Before I became a mother and before I built a soul-led business, I lived on the road in a van.
What I didn’t know then is that Vanlife would become the deepest teacher of my adult life —
not because of the travel,
not because of the adventure,
but because of the inner transformation it demanded.
People used to ask me,
“How do you get started? How do you afford it? How do you make it work?”
And now mothers and entrepreneurs ask me nearly the same things:
“How do I start this new chapter?
How do I sustain myself?
How do I build a life that feels aligned?”
The answers are universal.
Because whether you’re beginning a nomadic journey, building a brand, or stepping into motherhood — the inner work is the same.
Here is the wisdom I carried from the road into motherhood and entrepreneurship.
1. Listen to the First Whisper — Not the Final Warning
I followed the traditional path:
degree, 9–5, NYC ambitions, hustle.
And my body spoke first — in the language of anxiety, unease, and misalignment.
Yoga and embodiment brought clarity:
I was living someone else’s expectations instead of my truth.
Whether beginning motherhood or a business, the first whisper is your invitation.
Your body will always tell you the truth sooner than your mind will.
2. You Don’t Leap Recklessly — You Respond Honestly
When I left traditional work and chose the road, it wasn’t an escape.
It was a response to what felt true.
Motherhood is the same.
Entrepreneurship is the same.
You don’t leap because you’re fearless —
you leap because the alternative is no longer aligned with who you’re becoming.
Trust the part of you that knows before you can explain.
3. A Vision Is a Compass, Not a Cage
When I started life on the road, I imagined “a year or so.”
It became three years full-time and many more part-time.
Longevity happened not through rigid planning,
but through adaptation, honesty, and surrender.
Mothers and creators thrive when they allow their vision to breathe.
Your path will shift.
Your desires will evolve.
Let that be the beauty, not the problem.
4. Your Well-Being Is the Real Business Plan
I built a freelance career that looked successful from the outside —
remote work, flexibility, income flowing.
But my body paid the price:
tight chest, high stress, anxiety, burnout.
I realized I had replicated the same 9–5 patterns inside my “freedom.”
This is the trap for many mothers and entrepreneurs:
We recreate pressure inside the life we designed to escape it.
Your body is your business partner.
If your nervous system isn’t supported, nothing else is sustainable.
5. Let Your Skills Evolve Into Your Purpose
I had built valuable skills — website development, writing, photography.
But they weren’t my purpose.
They were stepping stones.
Motherhood and entrepreneurship both reveal what you’re really here for.
Your skills are tools.
Your purpose is the energy behind them.
Let life redirect you when it’s time.
6. Community Is Currency
Every opportunity on the road came from connection —
friendships, shared values, aligned brands, kindness.
Entrepreneurship and motherhood work the same way.
Community creates pathways you cannot create alone.
Your people are your infrastructure.
Build relationships the way you build anything sacred —
with presence, integrity, and joy.
7. Your Relationship With Money Matters More Than the Amount
I had years of abundance and years of tight budgets.
Both taught me to redefine richness.
We felt wealthy with nature, time, and purpose —
regardless of our income.
Mothers and founders often hold stress around money,
but money is neutral until you project meaning onto it.
Clarity creates freedom.
Scarcity creates self-sabotage.
Do the inner work, and the outer money follows a different path.
8. Redefine Productivity and Success
Living nomadically revealed how much of traditional productivity is built on depletion.
I learned to measure success in:
✨ presence
✨ joy
✨ connection
✨ health
✨ creativity
✨ time to be a human being
These markers sustain both motherhood and entrepreneurship far better than hustle culture ever could.
9. Protect Your Life Force — It’s Sacred
I once asked myself:
“Would I ever go back to traditional work?”
The answer was clear:
No. Not if it means sacrificing my well-being.
This isn’t rebellion.
It’s self-respect.
You don’t have to explain why you want a life that nourishes you.
You don’t need permission to prioritize your health, your energy, or your joy.
10. Everything Is Seasonal — Let Yourself Change
Vanlife taught me that change is the only constant.
Motherhood reinforced it.
Entrepreneurship amplifies it.
Your needs will shift.
Your dreams will evolve.
Your rhythms will move like nature.
Let yourself change without apology.
The most aligned life is built through evolution, not consistency.
Final Message: You Are Allowed to Build a Life That Feels Good
The truth is simple:
Whether you’re beginning vanlife, motherhood, or entrepreneurship…
You are the author.
You are the creator.
You are the permission slip.
Your deepest wisdom is already inside you.
Your desires are the compass.
Your body is the messenger.
Your community is the foundation.
Your purpose is the pulse.
Everything else — the logistics, money, timing, structure — unfolds as you walk.
And you’re already walking.