Two years ago, my day would begin like clockwork, with the familiar tap of the snooze button. The mornings followed a predictable rhythm: my husband would kiss me and our kids goodbye before heading off to his job as an Air Force engineer, and I would dive into the whirlwind of managing our family’s schedule. Between playgroups, doctor appointments, laundry, grocery runs, and the intensive therapy my son required, my days were a constant juggling act. Evenings blurred together with bedtime routines, and after tucking the kids in, my husband and I would dream aloud about the life we’d one day have after retirement—places to see, adventures to embark upon, bucket list items to check off. We had been raised to believe that freedom was a reward reserved for later: when the kids were gone and financial security was finally ours.
That perspective shifted dramatically with one conversation that changed everything. That year, cancer touched too many of our friends and family, reminding us of life’s fragility. My neighbor, recently diagnosed, shared a piece of wisdom that hit me hard: “Everyone asks how long I have left,” he said. “But I ask them, ‘I don’t know, how long do you have?’ Tomorrow is never guaranteed.” That simple statement made me confront how precious time truly is—and how easily we take both health and life for granted. That very night, I turned to my husband and asked, “If you knew you had only six months left to live, how would you spend that time?”
We spent hours reflecting on that question, and it became clear: the life we were living no longer felt meaningful. Each day was a repeat of the last, a loop of routines, promotions, and obligations, slowly chipping away the years until retirement—when, by then, our children would be grown and gone. We wanted to break free from that cycle. We wanted to measure success not by job titles, but by happiness. We wanted to spend the most formative years of our children’s lives fully present with them. We wanted to explore the world, immerse ourselves in new cultures, and stop postponing our dreams for some distant “later.”
In today’s society, dreams like these are often seen as attainable only through wealth or after retirement. But we were determined to find another way. The rise of the digital economy opened doors to location-independent work, so we dedicated ourselves to learning photography and digital marketing. Months of planning, saving, and skill-building followed. Eventually, we sold most of our possessions, rented out our home, quit our jobs, and set off on a full-time family adventure around the world, finding remote work opportunities along the way.
Eighteen months into this journey, I can say with certainty that we are thriving. Our mortgage became short-term rentals, our car payments were exchanged for plane tickets, and our suitcases now carry our lives. Living lighter has brought us greater freedom, joy, and experiences than we ever imagined possible.
We’ve now visited over 40 countries, packing more memories into these months than we had in years before. Our children may not have a toy room, but every day brings new lessons and adventures. From elephant sanctuaries in Thailand, where they learn about veterinary care, to exploring Angkor Wat and discussing Cambodian history and religion, the world has become their classroom—and the people we meet along the way, their teachers.
Through this journey, our children have discovered firsthand that kindness transcends religion, culture, and beliefs. While they may not remember every destination, they are absorbing lifelong lessons of empathy, resilience, and open-mindedness, growing into citizens of the world.
I won’t sugarcoat it—leaving the familiar behind was terrifying. Chasing an unconventional dream is never easy. But every leap of faith, every uncertain step, has been worth it. Walking away from the “safe” path allowed us to collect experiences and memories that will last a lifetime, and I am grateful we didn’t wait until later in life to do so. This lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but I believe that everyone can—and should—chase their dreams, big or small, before it’s too late. Life is too short to follow a timeline that doesn’t bring joy.
This morning, I woke to the sound of waves outside our cruise ship stateroom, with no snooze button in sight. Today, I’ll work on a photography project with the cruise company that hired our family for a 23-night adventure from Rome to Dubai through the Suez Canal. My mornings no longer follow a predictable sequence, and that freedom—the ability to live fully, on our terms—is everything we dreamed of and more.
