I used to believe that whatever I wanted to do in this lifetime, I could.

In early childhood, back before I knew the ‘rules’ of the world- I had felt carefree and limitless. When I think back to this time of my life, I remember having this spark inside of me (something that feels almost unexplainable now), where I truly believed that life was beautiful and filled with endless possibilities.

But somewhere along the road to adulthood, I lost that.

Between the trials and tribulations of life and the powerful conditioning of our society, it became engrained in me that I must follow along to be accepted.

So following along is what I learned to do- and dam, was I good at it.

Truth be told, my entire life I dreamed of being a writer. I dabbled in childhood and adolescent years with many forms. I wrote family ‘newsletters’, had a few poems published, and I even wrote a ‘choose your own ending’ mini-novel for my grade 9 science project (which I got an A+ in, btw). I loved writing, and I envisioned a future where I did ‘it’ full time.

But that career? I was made to believe it was for those with their heads in the clouds.

Say good-bye to safety, financial abundance or stability of any form with that wish. You couldn’t possibly make a career out of something you liked or loved to do- you needed to be smarter than that and do something that would pay the bills.

Become a nurse, they said. Be the first in the family to attend University, they said. It’ll be a good, stable career- and you’ll make lots of money, they said.

So I did. I became a nurse and at the same time, I became fooled by the promises of the ‘good life’- you know, the one that working hard would give you.

Where you show up to a job you hate to please people you don’t care about-

Where you have to ask permission to use the bathroom, take a break or time to grieve-

Where you ultimately bite your tongue, hold back your voice, and slowly over time become a version of yourself you don’t even recognize-

…all so you can earn a buck and be grateful for a few days off a year.

I believed it all, and I lived it all. For years.

And sure, nursing was a “good” career by societal standards. But yet one thing that remained true throughout despite all of that- was the fact that it was just a job. A means to an end. Not something I loved or even liked… just something I did.

And I hated every fucking second of it.

Deep down, I always knew that there was more out there for me.

And right now? I’m finally living proof of that. Here I sit, pen in hand (draft version, you know), words flowing on paper, as I make my way to Thailand by air.

In the last few years I’ve walked away from everything in my life to start fresh. A clean slate that began with selling everything we owned including our house in 2021, and becoming non-residents of the country we were born and raised in (bye bye, Canada).

We began travelling six months a year, looking for our forever home. A journey that started with a simple question of how can I create a life I actually want- and not just the one I’m told to want.

Since then, I’ve walked away from businesses, financial security, let go of my nursing license, and even stopped coaching (a title I held for 10 years). Slowly, an unraveling began to happen, and I simultaneously let go of people, beliefs, and old ways of being too.

It’s been during these years that the ‘rules’ of this world have become crystal clear- and for the first time in my life… I’ve stopped following along. I now see the programming and conditioning in real-time, and I just can’t get behind it anymore.

There is so much more available to us out there then we can even see. More beyond the hustle and grind. More beyond the white picket fence and ‘American’ dream. More beyond the rules.

We don’t have to check the boxes society tells us too.

We don’t have to subscribe to a 9-5 job.

We don’t have to do as others are doing.

We can build a slower, softer life. One disconnected from technology and instead deeply connected to each other, to our purpose, and to enjoying the present moment.

So now? Here I am. Flying to a country (or continent, rather) with no intentions other than to rest, explore, eat good food and write. No timelines, no pressure, no schedule.

I guess you could say I’ve got my head up in the clouds… 😅

For the first time in my entire life, I’m living a life of freedom- and I plan to document every step along the way. Not the type of curated travel content of ‘why you must travel here’… but a real, behind-the-scenes look of what we’re doing.

In this space I’ll be sharing what it’s really like to be a ‘minimalist’, how to travel bougie on a budget (because you will literally never catch me ‘backpacking’ or staying in a hostel), and what it really means to live abroad as an ‘expat’- including the joys AND the sacrifices.

So if this is your jam, then hi, hello, welcome.

Thank you for being here, for following along, and for subscribing to my page. I hope that my words and this inside-look to our lifestyle brings you courage to step out and do something wildly unorthodox in your own life.

Because you deserve a life worth living-

and who knows… maybe you’ll end up with your head in the clouds too.

Gracefully unsubscribing,

Brianne xx