Inspiration

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Shannon

Today I want to share an inspirational video (song). It’s by Sara Evans, called “Born to Fly”

I’ve been telling my dreams to the scarecrow
About the places that I’d like to see
I say, “friend do you think I’ll ever get there?”
Oh, but he just stands there smilin’ back at me
So I confessed my sins to the preacher
About the love I’ve been prayin’ to find
Is there a brown-eyed boy in my future, yeah
And he says, “girl, you’ve got nothin’ but time.”
But how do you wait for heaven?
And who has that much time?
And how do you keep your feet on the ground
When you know that you were born,
You were born to fly

My daddy he is grounded like the oak tree
My momma she is steady as the sun
Oh, you know I love my folks
But I keep starin’ down the road
Just lookin’ for my one chance to run
Hey, cause I will soar away like a blackbird
I will blow in the wind like a seed
I will plant my heart in the garden of my dreams
And I will grow up where I wander wild and free

Oh, How do you wait for heaven?
And who has that much time?
And how do you keep your feet on the ground
When you know, that you were born?
You were born, yeah, you were born to fly

So how do you wait for heaven?
And who has that much time?
And how do you keep your feet on the ground
When you know, that you were born
You were born to fly, yeah

You were born to fly, fly, fly, fly, hey
Ooo,Ooo,Ooo

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Taking a break

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Shannon

I will be taking a break from posting regularly on this blog. I have some other projects I will be working on over the summer (ie: my travel site, and yes I’ll make a post here when it’s ready) and would like to devote more time to them. I will post occasionally here but not on a Mondays and Thursday schedule like I currently am. I am thinking maybe once a week, or once every two weeks, depends on when I have something to say.

I expect to be back to a regular schedule (M & TH) towards the end of summer. Thanks for reading! Enjoy your summer!!

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The disappearance of attachment to stuff

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Shannon

The disappearance of attachment to stuff
The past few months I have been in the process of selling and donating all of my worldly possessions. I sold much more than I originally thought I would. I did save some stuff to store with friends and I donated a lot to a local charity.

When I started my journey with minimalism, I thought I would have some attachment to items and save those items and then be able to donate/sell the rest of my possessions easily. Since moving I have realized that I really don’t need some of those items I thought I wanted to store. The time and space between me and the items made me realize that the sentimental connection is not as strong as I thought. Don’t get me wrong, I have the memories and feelings, but I do not need the item to remember or feel that way.

garage sale 2

Garage Sale part II

I was keeping some items for practical purposes, but you know what? If I took my 5 and 10 year plan into consideration when deciding what to keep, I would not need those items anyways. So, why did I keep items if I was planning on never using them? Maybe it was my subconscious keeping that ‘safety net’, I want them just incase I fail and my 5 and 10 year plans do not come to fruition. If I do fail, those items are easily replaced.

We really don’t need that much to live happily.

I have learned that memories that I thought were attached to items are not as strong as I thought they were. I still have those memories even though the item is not in my possession. Yes I still own it, but I don’t see it, out of sight out of mind. It is very freeing knowing I can get rid of even more ‘stuff’. I am surprised at how easily I am becoming an extreme minimalist. It feels pretty awesome.

If you are in the US I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day. I wanted to share this video in honor of all the men and women who have served.

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Creating your own life and random thoughts

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Shannon

Random Thoughts:

~In the past few weeks, I have been out and about seeing new places and meeting so many new people. While some what exhausting, it has brought a renewed interest in my home town.

~It takes a lot longer to sell a Jeep then I originally thought. By now I would have assumed it would have sold. If gas prices drop that might help things. But this will actually turn out for the better. While waiting I have learned a few things that will help me on the road. (that will be a future post)

~I have a new plan of action in place. I can’t reveal it yet, soon though :)

~Some people get very upset when you go against the status quo. I think it’s because they are stuck in a lifestyle they are not happy with and want a way out but don’t see one, so they think you should be stuck in it too.

The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.

