travel blog

What if your success was inevitable?

| jamiefeinberg

Self-doubt is so, so common, and when you’re a business owner and/or a creator (or aspiring to be either), it’s common to find yourself plagued with doubts. What if this investment doesn’t pay off? What if I lose my clients? What if the economy goes south? What if I’m not as good at doing __ as I think I am?

It’s so easy to get on the doubt train, and when you get started, it can be so, so challenging to get off. And yet we know that those negative thoughts feed on themselves and sabotage our progress. What we focus on tends to be what we bring forth, or manifest.

So what if, instead, we make a conscious effort to change the conversation. When those worries and fears creep in, can we give ourselves a reset? Let’s try a mantra, or an affirmation – a phrase that you will repeat over and over again, in your mind and, if you dare and ideally, outlead.

Your success is inevitable.

Try it again.

Your success is inevitable.

So the big question: what would you do differently (in your business, in any area of your life) if your success were inevitable?

Ex. If you struggle with relationships, and you’ve been holding out on getting back in the dating game out of fear. What would you do if your success were inevitable? You’d keep trying, right? And maybe you wouldn’t put so much weight on a given date or interaction, laughing off the awkward coffee conversations knowing that sooner or later, you’d find the person of your dreams, and it would all work out.

Ex. If you knew investing $2,000 in your business now would translate to making $100,000 in your business next year, would you do it? I certainly hope you would! The cost/benefit analysis is clear.

So much of our success or failure, ultimately, stems from our confidence. If we believe with 100% confidence that we will be successful, that confidence is contagious. Our clients and potential clients see the way we ooze confidence and go yes, I want some of what she’s having! The people we date sense our charisma and our detachment from the outcome of a given moment and want to spend time with us. And while failure is really common, the sooner we show up and give it all, the sooner we take the next steps in our business and our life’s growth, the sooner we will get there. Instead of this do I or don’t I, will it work or will it not, we move on to the next step in our journey. If this particular venture is going to fail, wouldn’t you rather know now? I would!

I recently invested about $2,000 in a coaching mentorship. I’ve been loving coaching, feeling an incredible passion for helping people to achieve the life of their dreams, and I wanted some extra confidence to help me in building my business. I could have kept going it solo, but I knew that this calculated investment felt truly aligned for me – I was a little fearful, of course, as we often are before we commit to something or purchase something. But it was all I could think about, and I was super excited about it.

So I went for it. And I was so passionate about it, showing up with enthusiasm each week for my studying, my business and my clients. I know that investment will pay off in dividends as I’m now a more confident and skilled coach ready to work with more clients, create new offers and help people achieve their goals.

So I challenge you today: what would you do if your success were inevitable?

Leave me a comment, write about it in your journal or send me a message and share. Don’t let fear hold you back- there is so much you’re capable of. The world needs you.

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

Please Be Careful With Yes

| jamiefeinberg

“You can’t have yes without no…if you’re not careful with your yeses, you start to say no to some very important things without even realizing it.” – Shauna Niequist

Are you careful with your yeses?

I used to give out my yeses with ease, but the problem is it can really burn you out. As I’ve tried to cut back on stress and live a more intentional life, I’ve had to become more intentional with my yes.

It’s so easy to say yes to please someone, to avoid an awkward conversation or to believe we have time for all of the things.

News flash: We do not have time for all of the things.

When you say yes to everything, you’re saying no to other things. If you agree to volunteer at one event this weekend, it might mean missing date night with your partner. If you agree to babysit your sister’s kids, you might not have time to get your homework done or write your book or get your home renovation project complete on time. If you clean your son’s room before your party, will you have time to cook everything on your list?

Supply your own examples and it will quickly become obvious how true this is. We’ve got 24 hours a day, and most people need 8 of those to be asleep. Even if you can walk through life as a zombie, you’ve still got the same 24 hours as everyone else. So let’s get more intentional about how we use that time.

