl Staib, author of Bring Gratitude, we talk about how diving deep into gratitude can improve your health, happiness, and success. All it takes is one step… But that step will change your life forever.

It was something that saved Karl’s life.

Gratitude changes the chemicals in your brain, it creates a physiological result that effects your brain, your hormones, the way that you feel, and your overall perspective in life. Focusing on the negative or the things that are stressing us narrows our perception to a reality that isn’t totally true. It’s only partially true because it’s omitting the abundance of positive.

If it feels easier for you to focus on what’s bothering you this is because we’re hardwired to search for the negative, it’s what helped us survive. But it’s important to have understanding and grace with yourself. We are no longer primitive beings and we have the ability to choose how we respond and then take action.

Gratitude creates space…

…between you and the negative feeling allows you to conserve your time and energy by encouraging us to shift our focus towards clear thinking and identifying things that add value to us in the moment and in our overall definition of life.

Although gratitude is simple, you can take this practice to a whole new level, bringing the results in your life to a whole new level. Karl has developed a technique called S.O.A.R. that helps guide you through the four stages of gratitude, you can get that here. And he dives deeper into how gratitude applies to moments of stress, fatigue, depression, and anxiety in our interview as well as his book Bring Gratitude.

I am truly grateful to have the opportunity to share this interaction with you. There is always something so humbling and fulfilling connecting with high vibe individuals who share their wisdom in order to enrich your mindset and your life.

I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!

~MJ

5 Steps to Minimalism During Quarantine

During this time of forced isolation, we have plenty of time and space to reconsider what we put our time and energy into. This is the perfect time to slow down and identify what truly adds value to you. In essence, this is the root of the philosophy of minimalism.

If you have ever considered or been interested in giving minimalism a try here are five easy steps that you can take during this quarantine to experience the benefits of minimalist living.

STEP #1 - Declutter Your Home

The easiest and most rewarding step when beginning minimalism is to declutter the spaces in your home. Beginning with the space of most inspiration, or maybe something simple like your junk drawer, you can feel the liberation and clarity instantly when you choose to identify what truly adds value and remove all that doesn't.

My tip to you would be to begin by first replacing the items that you use on a regular, daily basis. Then begin to look for inspiration of how you would like your space to look and feel. This might include extras that you truly cherish, like family photos or sentimental items, in addition to some value adding decor. In my case I love decorating with books and live house plants.

STEP #2 - Let it Go

For the items you have removed, create different piles to trash, donate, or sell. Simply put, let them go remove them from your space and your life. The extra space will give you time and clarity to truly focus and pursue the things that are left over, and the things that add value to your life.

STEP #3 - Declutter Your Spending

Hulu and Netflix might be something you consider valuable right now… But often we get caught up spending on subscriptions that we typically don't use. Sometimes we even forget that we are still paying for them! Take the time to make a list of the things you are spending on, deleting, and swapping for things that add greater value. An example of this might be swapping Netflix for that online fitness program you’ve been wanting to try.

STEP #4 - Face the Digital Clutter

So much of our lives are now digital. How many apps, notifications, and media are we inundated by every single day? I like to unsubscribe from marketing emails that distract my time, delete apps that are no longer in use, turn off notifications on everything except for the most important, and create a system to save my personal media.

If you are using a cloud to store your media, my tip would be to review the cloud each week to delete and sort through. This makes reviewing your memories and finding your important files super streamlined! I also recommend converting your paper files to digital.

STEP #5 - EVP

EVP stands for the Everyday Vacation process:

Use this process throughout each of the steps. Take the time to evaluate the elements that add value, vacate what doesn’t, and then prepare a plan that will help you progress towards living life on your terms.

Ultimately you don't have to be a Pinterest perfect minimalist in order to benefit from the practice of minimalism. By applying the Everyday Vacation Process in each area of your life you will utilize your space, time, energy, and money on things that create a more value, meaning, and fulfilling life.

Hope to give it a try!
~MJ

5 Things Needed to Create Life on Your Terms

I've always been obsessed with discovering how certain people seem to live life on their terms. Over the last 18 years of creating life on MY terms, I've discovered 5 things you absolutely need to create a life of freedom.

