Seriously, where has this year gone? We’re nearing December and after that, we intro to 2019. With so much happening this year, I thought it would be fun to do a little life update. Even though I talk about our travels all-the-time on Sweat Adventures (I feel like a broken record sometimes!), it still isn’t widely known that my husband and I have been nomads for most of 2018.
For those who are new here, in February we caught wind that my husband’s previous injuries might be career ending. He was released from the Portland Timbers and instead of sulking over the hard news, we decided to end our lease, pack up our stuff and put it in a storage unit so that we could travel until more unfolded. Of course, we hoped another team would pick him up but with all things considered, we knew it was time for a pivot. Feeling comfortable about our financial situation, we chose to “take the year off” and travel + spend time together. Being a professional athlete was demanding of our relationship and even though I’d rather see him out there flying on the field pursuing his dreams, I was really grateful for the shift of pace. Our bond is stronger because of the mindful choices we made this year.
For the last 10 months, I’ve lived out of two suitcases. We’ve mostly spent time exploring life on the road in our Land Cruiser with our two dogs. So many miles road-tripping, hiking and scootering around the world. Nearly 16 states on the west coast, Alberta Canada, Indonesia, Russia, Croatia + Mexico and in-between adventures, we’d stay with family in Kansas City and Los Angeles. It’s been a whirlwind of a year to say the least — lots of zipping around.
So what’s next for us? We have a few travels left to finish up the year. We’re going to Maui and Portland before we ring in 2019. But this nomad lifestyle isn’t forever. We took the time this year to really reflect on our careers so that we can figure out the next chapter together. We’re both at turning points in our careers. Personally, I am at a place where I can’t quite decide if I want to get back to corporate life (advertising/marketing) or start my own LLC and handle my own clients/social media accounts from home. I’m excited to see what opportunities come my way down the road and see how it all unfolds.
On another note, we’ve recently been hunting for property in Nashville. As January 1 approaches it looks more and more like that is the spot we will settle down and plant some roots. This is really exciting for both of us because a) we haven’t spent much time in Nashville b) I’ll be closer to my family and friends in Kansas City and c) everyone we have met there so far is SUPER friendly.
While living life in flow has been refreshing and relaxing, we are both really stoked to get back to work and develop a schedule. I will say tho, this type of lifestyle gives you a clearer perspective on life. You encounter people who have a lot more than you, as well as people who have much less or nothing at all. You learn that in any unfortunate situation you may find yourself in, it could be worse. You also discover you can do more than you thought you could with less and be perfectly happy. All my nice things in storage? I honestly don’t even miss most of them. So much so that I plan to do a huge sale on Poshmark once we move.
Less stuff means more freedom! I’ve also learned that $$ doesn’t always buy better experiences. Many of our secret camping spots were free and had better views than our villas in Bali. Another big plus is that when on the road, Wi-Fi and cell service is weak. With those distractions gone, you’re left to make conscious decisions about how to spend your time. Travel is an opportunity for endless self-discovery if you’re open to exploring.
So that’s it folks, we traveled, we saw, we experienced and now it’s time to get back to reality and find a place to call home. There are lots of moving parts happening and the next few months will be a scramble as we fine-tune all the details but I can’t wait to update y’all once we know more!
Thanks for being here to follow my journey 🙂
-Kirsten
[ALL IMAGES SHOT BY LIFE & LENS]
Kimbra is a Kansas based portrait photographer with a portrait studio in downtown Lawrence, Kansas. Specializing in women’s portraiture, Kimbra focuses on making women look and feel beautiful. Serving the Lawrence community and surrounding areas.
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