About the Journey

Topsy-turvy : (adj) upside down or not in order

I think that topsy-turvy describes me and my life perfectly.  I have always felt a little out of sorts with the world…marched to my own beat.  When I was younger I embraced this aspect of my personality, but as I got older I soon discovered that the world can be pretty cruel to those who do not conform. I lacked the inner strength that would enable me to be the person I truly am, so I became just like everyone else.  I did the things that I should do: went to college, got married, had a career, had a child, and lived happily ever after…NOT!  The truth was that I had been living a lie for a long time, one that I had told myself for so long that I actually believed it.  I thought I could be happy living a normal life…the problem is I am not normal.  It is hard when you realize your reality does not match who you are…and even harder when you are 44 years old.  But the reality was…I had to change my life!  The life I was living was slowly tearing me apart.  So it was time to take the life I was living and turn it upside down…

Actually it really began about a year ago. How do you explain to your family and friends that you had everything you “should” have in life…and yet your life felt empty?  The reality was I was working far too hard at a job that was not healthy for me…but I HAD to…right? My husband Russ and I were working hard so that we could have all the things we “should” have, give our son all the things he “should” get, and we were doing it.  We had an income well into the six figures, a beautiful home, drove expensive cars…and we were miserable! Slowly we began to realize that this life we had created, the one that seemed so wonderful, was not true to who we were inside.  It was like looking around and realizing you didn’t fit into your own life story.  The question was how do you change that narrative?  How do you rewrite the story of your life when you are midway through?  How do you make the decision to give it all up?  We wanted to live simply, travel, spend time together as a family, we wanted to LIVE life.  In order to do this we had to take some pretty scary and dramatic steps….

We quit our jobs and sold or gave away a majority of our stuff, packed up what remained,and moved from San Diego to our family vacation house on a small island in the Puget Sound.  Our true goal in this is not only to simplify our life, but to become more connected with each other and the world around us.  One of our biggest desires has been to travel.  Russ started his own online consulting company, so he can work from anywhere in the world.  Since I was a teacher for 17 years, I am currently not working and hoping to discover what my next step on the career path will be.  Until then, I am enjoying being a mother full time!

Our next step in this crazy new life is to take a trip around the world (or as far as our budget will allow).  We are heading off to Europe, and places beyond for the next several months.  This blog will be a place for me to share experiences, thoughts, feelings, and images.  It will be the good, the bad, and the ugly of our travels.  I know the world has a lot to teach us and to show us, and we are excited and ready to learn.  I hope this blog will inspire some to try new things, take some risks, and open up minds and hearts to the world at large.

One little side note, we would not have been able to do any of this without the love and support of our family and friends!  We are so blessed to have so many diverse, interesting, intelligent, talented, kind, caring, and compassionate role models in both of our immediate and extended families!  Thank you to those of you who