Our last night in Thailand

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 move, I’ve had a lot going on (#understatementoftheyear). Along with a visa trip to San Francisco shortly after arriving in Boise, I completed a training in applied axiology and earned an associated certification (I completed two other certifications the month before we moved), finished a book draft for a client, co-delivered a training for Next Level Women Leaders, accepted an Axiom Book Award in New York for Growing Influence, and spent a week in Seattle with a client working on her book. Of course, this is on top of ongoing coaching and consulting, plus a bunch of other smaller projects I won’t detail. It’s all work I love, and I do mean love. Love, love, love.

Our most recent Next Level Women Leaders training (photo by Brandi Lynn Photography)

But whew. It’s been a lot.

Today, I sit in my Boise office, with my IKEA chair and desk I extracted from storage, in a house we rented from a friend for the summer, gearing up for another period of blissful chaos starting in July: delivering a workshop, facilitating a large training, and speaking at TSheets by QuickBooks Tribe Summer Camp (yes, camp for grownups!). I’ll be working on a new book, coaching, consulting, and connecting with my community here in Boise.

I enjoy a full schedule for a while. But that has to be punctuated by stretchy, breathe-y space. I need time to hike with my family, run with my friend, read fiction, and get off work early to just be at home.

An afternoon with my budding scientist at our local science center

Still, there are moments I have to pause and ask, Why am I doing this? What’s the point? What’s the purpose?

Do you ever feel that way? Do you have moments of awareness in which you question it all, wondering why in the world you’re doing whatever it is you’re doing?

Well, I do. Frequently. But the good thing about those questions (as unsettling as they can be) is that they reinforce my purpose: I get to help incredible people make a positive impact on this world through their ideas, words, and leadership. I get to influence companies for greater equality. I get to express myself through writing. I get to partner with the most amazing people in the world. I get to show up, every day, fully engaged in meaningful work.

The balance is to show up, every day, fully engaged in meaningful life. It’s being here to help my daughter with her reading, immerse in my son’s imaginary world, and have a glass of wine with my husband. Presence and togetherness as a family is what we are trying to achieve through this location independent life. And wow, we have had so many moments over the past year that honor that goal.

Lily and me during a recent all-day boating and kayaking trip to Phang Nga Bay—such a special experience with her

That isn’t working so well right now. I’m not here as much as I need to be. But we know the bigger goal, and that keeps us moving forward in the direction of the life we want. Sacrifice in the short term for a better life in the long term.

We leave in about two months for Portugal. Until then, onward.