In August, we head to Portugal, and we start over. New city. New school for our kids. New friendships. New doctor, dentist, ophthalmologist, massage therapist. New trails to run, new routes to cycle. New yoga studio. New grocery store, pharmacy, bank, airport. New car and public transit. New house. New favorite restaurants and coffeeshops. Everything […]
These past several months have been a test: of patience, energy, resiliency, and commitment to this location-independent lifestyle. In April, we relocated temporarily from Thailand to our hometown of Boise. Here, we’re awaiting word from the Portuguese consulate. Will they, or won’t they, accept our residency visa application? Only time will tell. Along with the […]
I sit here at a café on my last day in Thailand while our rental car is being cleaned at a shop next door. Yesterday, we moved out of our lovely rented house and into a beach view condo, where we’ll stay until we head to the airport late tomorrow. Tonight, we’ll celebrate with friends […]
This week’s post comes from editor and writer Robin Bethel. Robin is a close friend and colleague, and we’ve worked together on various projects for more than nine years. Here, Robin shares self-editing advice she’s identified from working with dozens of authors (including me!). Whether you write articles or books—or aspire to do so—I hope […]
Moving to Thailand was one of the most difficult things we’ve done as a family. And some of our experiences living here have been harder than we could have imagined. And yet, I am so happy to have gotten to spend this time in the Kingdom. Living in Thailand has caused a mindset shift for […]
Last Sunday, my husband, kids, and I met friends at a local resort. We had a laid-back afternoon: swimming in the resort pool, walking on the sand, eating vegetarian food from their extensive menu. As the evening came upon us, the winds picked up—warm with a kiss of coolness—the palms waved above us, and I […]
For the past two years, I’ve met a friend of mine for a business strategy retreat. We’ve done three retreats now—two in California, one in Idaho—and most recently met last November in Santa Cruz, California. We spent a few days disconnected from client work, immersed in nature, and engaged in strategizing for the year(s) to […]
This past week, I felt like I was on a mental and physical bullet train. It started with a mastermind with a dear friend and colleague; followed with an incredible three days speaking at the QuickBooks Connect conference; and concluded with a long layover in China, where I toured the Great Wall. The bullet train […]
On July 12, we set out for our first international move as a family. Along with our tribe, we checked nine bags and carried on two, plus the running stroller and two cats. Not only was this our first time moving overseas, it was our first time traveling overseas as a family of six (the […]
It was 2005, and life was bleak. I was 20 (I’m 32 now) and working in a bank as a teller, going to school in the early mornings, at night, and online. My employer was fine, and the job was OK. I justified my dissatisfaction with my work because my employer reimbursed my tuition. On […]