living in a van what does this mean to you what do you think of sometimes
you what do you think of sometimes
you what do you think of sometimes people jump to a conclusion and they
people jump to a conclusion and they
people jump to a conclusion and they might think that the person is homeless
might think that the person is homeless
might think that the person is homeless or maybe like a freeloader
or maybe like a freeloader
or maybe like a freeloader or maybe a hippie despite this in
or maybe a hippie despite this in
or maybe a hippie despite this in today’s in today’s world if you hear a
today’s in today’s world if you hear a
today’s in today’s world if you hear a bit living in a van at best it’s
bit living in a van at best it’s
bit living in a van at best it’s typically seen as a lifestyle suited for
typically seen as a lifestyle suited for
typically seen as a lifestyle suited for people who are just wanting to get away
people who are just wanting to get away
people who are just wanting to get away from it all and so on social media
from it all and so on social media
from it all and so on social media you’ll see a lot of photos like this you
you’ll see a lot of photos like this you
you’ll see a lot of photos like this you know these artsy photos of the van out
know these artsy photos of the van out
know these artsy photos of the van out in the distance
in the distance
in the distance photos of yourself taking photos inside
photos of yourself taking photos inside
photos of yourself taking photos inside of the van and these really whimsical
of the van and these really whimsical
of the van and these really whimsical and mystical things in the remote parts
and mystical things in the remote parts
and mystical things in the remote parts of the world all wonderful and really
of the world all wonderful and really
of the world all wonderful and really actually gorgeous I love that photo but
actually gorgeous I love that photo but
actually gorgeous I love that photo but what if it could be more than this what
what if it could be more than this what
what if it could be more than this what if living in a van wasn’t about getting
if living in a van wasn’t about getting
if living in a van wasn’t about getting a wave but getting connected you see I
a wave but getting connected you see I
a wave but getting connected you see I saw as something that could be more than
saw as something that could be more than
saw as something that could be more than the stereotypes that are labeled to it
the stereotypes that are labeled to it
the stereotypes that are labeled to it and I could actually see it as a way
and I could actually see it as a way
and I could actually see it as a way that I could really enhance the way that
that I could really enhance the way that
that I could really enhance the way that I live my life so much to the dismay of
I live my life so much to the dismay of
I live my life so much to the dismay of my mother I decided in my last year of
my mother I decided in my last year of
my mother I decided in my last year of graduate school that I would go to live
graduate school that I would go to live
graduate school that I would go to live in a van and as much as this initially
in a van and as much as this initially
in a van and as much as this initially worried my friends and my family I was
worried my friends and my family I was
worried my friends and my family I was able to convince them was actually a
able to convince them was actually a
able to convince them was actually a great idea because I have a powerful why
great idea because I have a powerful why
great idea because I have a powerful why I’m powerful reason for wanting to live
I’m powerful reason for wanting to live
I’m powerful reason for wanting to live this lifestyle and it came from a time
this lifestyle and it came from a time
this lifestyle and it came from a time where I was at an all-time low
where I was at an all-time low
where I was at an all-time low you know you come to college and they
you know you come to college and they
you know you come to college and they tell you that it’s a time for finding
tell you that it’s a time for finding
tell you that it’s a time for finding yourself but as I was entering my junior
yourself but as I was entering my junior
yourself but as I was entering my junior year I felt like I was losing myself I
year I felt like I was losing myself I
year I felt like I was losing myself I was living 7 hours away from home I had
was living 7 hours away from home I had
was living 7 hours away from home I had to quit the track-and-field team and my
to quit the track-and-field team and my
to quit the track-and-field team and my job just to keep up with classes and
job just to keep up with classes and
job just to keep up with classes and these are the same classes that were
these are the same classes that were
these are the same classes that were putting me into massive student loan
putting me into massive student loan
putting me into massive student loan debt becoming a doctor is not cheap so
debt becoming a doctor is not cheap so
debt becoming a doctor is not cheap so the pressure of failure and this
the pressure of failure and this
the pressure of failure and this distance from my community it ended up
distance from my community it ended up
distance from my community it ended up making me feel really isolated and so I
making me feel really isolated and so I
making me feel really isolated and so I started to make some bad choices I
started to make some bad choices I
started to make some bad choices I really made really poor decisions with
really made really poor decisions with
really made really poor decisions with my personal relationships I started to
my personal relationships I started to
my personal relationships I started to distance myself from my friends and I
distance myself from my friends and I
distance myself from my friends and I would even just start to fail at classes