Say no and see what the universe allows you to say yes to. (Hint: sometimes it’s conscious – if I say no to x, I’m saying yes to y. Other times, you’ll find you say no without knowing what’s next, just because it feels right. And sometimes life delivers a big and beautiful surprise, soon or not so soon, when we do that.)

Shauna Niequist’s book Present Over Perfect is brilliant, and when I first read it, I felt like I could have written it – it resonated so much. I’m now on read number two (after many months away from it) and it’s just as brilliant. If this resonates with you, or if you just want a book that encourages you to slow down and savor things a bit more you’ll definitely want to read this.

Practice saying no this week. What can you say no to?

Please comment here with a story of saying no, whether it’s a plan for the future or an anecdote of how it served you in the past. I’d love to hear how this is inspiring you or making you think!

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

Today’s the day – don’t miss the chance to join us!

| jamiefeinberg

It’s already Day # 1 of the Make Money & RV Summit! Ross and I are speaking on October 4th, but you won’t want to miss today’s speakers & actionable tips and advice on how you can make money and RV full-time, part-time or seasonally!

We’re presenting Making the Life You Want: Crafting Your Life Adventure, and we’re thrilled to be in such amazing company.

Each session is FREE to attend for the first 24 hours, but I totally understand not being available to catch all the sessions- after all there’s seminars, interviews and bonus sessions!

If that’s the case, right now the best thing you can do for yourself would be to grab a VIP pass and lock in your behind the scenes access to this powerful information, regardless of if you can attend live or just want to watch them later.

Here’s why most people end up upgrading to VIP:
*They didn’t get to watch all the sessions.
*They want to re-watch some of the session
*They aren’t ready to use the info, and want to refer back once they are ready for action!
*They also want all the freebies our speakers are offering! (Free courses, eBooks, one-on-one coaching sessions, printables and more!)
*The VIP passes are currently on sale with an early bird discounted price!

Grab one now and get yours for the lowest price available. Just head here to check them out and choose the one that’s best for you!

Happy Friday, and we can’t wait to hear what you thought of the presentations!

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 


A Forced Pause – Quarantine Life

| jamiefeinberg

How things change for full-time RVers during COVID-19!

Before leaving Florida, we spent several weeks stocking up on supplies (all via delivery), not just for our journey across the country, but also for when we arrived in New Mexico. It was fun – we didn’t just buy supplies for meals, but we also bought car snacks and treats so that we could avoid gas station runs or Walmart stops to minimize our risk.

Our Misfits Market subscription was also an excellent source for this, from oat milk to nuts and granola. In addition, we decided to top off our produce and proteins with a delivery from Sprouts (new to us) while we were in Oklahoma City.

Our planning was extremely helpful. We could have gotten through a month in the RV if we needed to! As it stands, we’re currently more than halfway through our two week quarantine in New Mexico, and we’ve got all we need for sustenance and fun, including several bottles of wine and fancy cheese for a once a week treat. Our planning has made our adventuring fun instead of feeling like a burden.

So, what do we do for fun when we can’t leave the campground? In addition to our work (which has run the gamut from music teaching and music making to virtual assistant work and coaching), we’ve done the following:

  • Completed a mystery box from Deadbolt Mystery Society
  • Enjoyed wine and cheese after a night of (virtual) yoga and a (virtual) ukulele jam
  • Watched the entire series Space Force on Netflix (it’s so funny and sweet!)
  • Watched several Youtube videos about the history of Disney parks and properties
  • Taken daily walks around the campground (well, Jamie has anyway)
  • Enjoyed mountain views
  • Had Zoom meetups with family and friends
  • Made tacos and guacamole, caramel popcorn, fancy pasta and s’mores

I’m sure we’ve done much more too, but those are the first eight things that come to mind. And since most of those are things that I imagine most all of us can do from home, maybe it will give you some inspiration to create an adventure at home this weekend or any time.

What’s your favorite fun activity when you can’t leave home?

