One of the most panic attack inducing items on the pre-Workation “to do” list was moving. This included renting a box truck, and is something that both Kelly and I had to do (even though Kelly was just moving her stuff to a storage facility across the street). I, on the other hand, lived in the middle of nowhere and had to put a few more miles on that U-Haul rig.
I have to tell you, there’s nothing quite as empowering as getting into a giant truck and driving it down the road ALL BY YOURSELF. Sure, I had friends following me (and helping me to load/unload), but the solo road trip from the U-Haul rental place to my old house, then to the storage facility, was something I’ll remember forever. It felt nothing short of bad ass.
Did I mention that I moved in the middle of winter, in New Hampshire? Although less than ideal, I made it. I was definitely scared at first (there was no way to see behind me, and the rearview mirror was nonexistent), but my fear gave way to confidence the farther I drove. Then, the perfect song came on the radio and everything seemed right in the world.
Listen: if I can do this, you can too. I won’t go so far as to say I’m the worst driver in the history of ever, but I certainly have exactly zero experience driving a truck and I sprung for the extra insurance without a second thought. Previously, I’d let a dude take the wheel while I rode shotgun and navigated (if necessary).
Not only did I not wreck the rig, but I backed it up into a parking space like a TOTAL boss when I got to the storage facility. Photo proof:
Please note: it’s inside the lines and everything! I was proud of myself for that, and it’s a small but significant “I DID IT!” moment that I’ll treasure forever.
Out of all of the things that I had to do to prep for Workationing, this was both the most difficult and most rewarding. Putting all of my stuff into a 10×10 climate-controlled box and locking that door was extremely satisfying, and signified everything that I’d worked (and spazzed) so hard for.
My belongings are secure, and they’ll be right where I left them when I return. In the meantime, I’m completely untethered by my possessions – and it’s a very, very good feeling. For a while there, it was starting to feel like my possessions owned me instead of the other way around. Moving forward, I’m going to consciously make an effort to NOT let that happen again.
Turns out, Workationing can be good for the soul…before you even leave.
To follow along with Kelly and I on our Workationing journey (we’re already on month/location #2: Medellín, Colombia!), check out The Workationing Podcast. If you like it, be sure to subscribe to automatically get the latest episodes. You can also find the podcast on SoundCloud.