About Me

Like many of you, I spent my adult life building my career.  The all-inclusive vacations I was taking were relatively inexpensive and connected me to my passion—the sea.  My goal was to be in a financial position that allowed me to still take a tropical vacation each year, but also add a trip elsewhere.  The Mediterranean and Greece were my dream.  I started planning a trip in August 2016 and realized the best time to visit Europe was in the Fall.  I didn’t have a travel partner and I almost chickened out.  In the end, I found my courage and just did it. 

I understand that solo travel is intimidating.  I also know that so many people want to do it but don’t know that they can.  I honestly can’t imagine what my life would be like without travel.  2016 was a huge step for me in realilzing a dream and proving that I was empowered and capable of making it happen. 

In 2018, I took a trip that I didn’t realize would be life changing. It was an Island hopper trip to Croatia with REI Adventures (oh, I miss you REI!).  Everyone on the trip except 1 was retired.  We visited the island of Korcula, and something about that island made me reevaluate my life. I made the decision that I was only going to continue working full time for 7 more years.  I knew I needed two things to make that happen- a great financial planner and a different job.  I found both of those and moved to my current city, to an executive level job, and used my income on saving for retirement–with my twice yearly vacations built into my saving plan. 

2024 was another life-changing year.  I was working in that same  executive level position for a health care system, averaging 50+ hours a week, leading a team of 25 people, and I had thrived on the work.  Until I didn’t and had to make some changes.  As I was transitioning out of that role, I recognized that what I had been doing for so many years was no way to live.  The stress, the pressure, the constantly being driven by other’s expectations. And I realized that leaving that role was a step in what I had been doing for the past 8 years– chasing the freedom to live my life on my own terms.  I celebrated and decompressed by spending a full month in Placencia, Belize.  It was the first time I had the opportunity to spend an extended amount of time somewhere,  not just vacationing, but simply living daily life. 

Today, I’m living exactly the life I want. I do a bit of consulting in my professional field, I travel, and I make my life adventurous even when I’m home.  Above all, I’m Iiving my life on my terms.

Thanks for being a part of my ongoing journey.  If travel is your thing or your dream, I hope you will find something here to help you.  If you passion is elsewhere, you may still find something to inspire you to chase your own freedom