- George Bernard Shaw, playwright

I’ve been reading Chris Guillebeau’s book The Art of Non-Conformity In the book he tells this story of 5 mice that illustrates the anger people have when others don’t follow social norms. In the mouse cage there is a ladder. Each time a mouse climbs the ladder they get zapped. Pretty soon they learn that they can’t climb the ladder. Then one of the mice is replaced with a new one who does not know the rules. Despite the advice of the other 4 mice, the new mouse climbs the ladder and is zapped. The other mice say I told you so. Slowly each mouse is replaced, and one by one they learn they can’t climb the ladder. Soon they quit trying and new ones are told they can’t. They just know they can’t, they are not sure why, but it’s the way it’s always been done and that is just how things are.

All of our lives we are told that we have to have a ‘real job’ that you don’t have to enjoy and live for the weekends. Why? Why can’t someone quit this lifestyle and choose another? Why can’t someone work their way around the world? Why can’t someone make a living online while traveling? Why can’t a single parent stay at home with her kids during the day and earn passive income working online a few hours at night? We even advise college kids, pick a major that will earn you money. So what if your passion is art, art can’t support you.

I ask why not? I think we can. We need to live our lives to the fullest, using the gifts and talents we have. Even if those gifts and talents go against what a society tells us it is the way we have always done things.

I wanted to share a reflection from Sparkpeople.com with you. I think it’s very fitting for this post.

Are you creating your own life?

Take a moment to look at the circumstances of your world. Is it what you want to see? What could you do differently to take one step closer to your ideal vision? We’re all dealt different hands in life. That’s how things are. To change things, you have to first accept that fact, then figure out where to go from here. We should all be able to count on each other for help, but in the end, we can’t expect anyone to change our lives except ourselves. Nor should we want it that way. It’s natural to feel powerless and give up in the face of hardships, but complaining and blaming do nothing except prevent action. Without positive action, you’re giving up your power and asking for more of the same–a world you did not create. Where you start may not be your fault, but the course you run is still your choosing.

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Insurance

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Shannon

Today’s post will be short but important. Here is a video that everyone who travels should watch. I know it’s really an advertisement, but it makes a good point. ALWAYS get travel insurance if you are not covered. And I found this video interesting because he is from the Twin Cities :)


Click Here if you can’t see the video above

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Skills for my ‘coming back’ job

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Shannon

I get asked what I will do for a job when I come back from this around the world trip, and for some who are currently on a rtw it’s a concern that they will have this gap on their CV. I have never been too concerned about this. One reason is I am not planning on coming back to a 9-5 lifestyle. But just in case I need to, there are skills I will pick up while traveling that can be transferred to a job.

Traveling for a lifestyle is completely different then traveling for vacation. There are skills that are needed just to survive. And surviving is a testament to those skills you have. While traveling I expect to learn or improve the following skills that can be transferred to a new career if needed.

Flexibility, adaptability, and ability to think on my feet

When traveling everything does not go according to plan or my time-table. I will need to be flexible when plans change. Maybe a bus is late and I will miss my connecting bus so I need to spend the night in a town I didn’t plan on. While I was in Australia our bus broke down 3 times. Yes, 3 times on the same route. Needless to say, I missed my reservation at the next town and I had to adjust my schedule a bit as well as learn patience.

A desire to explore and to learn

Employers like people who are continually growing and learning new skills they can apply to their jobs.

Teamwork

While I am traveling by myself, I will be meeting others and traveling with them for a while. Working with others from different cultures and points of view will be a great skill I can apply to future employment.

Cross-cultural awareness

The US work force is becoming more and more culturally mixed. While traveling I will learn how to relate and work with people from other cultures. Not only will this benefit customers but inter-office relations as well. Having traveled I know a lot more than those who have never left the country. The business world is internationally connected on so many levels. Employers will need cross cultural understanding employees.

Out of the box thinking

Employers are looking for people who bring fresh ideas and do not follow the crowd. Just by doing what I am doing is showing I think outside of the box. I will have exotic perspectives to draw upon.

