How do you fill your Soul?
"Jobs Fill Your Pocket but Adventures Fill Your Soul" Jamie Lyn Beatty
I spent most of my life not understanding this thought. I was a child of the 70s, we were taught to work hard, save, plan for the future. In 2017, I re-evaluated my life in LA. I was working to pay rent and survive. I didn't travel. I was stuck. I hadn't really picked up a camera.
I spent the next couple of years planning and researching, replacing one knee, and finding my RV.
I'm not young. I am not an influencer. I'm a pretty good photographer trying to find ways to make dreams of travel a reality. Finding ways to hustle and earn a living. Building an Etsy Store > AYJ Papertrails and rediscovering my creative artistic side. Expanding my business to create logos and branding for other creative entrepreneurs. Making the decision to study and test to sell insurance so I can have a reliable income to support my travels. Let’s face it, as far as earning money on YouTube, I am far, far away from that goal. If it even ever happens. So while I have the channel, it will always be the “fun” side of sharing my experiences.
I've learned that while my current life may not look like what I envisioned when I was 12. It's my life. I wouldn't change a thing; every struggle, heartache, moment, loss, win, memory, and success was worth what I went through to get here.
No regrets.
Do I wish it happened sooner? Yep.
I wish when I solo-traveled across the country in 1996, I knew what I was doing. The thought of living in a van, RV never even crossed my mind. It was not uncommon, most did not have this notion in the 90s. The idea of living in your vehicle full-time held certain beliefs and I was still under the notion that I must have certain things in my life or do specific things in order to feel worthy. Which is an archaic belief.
Full-time travel is not for everyone. I very much understand that. Does it mean I will travel for the rest of my life? No. I have plans at some point to settle down in a location, buy an open space (lots of acres), and build a tiny home or small cabin.
I have changed priorities and instead of “things” I really want experiences. This of course requires two good knees and while I may be recovering from my second knee replacement and not traveling, I'm looking ahead, dreaming of Yosemite, Arches, Oregon, the coast, Banff, Alaska. Know that I will be traveling slower and enjoying the moments and working on my skills as an artist & photographer.
If you would like to follow my journey on Youtube, please subscribe! > Click Here!
If you would like to support my journey in some small way, feel free to browse my Etsy store, save it, I’m adding new designs and illustrations every week.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/AYJPaperTrails
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