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15 points to consider when embarking on full-time travel
Hello friends. How is everyone today? Oh gosh, there is so much to share…so many changes in life right now. Exciting and scary, right? We are all processing a lot (all good), and I can’t wait to give you a full life update once we are settled into our “new 6-month normal” in the hiking world. Don’t worry; we are returning to full-time travel (although I consider this hike another full-time travel experience) and the boat!!! Yes, we still have the boat and will be returning to boat life and sailing to the South Pacific; it is just taking us a bit longer than planned. We have always said that the catalyst for this WorldTowning lifestyle choice has been AvaLar (remember when we used to call them that? So cute.). As a result, we have ebbed and flowed to meet their goals and have unique experiences along the way. We only get 18 years (more or less) with them full-time, and we will not miss a minute.
So, it's time for a short update. Several months ago, I was selected, along with a bunch of other ladies from 900+ applicants, to be a speaker at the fabulous Alt Summit Conference for women entrepreneurs and influencers in Palm Springs, California. I was to speak for 30 minutes, four times, in an intimate round table setting.
This is the paragraph that was presented at the conference to entice women to come listen. Spot on, right?
Selling It All To Travel The World: What It Really Takes To Launch The Dream Have you ever fantasized about selling it all to travel the world? Just your computer, a carry-on, and the people you love. Would you go for 1 year or forever? Come chat with Jessica (a decade-long full-time traveler) as she shares the details, the secrets, and the “what the heck just happened” moments to determine if it is for you. What about medical? How do I school? Wifi? No question will be left unanswered as Jessica has done it with kids, pets, a remote business, trauma, fear, and more.
One day last month was “go time,” it went off without a hitch! Largo helped out with pictures, goodie bags, and taking some videos, and I was grateful for him. There were so many amazing and adventurous women with unique questions about how they could make this happen. I was honored to be there for them to lend some “real world” experiences and hacks, plus be able to connect with ladies wanting to get the most out of their one wildlife.
Each attendee was welcomed with an international goodie bag from our travels over the previous two months: India, France, and Peru. They received a bag, henna, a scroll, candies, WorldTowning stickers, patches, pins, and snacks from Peru (which never made it through the mail in time-bummer). These goodies made the table colorful and gave each person a taste of what awaits if they decide to plunge into the digital nomad world, WorldTowning, full-time travel, or whatever you want to call people like us world!
I don’t have a full video of the event because the room was quite loud with other round tables, but I wanted to share with you the Cliff Notes version of what I spoke about for those who might be reading this and toying with the idea. I added colorful stories from our ten years of travel to support each point, vlog clips, and, of course, “Don’t do this moment.” Ha! If you decide this is for you and want to dig deeper, we consult on the logistics and emotional aspects of launching a full-time travel life. You can book a coaching session here.
What is the #1 trait to survive out here for ten years of WorldTowning?
1. Confidence******
Confidence that you have within you what it takes to make this happen. If someone else can do it, so can you.
2. A strong WHY and an unwavering commitment to it
Why do you want to travel full-time? “It sounds fun” is not good enough when the shit hits the fan. And the shit will hit the fan. Have a WHY that is so powerful you won’t give up when the going gets tough.
3. A thick skin to naysayers
You will have 99.8% (don’t quote me on this number) support from family, friends, and strangers, but those naysayers will be loud and dig into the doubts and questions plaguing you before you launch. Don’t let them in! Their voices don’t matter and will only derail your path.
4. Financial plan
Leave with little to no debt! Lower your expenses before you go. Live on less. Get rid of Starbucks and cable. Sell your stuff. And then stack all of the cards in your favor by going debt-free!
5. Get all your shit figured out, don’t go to escape problems, marriage, teched-out kids
Have those extensive talks with all family members about their concerns, fears, etc. Get into therapy to resolve any issues in your marriage or struggles your kids are having; they will only get worse when you change your normal and strip away all the familiar. Travel DOES NOT fix problems; if anything, it accelerates them to the top. We will do a month on Mental Health in May on our podcast. We will share what rose to the top for us and how we handled it.
6. A good sense of humor and the ability to laugh
It is going to get real crazy!!! Laugh! Practice daily before you go; it will save you on the road.
7. A community and support system
This can include people from home and online who are on the same journey. Community is so important when you are doing what most will only dream of. Find people you can talk to when the going gets tough, and you'd like to quit. You should find them before you launch; you will need them more than ever while trying to get out of the gate.
8. Willing partners
This goes for romantic partners and offspring. If all parties are not willing, then find out why. Is there a compromise…
9. Ability to compromise
If you are traveling with more than yourself, compromises must be made to ensure everyone feels honored on this journey. If full-time does not work for everyone, then maybe six months on, six months off, or summers only. There is always a way to find a middle ground so the journey can still happen.