Conflict situations, or situations where security was not good

While I will not seek out dangerous areas or areas in conflict, sometimes I may find myself in political situations or not-so-safe areas that require negotiation and persuasion skills. Most of the world is safer CNN and other US news stations makes it out to be. I won’t go looking for dangerous areas, but the ‘opportunity’ may present itself.

Writing and online communications

I will be keeping my travel blog going as well as working on a few other writing and media projects. In doing those projects my writing will improve and I will learn programming and media skills.

Dealing with foreign legal systems and embassy staff

Each and every country I go to I will have to deal with the government, some of them will not go smoothly and require diplomatic skills.

Speaking a language other than English

Granted it will not be Spanish, but I imaging I will pick up a beginners level of a country’s language I spend considerable time in.

Assessment, planning and organization

Selling everything you own, quitting your job, dealing with 401k, snail mail, medication, pets, packing…. and that all before I leave. On the road there will be much more; finding out about visas, budgeting, time management, grocery shopping where nothing is in English…

Transportation logistics and coordination

How long will it take to get to this place, the schedule of a boat, dealing with the ‘we will leave when the bus is full’ schedule, missing connecting transportation or canceled trips. Being able to plan and adapt when plans change and knowing what the other options are can be applied to almost any position that deals with deadlines.

Communication, including with low-literacy and non-English-speaking populations

Communication is the life line to how I live. Being in a foreign country not speaking the language I will need to communicate that I need a place to sleep, or find food, how much something is, or that I need to find a Dr or post office.

Budget management

Dealing with multiple foreign currencies, paying bills at home in US dollars while maintaining my travel income and expenses. This will require good money management skills as well as keeping track of details and bookkeeping skills.

Last but not least…

Self Confidence

My self-confidence will take a boost. While will give me confidence in my skills and abilities if I do look for a job.

Looking at this list, there are more skills here I can learn and improve on then if I stayed in my current position. I believe this can only boost my career. That is if I decide to come back to the US and/or back to a ‘real’ job somewhere else in the world. That is not currently in my 5 or 10 year plan, but it is a back up if all else fails. Even if I do fail, looks like I will come out ahead.

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Let’s talk about Money

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Shannon

“You must be rich”
“How did you get the money to travel?”
“I can’t afford to travel”

I hear the same statements over and over. I have been told that I must be rich because I’m traveling. Nothing is further from the truth. Actually, traveling is considerably cheaper then my current cost of living in Minneapolis.

What I spend a month here, keeping in mind I do not have any expensive ‘extras’, I can travel on for more than 2 months in most of the world. Not having a permanent place to live cuts your expenses in half. And traveling in places where the cost of living is less than the US (most of the world) Granted if you are staying in 5 star resorts this is not the case. But a traveler like me is not there for the resort experience and is looking for a more authentic cultural experience (which really means we are poor and can’t afford 5 stars).

To give you an idea of the difference, living in MN I pay for: Utilities (electricity, water, garbage, gas), internet, TV and Netflix, phone, car payment and maintenance, car insurance, gas for car, school loans, credit cards, groceries, medications, Dr Appts, health insurance and my gym membership. While on the road I will have some expenses that I am still obligated to such as school loans, and my medications.

On the road, my daily expenses will be food and shelter, along with transportation and entertainment most days. Internet will be included in my ‘shelter’ rate most of the time. Monthly expenses will be school loans: which I can’t do anything about; Medications: usually much cheaper than the price in the US. I don’t expect I will be paying a lot for what I need. Mail forwarding: I have a mail forwarding service for my snail mail.

The rate for travelers insurance (which not only covers any health issues but also my items) is almost half of what I currently pay for just health insurance.

My daily budget for travel is $30-40 a day depending on the country I’m in. In MN, $900 will get you a place to live and maybe pay for one utility.

It’s pretty obvious I can not afford NOT to travel. Funny how when on the road you need less but travel is seen as a luxury.

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TMD

Posted on May 12, 2011 by Shannon

Show of hands, who has seen or read The Motorcycle Diaries?

If you like the idea of riding a bike across a country, I think you should check out this new twist on that idea. TMD tv show is about 5 kids (they are not really kids, but they are younger then me, so to me they are still kids) :) that will be traveling across the US on Harley’s. Pretty cool? Check out the promo video:

You can also follow their trip on facebook

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A Last Post

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Shannon

Life is so short.