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

Balancing Work and Travel

| jamiefeinberg

It’s one of those weeks where it’s a carefully calculated balancing act. We’re hoping to head out of Florida within the next couple of weeks. We managed to avoid damage in last week’s hurricane, but we know we are unlikely to be so luckily if we stick around longer.

That means we need to stock up on provisions (our goal is to avoid stopping for anything but gas and a place to sleep for the night – fingers crossed!), make sure all of our online orders have been delivered, clean up and organize after getting “comfortable” for many months, and remind ourselves what “travel mode” looks like.

Oh, and work! The trickiest thing about all of this is that we still have to keep up with, if not traditional day jobs, all of our clients, and in fact we need to do extra work to make sure we’re ready to depart safely and successfully.

I’m also wrapping up week one of a coaching program, where I’m learning how to be a coach! I’m something I’ve dabbled in the past, and I absolutely love supporting people and helping them find the confidence, strategy and skills to create the life of their dreams. So, suffice to say, it’s been a busy week here in the RV!

Lots of people say that full-time RVing has higher highs and lower lows than the average life. I think that can be true. There’s less consistency, more surprises to deal with, but there’s so much joy from traveling and living life at a different pace. And honestly, so much of it is truly what you make of it.

We know we’re truly spoiled and privileged to live this lifestyle. We always appreciate your good wishes, but we especially love those thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks as we pack up and head out across the country.

Wishing you all a wonderful week. Take care.

P.S. We’ll be taking advantage of our Harvest Hosts membership when we travel. Free space to park in exchange for buying wine and other goodies? Sign us up! Get yours at a 15% discount and support our blog when you sign up!

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

Four Years Of Thanks

| jamiefeinberg

It’s been more than four years of being full-time RVers (with vacations along the way, but always returning to our home), and with all of the uncertainty in the world, I’m feeling especially grateful that we followed our dreams and made this adventure happen.

There were so many things that we didn’t know when we started out. If I’d known then that we’d burn through our savings, that we’d have to spend so much money on repairs, that we’d clean toilets or nasty equipment or even experience a few truly horrendous things along the journey, would we have done it?

But, of course, if I knew the bad stuff that would come, then I’d likely know the good stuff, and how could I have passed that up? Getting to meet extraordinary people, visiting gardens and museums and animals and the ocean….eating extraordinary gluten-free food, amazing ice cream, the freshest Mexican and New Mexican cuisine and meeting up with family and friends (some we hadn’t seen in ages) along the way.

(Just a few photos from the past year or so below!)

We’ve worked full-time and part-time jobs, built businesses, checked off bucket list items and built new dreams. We’ve found communities that feel like home and places we look forward to returning to, and we’ve gotten clarity on what is and isn’t important in our lives.

And when I created the tagline for this website (Making The Lives We Want: A Practice In Living), I didn’t have any idea just how much we’d be leaning into it. I’m so glad we have.

I hope that whatever you’re going through, you’re okay. And if you can, take one small step today to make the life you want. Even if it’s just taking time for a cup of tea or a short walk. You deserve it.

Take care, and be well. Thanks for reading.

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

 

Leading With Kindness Is Hard

| jamiefeinberg

This week, I’m finding myself less patient than ever navigating social media. In particular, it’s politics and feeling like our country is dissolving into chaos and we may not have fair elections this fall.

I’m finding myself unable to resist standing up to people who don’t acknowledge the ways that human rights aren’t being protected.

And as a result, I’m being made to feel like a bad person.

If you’re feeling the same, I’m sorry. And if you’re somewhere else on the political spectrum, that’s 100% fine – but please, whatever you do, don’t name-call, don’t insult, and don’t lump people like me all together. Have a 1 on 1 conversation with a friend. That’s how we learn to understand each other, find ways to get along and make change.

Lead with kindness. And don’t give up on it if your friend doesn’t come around to your point of view. Agree to disagree. And stay kind. Stay loving.

Sending a hug out to all of you this week. Take care, friends.

