I am very grateful for my job, my team, and the actual work I’m doing. There is no debate about that. The company has changed people’s lives for the better, including mine. I believe in the devices we make and wish everyone would use our products because I know how good they are and how they truly benefit our lives, especially if you live with diabetes.
At the same time, I’ve been reflecting a lot lately. I am turning 55 in three months. It might be that getting older is changing my perspective, the way I see life. It is a fact that the older we get, the less time we have on Earth, and that raises a lot of questions: Am I really happy? Am I fulfilling my dreams? Am I living my best life? Again, I am grateful for my current life, including my job, but two days a week are not nearly enough to rest and recover, let alone enjoy my life and fulfill my dreams.
Growing up, I learned that was the dream indeed. Having a stable, well-paid job with benefits such as medical insurance and vacation time was what we were all aiming for, or at least I was. I thought that was the only way to fulfill my dreams of traveling, living in a nice place, having a nice car, and being able to go out and buy things for myself and my loved ones. A very long period of that life got me into debt. A lot of credit card debt. My dreams were bigger than my income, and it showed.
It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started learning about finance and investing and realized I desperately needed to make changes. I paid off my credit cards, and although I am not perfect and I am still using my credit cards, I am way more mindful of my expenses. I made some changes, like automating all of my recurring payments—mortgage, utilities, internet, insurance, savings, etc. The “needs,” as some financial influencers might call them. Those changes helped me stay on time with my payments and become more aware of what I’m spending, as I always need to have money in the bank for those necessary payments.
However, I still want more freedom. I want to travel more, see more, be closer to nature more. Again, getting older is changing my perception of life. I don’t have all the time in the world to go see things and enjoy them. And although I am taking care of my body more than ever so I can remain independent and do things like biking, running, and traveling...Let’s be real here: I’m not getting any younger.
So that’s why I bought the camper van. It’s not only a romantic dream of waking up to the sound of a river or the waves of the ocean and having beautiful, Instagram-worthy views every single morning. It is a way of beginning a new chapter. A braver chapter. A more adventurous, meaningful, heartfelt, and crazy chapter.
I am planning to travel while still working my 40-hour-a-week job. I am fortunate to have a remote job, which allows me to work from virtually anywhere. I still need to figure out logistics like having continuous and stable internet access, where to put and store a second monitor in the van, as well as finding a trustworthy roommate to help with my mortgage and make sure there is someone at home while I travel.
I want to start small. A few weekend trips first, then a San Diego trip, since I have lots of friends and family in the area. And later, a longer trip while on vacation so I don’t have to worry too much about work. And then a long trip with some workdays and some vacation days. Then an even longer trip while working my full-time job. I want to share my experiences with others, so I will be writing, filming, and editing as much as I can.
In the future, I want to start a side business that helps me support my travels, too. I want to write a book. I want to write more articles for my blog and other blogs, e-magazines, etc. I want to organize hikes and bike rides for small groups, and even meditation or yoga retreats. I want to do so much! That’s why I need to start now.
I don’t know where this will take me or how much of all that I’ll be able to do. All I know is that I will do it, and everything will be part of a chapter full of learnings, mistakes, regrets, successes, achievements, and, above all, happiness and fulfillment.
So, follow along either on my blog or my YouTube channel.
Thank you for
joining me in this new chapter.
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