Thinking of success, I realized that my definition might be influenced by others’ expectations, which made me question if I truly understood what it meant for myself.
So, I pulled up the Dictionary and asked. Here was the reply:
The attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like. A person or thing that has had success, as measured by attainment of goals, wealth, etc.
Thirty years ago, my goals were to have a good-paying job, good credit, and a mortgage.
That is what my parents and my teachers taught me, and what I saw as examples in the world. I also noticed how unhappy my parents were and the debt that held them in that place. They worked 50 weeks to get a two-week vacation.
The word “stable” was always implied because it was still common to start a job after school and stay there until retirement.
Then you get to play.
You stayed at the job because you had the mortgage to pay and other debt that kept you getting into that morning commute and putting up with office politics.
How many people do you think still live a version of this? Just look at the freeway of any city at 8 a.m. and you have your answer.
The narrative changed for Wayne (my husband) and me once we realized that we love the RV lifestyle. Sure, we still have goals and desire wealth. But it looks a little different these days.
For example, over the years, we have figured out how to stay rent-free in RV resorts for most of the year. This has allowed us to pay off all credit cards and other debts except for the motorhome (our version of a mortgage) and car. We are working on those next. That is success for me.
Our goals are more like visiting every national park (46 and counting), riding all the cool trains, being north in the summer and south in the winter. For us, these are goals worth achieving.
Moving around the country and asking “What’s down that road?” has given me an unlimited supply of creativity and wonder. Creating new projects feeds on this creativity and gives us multiple streams of income.
That is success for me.
This lifestyle has not denied us the comforts of home or financial stability. It just looks different.
The inside of my home is constant and comfortable: The outside is what changes.
Being exposed to unlimited possibilities provides the freedom we never could have had in life before the RV.
Time freedom, location freedom, financial freedom, and inner freedom. Life by design has given us these freedoms and redefined the word “success.”
MORE ESSAYS LIKE THIS:
- Rediscovering the camping I fell in love with so many years ago
- Why we had to prove a reader wrong about RVing
- The things we dream of doing… What’s stopping you?
- What to do when the joy of your RVing dream life fades?
RVT1226
Its a gift to know yourself and what makes you happy. Having had the same life criteria from our parents, it was with a some fear when we retired 7 years early, went houseless and decided to RV travel for a few years in 2015. Goal was to spend more time with our kids and 7 grandchildren. See this amazing country we live in.
In those 10 years we have learned unexpected things. In a year, my husband realized as a homeowner, home maintenance and repairs weighed heavier on his mind than he realized.
I learned that my desire to see US National Parks, exploring them with my husband and our grandchildren gives more joy than I could have ever hoped for.
Loving RV Travel
It is the best. I have had some great adventures with my grown grandchildren that we would not have had if not for this lifestyle. I also love national parks. They make me happy as soon as we enter the gate! Do you have a favorite?
I commend you for learning that and acting on it at an earlier age than many of us!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and some of your journey through life, Sandi! Have a great week and safe travels!
Thank you, Neal. I have a few more essays that will come out once in a while. So happy you enjoyed it! Safe travels to you too.
Perfectly said!