We’ve learned a lot of lessons while living in a camper van full time for over a year and a half, but one of the most valuable of all, has been learning to appreciate the finite nature of our personal resources. Knowing that you’ll eventually run out of something, makes you much more mindful of how you use it.
VIDEO: GGC – 49 – Van Life Lessons: Being Mindful of Our Finite Resources
We’ve learned a lot of lessons while living in a camper van full time for over a year and a half, but one of the most valuable of all, has been learning to appreciate the finite nature of our personal resources. Knowing that you’ll eventually run out of something, makes you much more mindful of how you use it.
great way to live ! good for your stationnary project ! keep it that way .
that's my goal in life…to die with a HUGE credit card bill….SHUCK IT BIG CORPORATION!!!!!!
Fantastic video! Going to subscribe and will look forward to future videos! Thanks for posting!
Very well said. I appreciate your words of wisdom. Now if only other young people will listen to you.
Great video!
Thanks so much D and P. I really appreciated your perspectives and thoughts on this topic. I'm currently living at home (with my parents) but I want to be more mindful on resources and space. One day I would love to travel in a camper van or live in a tiny house and while I don't need to save on space now..I would love to start living smarter. Your thoughts on debt and finite incomes really spoke to me. I have a lot of student debt and while I am making payments on it…I want to be more aggressive on it. Thanks for encouraging us to appreciate the resources we do have. The talk about dollars and days was super powerful too. I really appreciate how it's important to think about 'how' I use the resource of my 'days'. I bank a lot of overtime and Lieu time at my job but I just leave work early or take a random day off. Why not save it up and bank it and spend my resource on something important.
Thanks so much.
Debt-free Canadians are apparently rarer than I first believed. First principle — spend less than you earn. Second principle — never buy anything that you don't already have the money for. Seriously — I have to have the balance in the bank account for the amount that I charge to my credit card, otherwise, I don't charge my credit card — there is never a month where the card doesn't get paid down to $0. It took me until I was in my 50's to realize 9 provinces, one territory, and 24 states + Alaska, but here I am on a single modest income, mortgage-free in a modest 50 year old house, planning our third cross country road trip. Folks — get rid of your debt while you can — bank debt is the modern slavery. I know that fact is hard to "get" when they are throwing cars at you for less than 1% APR, but consider that some of us spent $200 on a daily driven vehicle (+safety and repairs) which takes us back and forth to work and our other vehicle is a VW camper van… with no payments whatsoever. God is incredibly good. I am hoping my wife agrees to visit central america after this.
Wise words. Being mindful is as much a skill as it is a lesson in patience.
I just love this video. Living in the United States, more is more seems to be our motto. We don't take the time to slow down, enjoy life and find peace…it's all about finding "The American Dream"- your van life and others living in RVs, etc. are defining and creating a new perspective, (perhaps also redefining the standard we are taught to live) by one which is palpable, for those wanting to GET OUT THERE and LIVE. An ability to experience new things on a reasonable budget. I'm encouraged by your videos (I've finished them all now after stumbling on to them about a month ago). I've liked them all and am so glad to have subscribed. Like I said in a previous comment to which you responded, thank you for being so open with how you live your lives day to day and sharing those cute moments you guys have together. Your channel is one of the best van life channels on YouTube. I'm sure you'll get more subscribers very quickly. Now, MORE VIDEOS AND ADVENTURES, please! Even if you think they'll be boring. I, for one, have found all of your videos very interesting. I hope the weather is warming up there for you all. Here in Minneapolis, MN we're finally starting to get warmer temps. Looking forward to Spring, for sure! P.S. I've been wondering and meant to ask earlier: when you guys travel for long periods of time do you listen to music, radio? What kind of music do you both like? Thanks! Looking forward to hopefully hearing back from you! Your interaction with your subscribers is awesome too! Peace and love!
So well said. I appreciated you sharing your experience and your heart. I love how making sacrifices have given you an adventure that you will never forget and that has taught you such valuable lessons. The added benefit is that your sacrifice, which now you probably say is a blessing, has allowed you to pay off debt and has given you the ability to start saving for your future. Thank you for sharing!!
well said……really!!
Very well said. And oh so true!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
WOW I did like this video a lot!
You are so right.
Respect from the to be Nomadic Dane. Getting a van soon. I want my freedom too.
hi my name is azman yang from Malaysia, i really enjoyed watching your full time adventure, as i use this for a reference for my campervan. ( we planning to do it. Me,wife & a daughter). And i looking forward from you maybe a new adventure with 3 person instead 2 person. Hopefully.
amazing video!
Very well said : ) You would make a great salesman or a teacher as you do expressing yourself and thoughts on video : ) Happy Travels to you both and take care.
well life in India is like that And other poor countries
to be mindful of everything
wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just found you guys today! That was very well said and something to think about. I think I will stick around for a while 🙂
I echo some of the other comments..lessons well learned..journey well!
Wise words man. I have begun to think more about our environment too. You can buy a lot of stuff (like laptops, phones etc) second hand and save the environment. I just bought my first second hand Macbook and I love it.
About the creditcard: I live in Europe and we don't have a 'creditcardculture' here. We use debitcards mostly. If you want to buy something big, just save for it or maybe pay of a certain product in, for example, two years, but I don't really like that option.
In the end you spend money that is not your own, with a creditcard. You have to be careful with that 🙂
This is Absolute Truth, I can definitely verify from my own experience. Lots of lessons learned, lots of appreciation for resources, lots of major downsizing, etc. This was a very, very good video.
Hoping to one day do the coast to coast van drive.
Every American and Canadian high school kid should hear this speech.
Such obvious philosophy. Just discovering your VLOGS now but thoroughly enjoying them. Keep up the hard work!
TRUTH
Well said, and well spoken. You have a good head on your shoulders. I am trying to get my life into a van. It's not easy.
April 2o.2o2o Conov-19 I thought or (imagined ) your complete Adventure while during this Time start to finish. You see ,this is the time I found your Channel. You would have Had some hindrances ,how ever I think You would have had just the Same effect on me/Many as you do now .I spent some time in a much needed intence therapy ( different types, (Music art CBT Creative Writing & Groups ) with A Professional Team outpatient .Went in not knowing the Treatment Center was available.I was cranked already because I was learning ,so I thought to do ,( a position) to Help others .Turned out, It was for Me . with thier/Father God`s Love I Found a New Compass a New Reset. Thank God for the Time it ended working on your self takes courage and Strength. Be Kind to you selfs. Your Awesome Videos. Inspiration