would even just start to fail at classes
would even just start to fail at classes because I just wasn’t enjoying life
because I just wasn’t enjoying life
because I just wasn’t enjoying life anymore and I kept digging myself and
anymore and I kept digging myself and
anymore and I kept digging myself and this hole of self-pity because I was
this hole of self-pity because I was
this hole of self-pity because I was lowering my life to be ruled by a fear
lowering my life to be ruled by a fear
lowering my life to be ruled by a fear of failure the shame of giving in to bad
of failure the shame of giving in to bad
of failure the shame of giving in to bad influences and this guilt of having hurt
influences and this guilt of having hurt
influences and this guilt of having hurt my friends
my friends
my friends and so my subsequent depression and
and so my subsequent depression and
and so my subsequent depression and anxiety it really almost made me give up
anxiety it really almost made me give up
anxiety it really almost made me give up on college altogether because most of
on college altogether because most of
on college altogether because most of the time I felt like this I felt like I
the time I felt like this I felt like I
the time I felt like this I felt like I was lost in a forest like I had no
was lost in a forest like I had no
was lost in a forest like I had no direction no trails nobody to help me
direction no trails nobody to help me
direction no trails nobody to help me and I would never find my way out and it
and I would never find my way out and it
and I would never find my way out and it was in this place that I realized that
was in this place that I realized that
was in this place that I realized that over the course of the college this
over the course of the college this
over the course of the college this self-deprecating talk that had been
self-deprecating talk that had been
self-deprecating talk that had been giving myself had turned me into a
giving myself had turned me into a
giving myself had turned me into a self-serving coward and it was there
self-serving coward and it was there
self-serving coward and it was there that I made the best decision in my life
that I made the best decision in my life
that I made the best decision in my life and so with a little bit of work and a
and so with a little bit of work and a
and so with a little bit of work and a heck of a lot of luck I ended up moving
heck of a lot of luck I ended up moving
heck of a lot of luck I ended up moving into a new apartment with people that
into a new apartment with people that
into a new apartment with people that called themselves extra fancy rice now
called themselves extra fancy rice now
called themselves extra fancy rice now who doesn’t want to live with a group of
who doesn’t want to live with a group of
who doesn’t want to live with a group of people that names themselves after a bag
people that names themselves after a bag
people that names themselves after a bag of sushi rice I mean these people were
of sushi rice I mean these people were
of sushi rice I mean these people were truly goofy and despite how goofy they
truly goofy and despite how goofy they
truly goofy and despite how goofy they were and I all their quirks they had one
were and I all their quirks they had one
were and I all their quirks they had one amazing thing in common and that was a
amazing thing in common and that was a
amazing thing in common and that was a commitment a fierce one to the community
commitment a fierce one to the community
commitment a fierce one to the community of extra fancy rice and when I saw this
of extra fancy rice and when I saw this
of extra fancy rice and when I saw this commitment in action I realized that I
commitment in action I realized that I
commitment in action I realized that I had been missing it in my life this
had been missing it in my life this
had been missing it in my life this commitment so get this when I was first
commitment so get this when I was first
commitment so get this when I was first going to move in with them
going to move in with them
going to move in with them Chris Rose a member of extra fancy rice
Chris Rose a member of extra fancy rice
Chris Rose a member of extra fancy rice he sent me a message that said we’re an
he sent me a message that said we’re an
he sent me a message that said we’re an incredibly close group of friends and so
incredibly close group of friends and so
incredibly close group of friends and so when you come in here you better not do
when you come in here you better not do
when you come in here you better not do anything to mess it up so he seemed like
anything to mess it up so he seemed like
anything to mess it up so he seemed like a nice guy
a nice guy
a nice guy and for some reason this made me feel
and for some reason this made me feel
and for some reason this made me feel like emotionally safe because in my head
like emotionally safe because in my head
like emotionally safe because in my head that gave me a goal
that gave me a goal
that gave me a goal it gave me an expectation for how I had
it gave me an expectation for how I had
it gave me an expectation for how I had to live my life and it gave me a sense
to live my life and it gave me a sense
to live my life and it gave me a sense of accountability that I hadn’t been
of accountability that I hadn’t been
of accountability that I hadn’t been giving myself I could see and feel how
giving myself I could see and feel how
giving myself I could see and feel how all in for each other this group of
all in for each other this group of
all in for each other this group of people were and I wanted to be all in
people were and I wanted to be all in
people were and I wanted to be all in with them so fueled by my desire to be
with them so fueled by my desire to be
with them so fueled by my desire to be part of this community I did everything
part of this community I did everything