So before we even get started, we first need to identify what our goals are. Some people just want to live simply and happy, others have a massive desire to create something magnificent like an everyday vacation or solution to a global problem.

Whatever your goals are, you have to get to the root of a lifestyle that truly creates fulfillment in your life. This begins by understanding the key elements that create true happiness.

These things will obviously affect your external outcome. For example, people who prefer solitude might love a quiet, rural place in the mountains while those who crave community may thrive most in an urban atmosphere.

There is no wrong way of creating life, you just have to be true to YOU.

So the key things you need to create life on your terms are as follows:

1. YOUR SPACES - Your environment matters! If you're surrounded by meaningless clutter, things that distract you, or people that are toxic and negative, you're less likely to maximize your potential.

This is the easiest place begin taking action and making an immediate difference!

2. MONEY - Prior to money, we traded goods. Money is just a promise note of value. It doesn't take money to be happy, but money is one way to improve your happiness by providing your basic needs or when used intentionally, adding more value to your life.

The best way to get in control of your money right now is to spend less on things you don't need and to be extra intentional when buying. Creating a budget helps.

3. HEALTH - You can have the best environment and all the money you need, but without your health, it's difficult to live unhindered.

True wealth is health, in all areas of life. Take care of the vehicle that allows you to experience life, you only get one.

4. MINDSET - Our thought patterns and beliefs are what create our perspectives, which then effect our actions, and in turn creates our reality. You can have all the potential and access to every resource in the world, but if you don't have the right mindset you'll never win.

Your ability to find gratitude, even when things aren't 100% perfect (because they almost never are) is what ultimately will give you the stamina you need to push through the challenges and setbacks on your journey to creating the life of your dreams.

5. INTENTIONAL CREATION - Lastly, to truly create life on your terms... you have to take the time to intentionally create it. You can have all the above and still let life "happen" to you.

Take the time to revisit your goals and identify the key elements that will take you to that next level of growth and contribution. True happiness comes from that connection to your Self and the willingness to share that light.

So let your light shine! And enjoy the journey of creating a life on your terms... the best part is the byproduct of discovering and becoming the best version of YOU in the process.

Starting Minimalism with The Minimalists

I always imagined minimalism being this self-depriving lifestyle of trying to live with as little as possible. Boy was I wrong.

If there is any person, or in this case two people, I could give credit to deepening my journey in minimalism it would be Joshua and Ryan of The Minimalists. Seven years ago they helped me define minimalism for myself before I ever considered myself a minimalist.

I never knew this way of thinking and living would change my life for the better - in so many ways.

If you’re a person who’s looking for more fulfillment, direction, and meaning in life, but feel overwhelmed with what seems to be “everyday life”, minimalism could be just the thing that helps you find that clarity and balance.

Recently, I had the pleasure of going to L.A. to collab with these gentlemen on their podcast and talk about starting minimalism and I’m excited to share the experience with you. ❤️ Enjoy!

You can also check out some fun extras I did with Joshua and Ryan:

• “The Difference Between Minimalism and the Marie Kondo Method”

• Full length “Maximal” episode of The Minimalists Private Podcast exclusively at The Minimalists Pateon

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I personally recommend following The Minimalists:
Blog: http://minimalists.com
Podcast: http://minimalists.com/podcast
Twitter: http://twitter.com/theminimalists
Instagram: http://instagram.com/theminimalists
Facebook: http://facebook.com/theminimalists

The Pros & Cons of Not Using Toilet Paper

People thought I was nuts when I said goodbye to toilet paper nearly 3 years ago. But having a no-toilet paper system began just like all my other weird quirks: seeking to simplify and reduce what doesn’t add value.

Now I’m not saying toilet paper doesn’t add value, toilet paper is great! But what if I told you I found something better?

Some people may disagree, but I have found a forever love of using a bidet (once I got the hang of it). No more having to put my hands anywhere near poo, no more smearing with dry tissue, no more paper waste…

Ok, that might be a bit TMI - but you get what I mean…
There is so much magic in eliminating toilet paper when eliminating!

