Sometimes I really struggle. Struggle with what I want to do with my life....not work-wise that is. Mostly, work is fine. Sometimes I wish I could work in the field that I got my education in...I absolutely love LOVE Anthropology and aspects of Psychology. But that is not what I am talking about here.
I've been blessed now to have a job that I can do remotely. It pays decently, and I really enjoy not having to do the hour and a half commutes into the office anymore. And, recently, I've been able to do a little bit of traveling for work as well. I love that!
Even though I work remotely, I often get real antsy and feel like I have to get out of the house for a bit. Occasionally, I will just jump in the car and go driving into the country for an hour or so after work is completed. Just to give myself some time out seeing the countryside and to get some fresh air for a bit.
A part of me would love to get one of those vans converted into a motorhome (see below for an example), and just travel around seeing the USA and Canada. I would be able to still work, as long as I have internet access, and I for the most part would not have a problem selling off most of my things to do this traveling.
The issues with this are:
1) I don't think Jeff would want to do this type of travelling, so I am staying put because of him. Although our vacation to Branson in 2022 kind of showed him what this type of lifestyle would be like, and he loved seeing states that he had never been to before, and seeing countryside that he had never seen before.
2) I am afraid that I am only really wanting to do it because I'm not currently doing it. If I get into doing this, and start down this path, then realize that I was good for only a while, I'm kind of stuck in doing it even though I no longer want to do it.
3) I've also toyed with going with a tiny house instead, freeing me up to do more vacations, instead of living in a van type thing full time. This might be more the way to go. I know that once Jeff is no longer able to care for himself, and/or not around anymore, I will not want to live in the house we are currently living in. Jeff got the house to take care of my needs once he is gone, whether it be to sell for the money or to stay in.
I've started traveling more with a friend of mine, and am loving it. We've been talking about planning some more trips in the future, and have started coming up with a list of where all we'd like to go eventually. Jeff and I do still travel together, and the friend and I seem to be doing a trip every other year (at least for now). I think we are learning things from each other, which is amazing. She getting me to loosen up some and not be so rigid, and I am helping her to do a bit more planning on the front end, not being so spur of the moment.
We've made it a point to leave time on each day of our trips, so we can use it to rest, or regroup. We have worked together to do some amazing things while looking for the best price/discounts for those things to do. Two years after our first trip, we are still talking about riding in the driverless Lyft cars on the Las Vegas Strip! I had seen them before, but was too scared to try them - she got me out of my shell and we tried it!
I think if nothing else, I downgrade the living situation as I get older, and my friend and I continue to do girls' trips in between my trips with Jeff (giving both of us time to save up for the excusions), so when the time comes, we both have a travel buddy as we become blue-haired old biddies.