The End

I don’t think most people realize that until it’s too late. We are not guaranteed a long life. Any one of us could die tomorrow. There is nothing written in stone that says we are given 70 or 80 years. I will even say we do not deserve a full life. I say that because life is a gift. It is not ours to dictate or direct.

If you were to die tomorrow how would you feel about what you did with your life? Are you proud of what you have accomplished? Or are you waiting until the right moment to do what you really want to do in life? When the kids move out, or when you retire, or when you have enough money, or when the economy ‘gets better’…

I want to share a somber post with you. This is from a man who was dying of cancer. He knew his time was running out. He knew he did not get 70 years to live. He leaves behind a wife and two young daughters. He wrote this post to be published when he died as his last post. The thought someone forced to write that post is rather sobering, but his words are encouraging and his tone is very positive for someone on his death-bed. Imagine writing that post… you are dying of cancer, knowing the end is near, what would you write? Have you put off saying something to someone or doing something with your life that you wish you now had time for?

Go read his post… I’ll wait…

What did you think? He talks about how much things have changed just in 10 years. Can we possibly imagine what things will be like 10 years from now? How will you have changed? What if you took that risk and it transformed your life? Or what if you didn’t and your life mirrors what it does now? Are you happy with that choice?

Some people are perfectly happy working 9-5 in a cube having a family and being a soccer mom, if that is you, great! Do it. But I am not one of those people. I have different interests and refuse to be told to ‘live this lifestyle because that’s what your suppose to do’. .

This is the reason I am doing what I am doing. I could stay at the job I have for another 10 years, have the security and comfort that it brings. Live my life ‘working for the weekends’. I could manage to survive doing this, but I would have regrets as I got older.

Then I imagine myself living and exploring other places and countries.

Being a vagabond.

A Bohemian Gypsy.

Meeting new people.

Learning about different ways to live.

That sounds like a life I want to live. I don’t want to wait until I am close to death, or I know it’s coming to start living the life I want. I don’t want to ask myself what if…I don’t want to find out I have cancer at 50 and was putting off traveling because I thought I could do it when I am 65. I want to live my life as Derek did.

Am I running away from life? No, I am running towards my life. I am choosing life. I am running away from the ‘American Dream’ lifestyle that is drilled into us as the only way to live. I will not be forced into a lifestyle that does not fit me. It will just be me that I have to answer to when it comes to the question was I happy with my life. I will be the only one who can answer that. I will make sure that answer is yes.

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Living A Lie: My confession

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Shannon

I am Living a Lie.

There I said it.

Here is my confession:

I’ve put myself into a precarious situation. Kitty and I moved this past weekend and I can’t talk about it. Only to my closet friends. Everyone else must not know. Do you know how hard it is to plan a move and a garage sale and not have people know?

I have not sold my Jeep yet so I have not told co-workers that I am planning a Round the World Trip, and I have not told them that I have moved into a temporary situation until I leave. I have not told them I have a virtual mailbox as my address.

I can not tell them Kitty is not happy about having a huge dog and another cat as roommates.

I can not tell them I sold most of my belongings.

I can not tell them I don’t own a TV anymore.

I can not tell them I have quit the gym.

I can not tell them I am not planning on going to Rock Fest this year because I won’t be here.

I have to make-up a lie about this years ‘vacation’ I am taking.

I can not tell them I live on the opposite side of town now.

I can not tell them I only have 5 work outfits and that is why I wear the same things to work every week.

I can not tell them I put most of my shoes into storage and only have 3 pairs, which don’t always match my outfits.

I can not tell them most of the things going on with my life.

It’s hard to be friends or co-workers with someone and they don’t know about this huge change that has happened. Every time I talk to someone not in ‘the know’ I have to remember what my old life was like and change my mind set that I am still living that lifestyle just do I don’t mess up any details. I know if I mess up something like I quit the gym that will not cause suspicion, but too many of those mistakes and questions will start.

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