Here are some of the benefits, PROS:

• Fast cleaning - Forget wiping over and over and over again. The spray is efficient and effective.

• Super clean! - Just like stepping out of the shower every time.

• Avoid accidentally poking your fingers through dry, rough paper (you know you’ve done it).

• Reduce your grocery bill.

• Reduce paper and plastic waste.

And here are some of the downsides, CONS:

• Water mess - in the beginning you might be cleaning up some water sprays around the toilet. 😆

• Extra Towel Laundry - having single-use towel wipes adds about 20 minutes per week to my laundry routine for a family of four. Some people have personal hand towels they re-use and hang near their toilet. You can opt for this option if you prefer.

• Boil or Bleach - I’m a clean freak, so I prefer to boil or bleach these towels (just in case…) if you boil it adds another 20 minutes and additional spin/dry cycle to the routine, and if you bleach well - that’s not great for mother nature. But I believe the effects of either to be much less than the amount of resources and waste toilet paper takes and creates.

• Wakes you up at night - this is a weird one I didn’t expect… but if you don’t hook the bidet up to warm water (ours has the ability but isn’t hooked up) the cold splash on your rear can cause you to become alert in your sleepy state. 😳I simply used toilet paper as an exception for the midnight potty run. Eventually I was able to let go of the habit.

• Getting Spoiled! - The only other downside to the bidet is that you start to become a bidet snob. Going to public restrooms or restrooms in other people’s homes become a less favorable experience.

Hopefully you’ve got some idea of why I prefer having a no-toilet paper system. Try it out and you might find yourself equally surprised! I’d love to hear your thoughts and conversations about this topic.

Until next time,
~ MJ

Are You Telling Yourself the Biggest Lie?

There’s a lie we’ve been told that many of us, including myself, have believed or still believe is true. It’s the biggest lie that sets us up for disappointment and dissatisfaction. And that lie is:

You can and deserve to have it all.

When we first hear that we can have it all, we’re inclined to respond with a “Hell yeah! Why not?”

When we pursue having it all, we actually end up with nothing. This is because the truth is we can’t have it all. Everything in our lives, from the friends that we have to the things that we own costs us. Not just in money, but in limited resources such as our time, attention, and energy…

When you deplete the quality of those resources from the very things that contribute to your happiness and fulfillment, it feels like you’ve given up or don’t have the most important things.

That’s no way to live.
And that’s why we have to face the biggest lie with the biggest truth:

I can’t have it all. My time and resources are limited, so I must identify and choose wisely the things I entertain having in my every day life.

It’s important to have self awareness, and self awareness comes from consistently listening to your inner self when you do something, like splurge on Amazon, and feel guilt. That guilt is telling you, “I did something that wasn’t aligned with my core goals and values.”

That guilt knows deeper than you’re current state of consciousness that you just gave up something that was important to you… future time, potential, opportunity, freedom… Even if it’s the freedom to stay out of debt or the opportunity to spend the money on something more rewarding.

Every time we make a choice, we are choosing it over something else.

Be sure what you are choosing, is above all other options. At the same time, accept that sometimes we have to make unintentionally wrong choices to learn more self awareness. Key word: unintentional.

At the end of the day, when you prioritize the things you value and are more important to you, above the things that are instantly satisfying, you end up with the experience that you have it all… because essentially you do.

You have all that you need to live happy and free.
The rest of what you don’t have - doesn’t matter.

What I Pack for 1 Week of Travel

Traveling has many elements, but one element I don’t care for is having excess luggage during my trips. Whether I’m traveling alone or with family and friends, I want to focus on the experience of my present environment, not the experience of full, sore arms and the mental cluster of managing checked baggage. Traveling is supposed to be fun, not stressful!

It’s been a process discovering how to maintain this freedom and comfort when packing for a family of four and surprisingly even more so when packing for just myself. This summer I’ve spent half my travels solo and have been very happy with the simplicity, ease, and efficiency of my setup.