part of this community I did everything I could to contribute to them because I
I could to contribute to them because I
I could to contribute to them because I wanted to show them how grateful I was
wanted to show them how grateful I was
wanted to show them how grateful I was for them giving me the opportunity to
for them giving me the opportunity to
for them giving me the opportunity to get out of that toxic environment I had
get out of that toxic environment I had
get out of that toxic environment I had put myself in and so I started with
put myself in and so I started with
put myself in and so I started with little things like cooking with them
little things like cooking with them
little things like cooking with them learning their pet peeves and their
learning their pet peeves and their
learning their pet peeves and their interests cleaning the house and doing
interests cleaning the house and doing
interests cleaning the house and doing little things like
little things like
little things like games that I like to play like apartment
games that I like to play like apartment
games that I like to play like apartment mini-golf patent pending and then these
mini-golf patent pending and then these
mini-golf patent pending and then these little things started to turn into
little things started to turn into
little things started to turn into bigger things this is a picture of us
bigger things this is a picture of us
bigger things this is a picture of us during junior year when we want a
during junior year when we want a
during junior year when we want a pumpkin carving contest for in the grand
pumpkin carving contest for in the grand
pumpkin carving contest for in the grand prize was a hundred dollars and this
prize was a hundred dollars and this
prize was a hundred dollars and this hundred dollars we ended up using it
hundred dollars we ended up using it
hundred dollars we ended up using it just to fund that Thanksgiving dinner
just to fund that Thanksgiving dinner
just to fund that Thanksgiving dinner for all 15 people in extra fancy rice
for all 15 people in extra fancy rice
for all 15 people in extra fancy rice and it continued we continued to grow
and it continued we continued to grow
and it continued we continued to grow closer as a community and so for
closer as a community and so for
closer as a community and so for Halloween to be dressed up as the
Halloween to be dressed up as the
Halloween to be dressed up as the scooby-doo gang and then when the snow
scooby-doo gang and then when the snow
scooby-doo gang and then when the snow finally came we decided to build a giant
finally came we decided to build a giant
finally came we decided to build a giant snowman to freak out our neighbors
snowman to freak out our neighbors
snowman to freak out our neighbors upstairs and as I continued to
upstairs and as I continued to
upstairs and as I continued to contribute to them I realized that I
contribute to them I realized that I
contribute to them I realized that I wasn’t living for myself anymore I
wasn’t living for myself anymore I
wasn’t living for myself anymore I realized that I was raising the standard
realized that I was raising the standard
realized that I was raising the standard at which I wanted to live my life
at which I wanted to live my life
at which I wanted to live my life because I didn’t want to just live for
because I didn’t want to just live for
because I didn’t want to just live for me and when I realized I wasn’t living
me and when I realized I wasn’t living
me and when I realized I wasn’t living for me anymore
for me anymore
for me anymore I noticed positive changes in my life I
I noticed positive changes in my life I
I noticed positive changes in my life I had these friends around me that I could
had these friends around me that I could
had these friends around me that I could trust and with these friends I was
trust and with these friends I was
trust and with these friends I was contributing to them and having fun and
contributing to them and having fun and
contributing to them and having fun and in turn I began to succeed in my classes
in turn I began to succeed in my classes
in turn I began to succeed in my classes again I was enjoying school and I was
again I was enjoying school and I was
again I was enjoying school and I was starting to do things that I love to do
starting to do things that I love to do
starting to do things that I love to do this lifestyle of contribution became
this lifestyle of contribution became
this lifestyle of contribution became the catalyst for changing my approach to
the catalyst for changing my approach to
the catalyst for changing my approach to life and so I gathered ideas and I kept
life and so I gathered ideas and I kept
life and so I gathered ideas and I kept building up to this powerful why there’s
building up to this powerful why there’s
building up to this powerful why there’s powerful reason that I wanted to live
powerful reason that I wanted to live
powerful reason that I wanted to live and it’s this I’m living my most
and it’s this I’m living my most
and it’s this I’m living my most meaningful life when I’m contributing to
meaningful life when I’m contributing to
meaningful life when I’m contributing to others I discovered that when I
others I discovered that when I
others I discovered that when I contribute genuinely to the people
contribute genuinely to the people
contribute genuinely to the people around me it creates a space where I can
around me it creates a space where I can
around me it creates a space where I can build powerful relationships
build powerful relationships
build powerful relationships I was buying into them and they were
I was buying into them and they were
I was buying into them and they were buying into me and that enhanced our
buying into me and that enhanced our
buying into me and that enhanced our lives it started to bring out the best