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

The Future Is Unknown – So Enjoy Today!

| jamiefeinberg

Hi everyone! Nothing super exciting to report this week. We’re continuing to find ways to have fun in a small space, from cooking elaborate meals and trying new fruits and vegetables to finding new things to watch on Disney+!

We’ve been talking a lot about what’s next for us, and COVID-19 has really thrown a wrench into our planning. Will we feel safe traveling? Will we feel safer elsewhere? When will we again want to go into a theme park, or feel safe going into a bar for an open mic night?

Our goal has been to try out Portland, OR for their music scene…but if the music scene isn’t open to us yet, we’ve actually got several other favorite places in Colorado and New Mexico we’d be happy to spend time in. So we keep expanding our list of options, clarifying our goals and staying as flexible as possible.

Are your plans changing because of COVID-19? What do you think things will look like next spring?

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com. 

First Time Adventuring Out in a Pandemic

| jamiefeinberg

I will start off by saying that I’m incredibly privileged right now. In addition to all the usual privileges I have as a white American, I work mostly from home (yes, we lost of all our performing/in-person teaching gigs, but that’s a small percentage of our income most months), most of my clients still have lots of work for me, I have a car and I live in a nice community and can walk to things.

All that being said, I also live in an RV without laundry facilities or a useful shower situation (no hot water and it’s the best place for us to store supplies), so that means I incur extra risk just by living aka keeping myself clean.

Because of that, we’ve been using the money we’re saving by not going anywhere to fund grocery deliveries and take advantage of Misfits Market. We’ve also taken advantage of pharmacy delivery or drive-up contactless pickup when needed.

And all of that has meant that until this past weekend, we hadn’t stepped foot inside a building outside of our campground.

But this weekend, that changed! We’re still being super cautious, but since I was celebrating my birthday this past week, and since it looked like I would be able to visit a local botanical garden without going inside a building, I headed out.

The bad news? I had to go inside to show them my ticket (purchased online), which meant going in a building at the start and end of my visit, and since I hadn’t yet received my equipment for stealth bathroom use on the go (I totally have now!), I also had to visit a restroom in the garden.

The good news? They were following social distancing and cleaning guidelines impeccably well, and until the last fifteen minutes or so of my early morning garden visit, I rarely encountered anyone on the trail with me.

This won’t be something I do every week. In fact, given the spike in cases in Florida, I’m quarantining myself for two weeks as a precaution, just to give myself some piece of mind. But the reality is that visits like the one I did this past weekend should probably be a part of my routine, in moderation, to help me stay both sane and safe in the coming year (or however long this is our new normal).

With Disney World opening up soon, we could be planning a trip, but the more we ponder it, the less likely it seems that we’ll feel safe doing that anytime soon. It’s really important to us that we a) protect ourselves and b) don’t help spread the virus to vulnerable people.

So I’m thankful for equipment like this (I did lots of research, there are lots of options to choose from – I was even considering a portable toilet for the car!) that will give me extra piece of mind as I go exploring in the coming year. Who needs a gas station bathroom when you’ve got your car?!

TMI? Sorry, but I’m sharing in case that helps anyone else.

Be well and stay safe, friends.

______________________________

Supporting Our Blog

We are so thankful for your support of our blog and our careers! You can help by doing any or all of the following:

  • Purchase one of Ross’ albums!
  • Become a patron of our work!
  • Make purchases via our Amazon website links. There is no additional cost to you, and a portion of the proceeds can support our travels. Begin your Amazon search here.
  • Make other purchases using our affiliate links. Capital One 360 is one everyone can take advantage of to save money! Signing up with Dosh is a great way for everyone with a smartphone to support us, and we also have options for aspiring virtual assistants as well as occasional and full-time RVers to save money.
  • Listen to, subscribe and review our theater comedy podcast, Finishing The Season!
  • Subscribe to our blog, as well as perhaps InSearchOfAScoop.com, and recommend our work to your friends and family.
  • Take music or theater lessons (group or private) from us, either in person or via Skype at TinyVillageMusic.com.