It’s that time of the month again! The ups and downs of the last thirty-ish days, the behind-the-scenes happenings, and everything non-travel related that I feel like sharing with the web.
If you’ve been a long-time reader of this series, welcome back. If this is your first visit, I hope you enjoy getting to know me a little bit better!
You can read the last few monthly roundups here: January, February, March, April. Can you believe I’ve been writing these for three years now? So much has changed!
Without further ado…
In May of 2017…
I completed my 30th lap around the sun.
That’s right, I turned the big 3-0 this May. And you know what? It feels pretty much the same as 29. 
Not to make light of the occasion or anything, but the way people seem to dread growing older just makes very little sense to me. I enjoy it! I feel good in my own skin, I know what I want out of life, and I’m brave enough to go after it. What’s not to like?
The day itself was full of love and adventures. The morning kicked off with breakfast compliments of my lovely mother, followed by a string of surprises orchestrated by my one and only. First, we headed into the mountains for a leisurely stroll to an alpine lake.
Following our picnic hike, Hans very generously gifted me a new set of wheels in the form of the most bitchin’ blue beach cruiser you’ve ever laid eyes on. It’ll soon be my primary mode of transport! The afternoon was spent celebrating with his family since I share my birthday with his mother (and my brother, and about 100 other people we know–what’s with all the May 6th birthdays?).
The evening was a relaxing one spent just the two of us, and I fell asleep that night with a belly full of chocolate cake and a heart full of joy. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it–you helped make it the best birthday yet.
Oh, and I wrote a post featuring all my favorite life lessons I’ve learned in 30 years.
We started gathering furniture for our new apartment.
Neither Hans nor I have much “stuff” to speak of, so moving into an unfurnished apartment meant we’d have to start looking and asking around. We decided early on that we’d spend as little money as possible, and so far we’ve managed to procure just about everything we need (the operative word here being need) for less than $100.
Of course, it helps that we’ve both got a lot of family in the area who’ve been generous enough to gift us the extra stuff they’ve got lying around unused. The only major purchase so far was the couch we got for $50 through a local Facebook group. Everything else is a hand-me-down or a cheap purchase from a local yard sale (thank goodness it’s yard sale season!).
Whatever else we decide we want for the apartment, we’ll look for at the local thrift stores, yard sales, or in the free section on Craigslist. Ideally, we won’t have anything beyond the absolute essentials. We also plan to downsize our wardrobes before moving in and sell anything we no longer need. But, unfortunately…
Our move-in date got pushed back.
Our original move-in date was planned for mid-May, but then, life happened. The couple moving out took longer than expected to put the finishing touches on their new house, and it was hard to get a concrete answer from them on when we could actually take over the apartment.
A few weeks isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things and it did allow us some more time to get ready, but we’re just so darn excited to start this new chapter that we had a hard time being patient. I honestly don’t think patience can be truly learned, only continually practiced. Thankfully, we get the keys TODAY!
The weather finally started to feel like summer.
Washington experienced a really long and cold spring this year, so I couldn’t have been happier when the weather finally turned. This region is absolutely gorgeous when everything is green and blooming and there’s nothing better than spending time outside.
We just enjoyed our first barbecue of the season and can’t wait to go swimming and boating on Central Washington’s many rivers and lakes.
We started planning our PNW adventures.
As you know, we took our first trip back in April to beautiful Cannon Beach, Oregon. Now that summer is here, we’re gearing up to tour our own state and see what this diverse region has to offer. With the help of a Waterfalls in Washington and the guidance of friends, we’ve got a number of places on our radar.
Destinations of interest include the Hoh Rainforest on the Olympic Peninsula, Ozette Lake and hiking the Pacific Northwest Trail, Mazama, Winthrop, and other small towns in the North Cascades, and Palouse Falls, the official state waterfall. Outside of Washington, we’d love to visit Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. One thing is for sure: there will be a lot of outdoor adventures on our itinerary (in between all the weddings we’re attending this summer).
My Most Popular Posts
There’s No Such Thing as Overnight Success – I’m glad I finally put these feelings into words because now I can refer back to them often. And it seems I wasn’t the only one struggling to learn this lesson.
Land Your Dream Remote Job in 5 Simple Steps – Good luck to all the remote job seekers out there! I believe in you!
Pack Lighter and Do More with Multiway Clothing from Encircled – This post was fun to put together and I’m happy to know it was enjoyed by so many people!
My Best Instagrams
What I’m Reading
Your Soul’s Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born – Probably a bit too “woo woo” for some (most?) of you, but I’ve really been enjoying it. I’m not religious but certainly spiritual, more so every single day, actually, and I love learning about life and about myself through books like this.
A Few Things I’m Loving
Money ISN’T the Goal, Freedom Is – Some of you may be familiar with Johnny Ward, the “million dollar blogger.” While Johnny’s blog is successful in its own right, it’s useful to know that Johnny didn’t actually make all of his money blogging–that’s just the story the media likes to glamorize. In the end, though, the money wasn’t Johnny’s goal, and he warns other digital nomads to avoid chasing this lifestyle if money is your only objective. This lifestyle that he has created and that I am working to create for myself is really all about FREEDOM at its core.
“Remember, it’s not about the money, it’s about how you earn it and the life you live. I could have doubled my income by opening an office here in Bangkok, cracking the whip with my staff, hiring more sales guys, but then what? My 20s were amazing, fun-filled, I eeked out every opportunity available, late nights, adrenaline filled, crazy friends, and I loved it. My 30s are going the same way too. Would I trade that for an extra couple of million dollars? Absolutely not. Would you? I hope not.” -JW
This glowing review of my ebook, Take Your Life Back:
“I printed this book and keep it close by because I’m constantly referring back to it. It’s been an amazing resource in planning my journey towards location independence! Thank you so much for writing it.” -JM
I literally almost burst into tears when I read this. I’m so completely honored to have made such an impact in someone’s life! To find out what my ebook is all about, click here.
The Tim Ferriss Show – We’ve taken a lot of drives to Seattle and back this month, and listening to podcasts is a great way to pass the time. I’ve always really enjoyed Tim’s podcast because I learn so much every time! Some recent favorites:
- Tony Robbins – On Achievement Versus Fulfillment
- Marie Kondo – The Japanese Tidying Master
- Alain de Botton – How Philosophy Can Change Your Life