Some of the key elements I require for travel are:

• Freedom & Flexibility

• Efficiency

• Comfort

Translated this means the most important things are:

• A bag that’s functional and accessible, durable and comfortable

• Sizing down Items, such as lightweight clothing and smaller toiletries

• Keeping things to the essentials that will add value and enjoyment to the trip
  

The above list is taken heavily into consideration and refined from those points. It’s going to look different for you, but it’s important to adhere to these factors in order to get the results (key elements) you’re after.

Here’s some of my essential travel items and why:

My Bag - I always travel with backpacks because they give me the ability to be hands free. I don’t have any shoulder or back issues, so I can pack 20lbs+ and travel freely. An alternative to carrying weight is to use check luggage made to fit under the front seat. I find these don’t have the ability to store as much accessibly or the ability to be as customizable.

Compression Cubes - When traveling internationally or backpacking, I’m a big fan of compression stuff sacks. The problem with them is having to unpack everything just to access your stuff. When I found travel cubes that compress I immediately fell in love. Maximum space-saving organization!

Water Bottle with Handle - If your bottle doesn’t have a convenient clip like mine, just add a lightweight carabiner. Hydration is so important and fortunately most airports have water fountains you can refill at. Carrying a water bottle keeps me hydrated, saves my wallet, and saves the planet.

Apple Watch & AirPods - Both of these items I consider unnecessary luxuries of life, but provide so much value to my own. I love the convenience of a hands free, tangle-free headset. In noisy spaces I can call my kids and we can hear each other perfectly. The watch allows me to receive important business emails and calls without having to frequently check my phone, among many other convenient features.

Power Bank - Another luxury, but being a business owner and a mom are choices I’ve made in exchange for the ability to drop off the grid completely. And because staying in touch is the most important thing when I’m gone, keeping my communication devices charged are equally as important.

Lightweight Travel Blanket - This is definitely optional, however, I prefer to have the extra ability to layer for warmth, shade from the sun, or roll up as a supportive neck pillow.

Aside from some of these specific items, choosing what to pack is the main factor in whether or not I’ll be able to take all of it.

Sizing down items like choosing lightweight runners shorts instead of jeans makes all the difference in the world, as well as living without some of my daily essentials. For example, I replace my daily routine of face wash, toner, and oil with just a small bottle of oil.

I also choose just one pair of shoes. Depending on where I’m going and for how long, it might just be my boots, or just my sneakers, or just my flip flops.

What you decide to compromise is totally up to you and for some, the way I pack still has a lot of room to simplify even more. I hope sharing my approach helps provide you balance and ease when it comes to packing for travels!

Until next time,
~ MJ

Decluttering Your Closet with Purpose

I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to struggle with letting go of items that seem perfectly useful or hold potential value. I’m also in a line of work that puts a lot of free items in my possession. This can make it difficult and conflicting when deciding what to let go of, especially when I know I’m in a position of excess or surplus.

Something that’s helped me get clear when it comes to decluttering is knowing my purpose. But that statement itself can be more overwhelming. What is our purpose and what does having purpose even mean? Isn’t the whole point of this process to discover, create and refine our purpose?

Here’s the cool thing, when we break the process down into smaller bits, like decluttering… we start to widen our peripheral. Here’s an example of going through this process with my own closet…

#1 The first step is to identify the elements of my lifestyle and day, because this is going to largely effect the types of clothes I want to wear. I also want to identify why these elements are important to me.

Example:

• Active = I want to be comfortable in my clothes, no matter what I’m doing.

• Diverse Schedule / Travel = Clothes need to be suitable for multi-activity use. I don’t want to have to wear 3 different outfits per day.

• Temperate Weather, Extremely hot summers & cool winters - Weather Flexible, efficient fabrics and layers that are compatible with the seasons and travel.

• Business / Social = Aesthetics that are important to me are to look clean, well put together, no distracting colors or prints. I basically want to pick my top and bottom blindfolded and have them fall into all these categories! 😜

It’s important to do the identification process first. This will be the measuring stick that guides your choices not only when it comes to decluttering, but also acquiring.

