As one of Brian’s friends said recently, “You have some splainin‘ to do!” Because we’ve lived with the idea of our trip for quite a while, we’ve gotten very comfortable with it. But for everyone else, it may seem like we’re putting the cart before the horse (so to speak) as we haven’t given y’all a good understanding of the hows and whys (figured I might as well let the Southern shine through after that horse and cart reference). So, if you really want to know…
The spark came about a year ago. The economy was slumping and technology companies, including Brian’s employer, were laying people off. Discretionary spending was down, impacting my business. We idly talked about a worst-case-scenario plan. If Brian, the breadwinner, lost his job, what would we do? We knew of several highly qualified, smart people in Brian’s field going without work, so it was by no means certain he’d find another job quickly. Our lifestyle was not extravagant, but was well beyond the national average because of where we live (Silicon Valley, Northern California). We realized a move might be required to sustain us long-term. To where, though? We both grew up on the East Coast and didn’t want to return. We had traveled a fair amount throughout the United States and were already living in our favorite mainland location. When we started to think internationally, there were many areas that were both affordable and appealing to us. So the idea to move overseas was born…
Then, last spring, we read Tim Ferriss’s 4-Hour Workweek. While the book is jam-packed with useful information and ideas on a variety of topics, it is in essence a manifesto about living your dream life. In Chapter 2, for example, Ferriss asks, “How has being ‘realistic’ or ‘responsible’ kept you from the life you want?” From there, you develop dreamlines, or six- to twelve-month timelines that enable you to pursue your dreams. For example, my first six-month dreamline included volunteering in Africa, a goal of mine for half my life, and I realized this goal last October/November by living in Ghana and working with Global Mamas. Another dream was taking Latin and ballroom dance lessons, which I now do twice per week at Starlite Dance. One of Brian’s life-long dreams was to obtain his private pilot’s license, which he is now well on his way to achieving. I’m sure you now know where I’m heading: No surprise that Brian and I next decided to put our dream trip on our 12-month dreamline. Why wait for retirement or an uncertain future to make our dreams happen, we wondered?
If you’re looking for inspiration and practical advice about turning your dreams into reality, we highly recommend 4-Hour Workweek. Preparing dreamlines wasn’t the only thing we took away from the book, either, so stay tuned as we continue to manifest our dream lives.
Cheers,