10. A plan (it can be loose, but a moderate plan nonetheless).
Considering your why and financial plan and those compromises within the family. Selling it all and leaving six months later with no plan spells disaster. If you want this to work, consider every scenario and what you would do.
11. Teamwork
Living like this as a WorldTowner is teamwork on crack. Don’t let those naysayers tell you your kids will never learn teamwork. Also, ensure everyone in the family knows this will take a significant team effort but will be well worth it.
12. Open to redefining home as a feeling and way of life, versus a thing
Think about what “home” means to you and your family when you don’t have everything with you. Create your new version of home out in the world and discuss it as a family before you take flight.
13. Comfort with the unknown or a willingness to do it with discomfort
It will be uncomfortable, and how you handle it will determine whether or not this is a success. Some travel styles will bring more discomfort than others, but you will find your way as you get used to being in the unknown.
14. Fearlessness or the willingness to do it with fear
This is along the same lines as 13. However, it gets its own number because fear is the #1 reason many do not launch. Find the root of your fears and break them down; it will then be more accessible to take the plunge.
15. Don’t let them see you sweat
If you have kids, do not let them see you sweat initially, or it will cloud their acceptance of your new WorldTowning lifestyle. When they get older, let them see you sweat so they know what it takes to accomplish big dreams and that it CAN be done.
Oh, how I wish I had this on video on a big stage with fantastic audio so you could all enjoy the full breadth of what I shared, but this gives you a good idea. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to me. I hope to be asked back to Alt Summit again next year, but I want a bigger stage and more seats for all those curious ladies wishing to plunge into the wild.
Thank you so much for joining me again this week. I wish I could write from my tent on the trail each night, as I have so much to share with all of you. Maybe once warmer weather comes, I can, but my fingers want to be in my sleeping bag when I get in the tent because it is so darn cold. I’m making it sound dreamy, right? It is! I hope you are having a fabulous weekend.
xoxo,
Jess
Group Trips - Hiking for 4 days to Machu Picchu
Last month, we hosted our first group trip to Peru and our first “intense” hiking group trip. We hiked with this wild and fun bunch for four days after a two-day cruise around Cusco, learning the local culture and how to weave, dye, cook, and shop. Will, Largo, Avalon, and I did this same hike back in 2015, and we fell in love with the people, the hiking, and just Peru in general, but we never thought we would return as the world is vast and there is so much to see. Little did we know back then that we would be hosting group trips all these years later to our favorite places across the globe.
We welcome you to check out our 2025 group trip lineup; unfortunately, we will not be hosting more in 2024 because we are on our massive Appalachian Trail 6-month hiking adventure with Largo to go out with a bang before he hits his final years of high school and takes flight (literally and figuratively).
Hosting group trips is the best part of this lifestyle because we finally get to meet you in person and get to know you on a deeper level while creating unforgettable memories and going big! We can’t wait to travel with those of you who have been with us before and all of the new faces in 2025!
Thank you to everyone who has traveled with us before! It has been a blast!
Podcast - Why we let our kids swear
This is our most controversial podcast yet. We would love to hear how you handle this with your teens or even how you handled it when you had teens in the home. Does swearing bother you, or do you see them as just words? Please don't hesitate to drop your comments below. It has been exciting thus far to hear your responses on this subject.
And if you are enjoying the podcast, please give us a follow, 5-star, and comment on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts. This helps us tremendously to reach a larger audience. Thank you.
Vlog - Appalachian Trail 2024 Thru-Hike Announcement!
Yes, it is true…Largo and I (and occasionally Will) are thru-hiking the 2,197.4 miles from Georgia to Maine for six months on the Appalachia Trail in the USA. In December, we spontaneously decided to take on this massive hike, and two months ago, we announced it to the world. In true WorldTowning style, we have decided to share the entire experience with all of you through daily vlogs on YouTube. Insane, probably, but that is how we roll. To date, our favorite vlogging series (and a series that connected us to many of you) is our 44 days of daily vlogging from Camino Frances to Santiago. So here we go again.
Starting at the end of next week (fingers crossed), we will begin to release daily vlogs of the AT. Get comfy with your coffee because so far, this has not been an easy ride: snow, bears, falls, a urination accident all over oneself, and so much more. Oh, and we met another “Kitchen sink” packing in 45 pounds, just like Will did.
Here’s our ask….we want to get this to larger audiences and need your help. If you are not yet subscribed to our YT channel please do so here, tell your friends, share us on your socials… any bit of us you share, like, comment, etc helps out tremendously.
Here goes…
To learn more about us, our mission, and our business, you can visit us at WorldTowning. To view our most recent group trip offerings, head over to WorldTowningvoyages.com. If you want to book a coaching session to realize your travel dream, schedule it here. If you're going to follow the travels of our WorldTowning family, you can find us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, The Why Matters Podcast.