#2 Simplify / Reduce everything that doesn’t fit into the elements you’ve identified. For myself, it’s important that most of my pieces fit into all 4 elements I’ve listed above. I definitely make exceptions, but I only have a few pieces that I do that for.

Everything else goes! Because the truth is, no matter how cute or how much I intend on wearing those uniquely colored pants, it’s probably never going to happen given my lifestyle and daily circumstances!

#3 The last step is to focus on the elements that are most important to you. For me that’s comfort, diversity, and clean aesthetics.

As I move forward, I find when I’m in need of certain items I’m emotionally detached from the flashy things at the stores. I won’t settle for anything less than what fits all the elements that are important to me and that has spared me conflict, time and energy, wasted money, and wasted space on things that are just so-so because my purpose wasn’t clear during my initial purchase.

I hope this process helps you just as much!

In love and gratitude,
~MJ

Fear of Letting Go

I want it…
I could use it…
I spent money on it…
I lost time for it…
I probably need it…
I’ll just keep it.

And so the mental conflict continues when it comes to decluttering our stuff… but what if there was a different way? What if it didn’t have to be so damn exhausting and difficult?

For the sake of entertaining the thought, let’s think about what it actually costs you:

• Guilt / Anguish - every time you’re reminded of the fact that you acquired it without good reason and it just sits there collecting dust.

• Space - aside from the emotional conflict, it’s occupying space that could be put to better use or produce better feelings if it weren’t there.

• Time - organizing, cleaning, revisiting the conflict over and over… and over… and over… again.

Just let it go.

The amount of time, money and energy you spent bringing it into your life is minimal compared to the exponential resources you use justifying keeping it in your life.

Give, sell, share it with someone who will use and appreciate it more than you.

Now that feels doubly good :)

Are You Ready to Take Life to the Next Level?

Some people wait for something to be excited about, others create it.
Want to live a life that you’re excited about? One that inspires and energized you?

Stop waiting, stop planning, stop trying to get better, just go out there and do it.

“But MJ, I don’t have any time... I don’t know my purpose... I’ve lost my passion...”
If you have no idea what you’re excited about it means you’ve ignored the very things that fulfill you.

Create space to discover. Even if it’s just 30 minutes a day. Start that hobby, finish that side project, map out your dream business, plan your ideal vacation, create a vision board, etc. anything that will trigger inspiration in you once again.

Once you do, identify the things that suck your inspiration dry and start ruthlessly cutting them from your life.

All it takes is a little shift and soon that inspiration grows into action of you creating and living your fullest life.

You need nothing to begin. Just start.

5 Tips: How to Travel Without a Savings

There’s a misconception that only the wealthy can travel well. While some could debate the meaning of “well” in this instance, there is no doubt that if you enjoy and have fun on your travels, then you are doing it well!

Even if you don’t have a big budget or savings account to splurge on all the tourist spots, you can still travel – and well! Creative ways I’ve found to make my travel dreams come true are outlined here for you.

1. Sell What Weighs You Down: I preach over and over again the magnitude of minimalism – and with reason. Take a look around – what’s keeping you locked in the cycle of debt, that could instead earn you income by selling it?
   

2. Simplify: Are you buying things just to impress others? Living in a luxury home when a simpler home would suffice? There are many ways to simplify life that can boost your ability and freedom to travel!
   

3. Take A Leap: Rather than booking fancy hotels and overpriced tourist activities, approach your travels with the intent to actually experience the local culture. LIVE IT rather than just VISIT IT.
   

4. Be Resourceful: Learn skills to earn money while on your trip, use campgrounds and public transportation, get out of your comfort zone. Getting out there and doing the things you’re afraid to do lead you to adventure and becoming the person who travels freely and flexibly.
   

5. Don’t Abandon Responsibilities: It’s not about running away; it’s about building a life you don’t need to run from. Get out there and LIVE!

If you want to travel, but lack the budget – look again. When you focus on gathering experiences rather than belongings, your money goes further. Vacation doesn’t have to be reserved for the summer – let’s make it part of your everyday!