lives it started to bring out the best
lives it started to bring out the best in each of us and this became the
in each of us and this became the
in each of us and this became the standard for the way that I wanted to
standard for the way that I wanted to
standard for the way that I wanted to live my life because I sure as heck
live my life because I sure as heck
live my life because I sure as heck wasn’t going back to where I was so when
wasn’t going back to where I was so when
wasn’t going back to where I was so when the XFR finally graduated when all these
the XFR finally graduated when all these
the XFR finally graduated when all these people graduated I had to continue on
people graduated I had to continue on
people graduated I had to continue on into graduate school and I kept
into graduate school and I kept
into graduate school and I kept developing all these things all these
developing all these things all these
developing all these things all these reasons and all these styles of ways I
reasons and all these styles of ways I
reasons and all these styles of ways I was going to keep contributing to my
was going to keep contributing to my
was going to keep contributing to my community and so I had this powerful Y
community and so I had this powerful Y
community and so I had this powerful Y of contribution and needed to powerful
of contribution and needed to powerful
of contribution and needed to powerful how to continue it and so my answer for
how to continue it and so my answer for
how to continue it and so my answer for how I was going to stay connected with
how I was going to stay connected with
how I was going to stay connected with my community was van life
my community was van life
my community was van life to this minimalist lifestyle because I
to this minimalist lifestyle because I
to this minimalist lifestyle because I believe that when you simplify your life
believe that when you simplify your life
believe that when you simplify your life you can amplify your living and I quite
you can amplify your living and I quite
you can amplify your living and I quite literally would not be here without this
literally would not be here without this
literally would not be here without this group so at the beginning of my of this
group so at the beginning of my of this
group so at the beginning of my of this year this past fall I started to go
year this past fall I started to go
year this past fall I started to go around and it contributed to my
around and it contributed to my
around and it contributed to my community and it requires me to move
community and it requires me to move
community and it requires me to move from house to house and I cook and I
from house to house and I cook and I
from house to house and I cook and I clean and I do things like babysit kids
clean and I do things like babysit kids
clean and I do things like babysit kids and take care of dogs and I do this
and take care of dogs and I do this
and take care of dogs and I do this because I have a passion for being with
because I have a passion for being with
because I have a passion for being with people and I want to bring a positive
people and I want to bring a positive
people and I want to bring a positive presence into their lives this canvas
presence into their lives this canvas
presence into their lives this canvas was given to me by my partner so that as
was given to me by my partner so that as
was given to me by my partner so that as I was doing this project I can collect
I was doing this project I can collect
I was doing this project I can collect the fingerprints of all the people that
the fingerprints of all the people that
the fingerprints of all the people that were willing to share this experience
were willing to share this experience
were willing to share this experience with me
with me
with me and I wouldn’t be here without them
and I wouldn’t be here without them
and I wouldn’t be here without them because this lifestyle is not possible
because this lifestyle is not possible
because this lifestyle is not possible without my community so I urge you to
without my community so I urge you to
without my community so I urge you to contribute to your communities because
contribute to your communities because
contribute to your communities because the love and the support and the
the love and the support and the
the love and the support and the authenticity that you bring to the
authenticity that you bring to the
authenticity that you bring to the relationships in your life will be
relationships in your life will be
relationships in your life will be reflected back to you in the times that
reflected back to you in the times that
reflected back to you in the times that you need it most and you can do this by
you need it most and you can do this by
you need it most and you can do this by steering into your fears and holding
steering into your fears and holding
steering into your fears and holding yourself and your community accountable
yourself and your community accountable
yourself and your community accountable and being willing to be vulnerable with
and being willing to be vulnerable with
and being willing to be vulnerable with the people that you care about and love
the people that you care about and love
the people that you care about and love and if I can end with a final thought
and if I can end with a final thought
and if I can end with a final thought here it’s this and it’s to stay
here it’s this and it’s to stay
here it’s this and it’s to stay passionate because when we move boldly
passionate because when we move boldly
passionate because when we move boldly towards the things that excite us that
towards the things that excite us that
towards the things that excite us that is what keeps us connected to our most
is what keeps us connected to our most
is what keeps us connected to our most meaningful life thank you
”
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