I have no money. I hear it all the time as to why people can’t travel.
I even say it all the time as to why I can’t.
But, I don’t let that stop me; I’ve learned to ignore the excuse, and act in favour of my dream anyway.
When you swallow the fear, and develop a healthy attitude towards your worth and your dreams, what you need to live the life you want will arrive.
It’s only when I have taken responsibility for my ability to create the money and opportunities, that I’ve been able to live the life I want.
We are not preaching to you how easy it is from our cushiony life. We’ve never had the money to travel. I just chose not to make that worry a limitation as to what I could actually do.
Each time I went on my next adventure, I got to work applying the tips and strategies in our ebook. I made it work because I believed in my ability to create what I needed to do, and what I wanted to do.
All I did was follow my principles for success and said, “I’m saying yes to my dream. I’ll figure it out as I go along and make it work.”
This meant I arrived in countries at times with only a few dollars to my name and made it work.
We are so much more powerful than we give ourselves credit for. When you believe in and want something strong enough you’ll make it happen. We share our step by step plan for this in our travel eBook, but for now, let me share our story to highlight that not having money should never be a barrier to you not living the life you really love.
Our Money Barriers
Before I met Craig, I traveled for three years and then together we traveled for 5. After that honeymoon, we decided this was the lifestyle we always wanted. We just didn’t know how to make it happen.
We started worrying about not having enough money – something we’d never done before. We were so focused on not being able to make our dream a reality because we didn’t have any money, that we ended up completely destroying our healthy financial situation.
Everything we knew about money and how to manage it went out the window.
This was our situation in a nutshell.
We lost almost $500,000 in property and investments. (Note, we created this money in property investing because of hard work and smart choices, not from any gifts or handouts) The money was held in property, but we owned it free and clear, so we could have sold and walked away with a sum of money that could have had us traveling around the world for many, many years. Instead, we lost it all AND added $30,000 in credit card debt on top.
We had a baby, we owned nothing, and were jobless. We had to move home from America and, because we had no money or possessions, we moved in with Craig’s parents. We had a total shit bomb for a car which, when you have kids doesn’t make you feel good about your ability to provide for them.
If you struggle because of money or any sort of pain, we understand how you feel. We understand how frightening it is to have too much month at the end of the money. We know how, no matter how many corners in the house you hide the bills, they still keep coming.
I’ve cried, screamed, and raged over them. I’ve done my best to ignore them too.
This was the most demoralising time of our life. We were depressed, mad, rueful, and totally stressed. So badly that it impacted upon my health and it is taking me months to clear the damage.
At this time we also experienced a miscarriage, debilitating health challenges, and then had another beautiful baby girl.
Through all this we never lost sight of our life vision and we worked towards it every day. Even when it hurt badly. We had no money, no prospects, no skills, and no self esteem, but the one thing we had was ourselves.
You don’t need money, you just need to employ the power of yourself. You can create your dream life if you believe it, despite the chaos, obstacles and the brick walls, if you just take steps towards it each day.
This period of regrowth has lasted 3 years. And through this, despite having no money, we continued to travel.
You’ve been reading about it here on this blog for 3 years. We’ve had no money and it’s been bloody terrifying, but despite that the universe said, “I’ve got your back. I can help you do this. “
The Universe was working alongside of us to make it happen. It brought us a car, the right connections, the right wisdom, the right opportunities, and the right experiences. It has been endless travel.
I don’t want to tell you this as an opportunity to brag. I hold off on sharing this often because I don’t want to appear like that. I want to share our story because I want you to see what you are capable of.
If we can do this despite all our obstacles, you can too.
It’s just a matter of believing in your dream and backing yourself.
You have to back yourself, no one else will.
No more excuses. No more brick walls. You are powerful enough to smash them down.
Want Even More Reality From Us?
In September 2013 we left on an indefinite road trip around Australia.
If you looked at our bank account, you’d laugh at the huge risk we have taken. It’s not empty, there are reserves and no debt (thank God), but there is not enough to back us as a family traveling for a year-long road trip around one of the most expensive countries in the world.
It’s the scariest decision I’ve ever made and it is taking all my strength to believe and trust.
But, I can no longer let my life slip on by filled with moments I don’t really want. The only thing that is holding me up and moving forward towards my dream is the voice that keeps whispering,
“You’ve got this. Everything will work out, it always has.
I spoke with a friend about my fears.
“Just trust mate.” She said. “It’s so much scarier for you now that you have children. But, you’ll fall on your feet, you always do. Things will work out.”
It reminded me of a conversation I had with my brother about a year ago. He was moving to Darwin, and after 20 years of world travel, was worried about finding a job and making it work.
“Stilts you’ll be fine. You always land on your feet. Think of all the countries you have travelled through and lived in. You’ve always found good paying jobs and have been able to sustain the life you love.”
“Yeah your right sis.”
He landed in Darwin, got a job working on the boats like he wanted and now earns a shit load of money.
The Universe will have your back, if you have it too.
JUST TRUST.
We made the decision to travel Australia despite not having the money and the Universe is already weaving its magic.
It makes me cry sometimes to see it appear and I just want to scream from the rooftops for everyone to just trust more and do what is really in your heart. The only reason you are not having the life you truly love is because you are saying to yourself you can’t. You are saying you can’t based on fear and not truth.
Say I don’t know how this is going to work, but I want to so I’ll do it and figure it out along the way. Let the Universe help you.
I can’t stop thinking about how my life would be today if three months ago I gave into the I have no money fear. I’d still be crying at the life I lost and playing the world’s biggest violin at how unfair life is.
Just because I made that simple choice to own my life, the doors opened and the opportunities poured in with virtually no effort on my behalf.
We have sponsors for the trip which has brought assistance to help cover costs AND the deadline actually sprung us into action to stop procrastinating and do the thing we wanted to do for many years.
Write a book. Share our wisdom to help others live the life they truly want. We’ve had it in the pipeline for years. I knew what I wanted it to look like. In fact, I had written 2/3 of it. I just wasn’t doing anything with it.
Use Your Power to Create
We backed ourselves with the decision to do the #yTravelOz road trip and then we got to work.
“Craig, if we are going to do this trip around Australia, then we need to start selling our own products to have income coming in. And we need to crack the whip with it.”
So we cracked the whip. We took control and created the money we needed for our dream.
Why can’t you do the same?
I never released it before because I didn’t believe I was good enough.
I felt like I was being slimy for selling something to people. Through the help of my mentor this year, Marie Forleo, I’ve learned that I have something really valuable to share that can help change people’s lives.
Who am I to let my small self hold back on that?
We constantly get in our own way with our small thoughts of lack, limitation and worthlessness.
We are so much more than these things. We are powerful beyond measure and can create our wildest dreams.
I don’t ever want you to live from that space of wanting, of pain, fear and thinking that everyone else but you deserves that life you envision in your heart.
It’s bullshit.
You deserve it too and you can create it. It’s totally up to you.
Are you plagued with fears about money?
Tell me one unique strength you have that can help you create more money and that life you really want?
Read more reasons why you won’t travel and what to do:
