This week marks three months of full-time travel for us, can you believe it?! It’s been an amazing adventure so far. We’ve explored the bayous of Lousiana, wandered through ghost towns in New Mexico, and hiked through some intense weather in the Grand Canyon. Our little home on wheels has taken us to some truly incredible places!

We’ve been looking back and reflecting on all the fun we’ve had along the way and all the lessons we’ve learned. Transitioning to this lifestyle wasn’t easy, and anyone who tells you it is, is either a liar or has unlocked some secret to the universe that still remains a mystery to us.  So, if you’re dreaming of taking the leap or already started your journey here’s 5 lessons we learned about becoming full-time travelers.

1. It’s One Of The Scariest Things You’ll Ever Do:

The truth is whether you’re hitting the road in an RV, buying a one-way plane ticket or setting sail on the big blue sea, there’s no way around it at some point the reality of your choice is going to hit you and it’s going be terrifying! Even if you’ve planned every detail and counted every cent it’s an unavoidable step in making such a massive and unconventional life change.  It’s ok to be scared, it’s natural, heck it wouldn’t be normal if you weren’t but that also doesn’t mean you have to let fear dictate your life. So take a breath, and take a moment and evaluate what exactly it is that you’re afraid of. Is it a  realistic fear? Is it something you should be paying attention to and maybe adjust your plans to? Or is it nothing more than a fear of the unknown? Whatever it is, know you’re not alone in this. No one, no matter how brave or confident they seem doesn’t experience this at some point!

2. It Takes Awhile To Adjust:

If up until now you’ve been a weekend wanderer and like us sucked up every free moment and long weekend possible to travel and explore, then this definitely applies to you! The sheer amount of freedom in front of you can be overwhelming, you’ll fall into old habits of hurry, hurry, hurry to see it all, you’ll suffer from a chronic case of FOMO (fear of missing out), and what was meant to be a relaxing and amazing adventure will suddenly feel like the most stressful experience of your life!

Travel burnout is a real life thing, but the good news it can easily be avoided! When you start worrying you’re going to miss something or feeling like you need to fill every moment of every day remember that this experience of full-time travel is a gift you’ve given to yourself so slow down, take the time to savor the experiences you might overlook if you were in a hurry and before you know it you’ll stumble into a whole new rhythm in your roaming life!

3. You will Look At Life In A Whole New Way:

Whether you are just getting started transitioning to a fully mobile lifestyle or if you’re a month or so in, you’ll notice the world will start to look different to you. In our experience, we often felt like strangers among friends, and it most definitely wasn’t a bad thing! It’s as if we could suddenly see more value in everything around us. Our time, our schedules, our money, literally everything! We measured how we spent our money by how that money could be spent on experiences and essentials rather than things. We prioritize our time on how it helped us achieve our goals, even if that goal was just to sit outside with a frosty sundowner and enjoy a moment together.  Even before our big life change, life changed in a very good way!

4. You Will Have Cheerleaders & You Will Have Doubters:

Like all things in life, variety is the spice. When it comes to making a major life change, and especially one that hangs slightly outside of the realm of conventional you will encounter 2 types of people. First will be those that look at you wide-eyed and excited, declaring how jealous they are and how you are” living the dream”.  The second type will berate you with questions of practicality that you’ve probably already tossed around in your own mind a thousand and one times and will openly question your sanity. Love them both, as they both mean well, but trust yourself.  If you’ve committed to this choice, and your soul calls you to it, own it, embrace it and don’t chase rabbits down the worry hole.

5. It’s Worth It:

Ok. So this, this right here, people WILL tell you this! All the stress, the anxiety, the juggling to get your life together right up to the moment when it all finally feels like its fallen into place will be worth it. Take a moment to be amazed by yourself, it’s ok to be impressed with your own achievements. Full-time travel is not for the faint of heart, and once you’ve got your groove, you’ll look back at the road that you traveled to get here and smile!

Share your story! Are you dreaming of full-time travel? Are you living the life right now? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a line in the comments and say hello!