Our Adventure Begins
📍 Written from: Wheeling, IL USA
We have just arrived back home after a short trip to Asheville, NC to get away from it all. Upon returning home we felt refreshed and inspired, not to get back to the grind, but to make a substantial change in our lives. There was not anything wrong with our lives before, and looking in from the outside it would seem quite picturesque. Two young people fell in love, graduated college, got married, rented a townhome, grew their family with a dog (officially becoming DINKWADS or Double Income No Kids With A Dog), and started their own businesses. But that is only part of our story. Like many others, when we were married we had a great vision of what our lives would be like before reality hit. Five years in and from a combination of factors, one of the most significant being entrepreneurs, we were feeling burnt out and frustrated.
We realized that we accomplished almost everything we set out to before having children, but we felt that we were still missing something important. This feeling was enough to begin problem solving and we started by decluttering our lives. Diving into the art of minimalism, Laura discovered The Minimalists podcast, which motivated us with their mantra: "Love people and use things, because the opposite never works." This philosophy didn't just help us clear out the physical clutter anchoring us to Illinois, but it also helped us declutter our minds. You’ll learn more about our decluttering journey next month.
With this newfound space, we realized what had been missing. We used to talk for hours about traveling and moving our lives from Illinois, but five years later we were still here. Of course, we had every reason not to move: family, friends, community, our businesses, and other obligations as well. With our family moving away and our businesses allowing us to work remotely, and not having kids yet, we have almost the perfect opportunity to pursue a brand new lifestyle and chase our traveling dreams.
So, on June 1st, we made it official. We committed to a new lifestyle: one that isn't tied down by physical things, but is instead focused on building strong relationships with others. So here's to new adventures and a life filled with meaning as we encounter blessings and trials on the road ahead!
Asheville, North Carolina
We learned that traveling is the best way to take a break, rejuvenate and be ready for the next chapter in our lives.
