Dec 29, 2022
As we shift from the holidays to
the new year there is often the most reflective time of year for
reflection and intention setting for the upcoming year. I am
not talking about new year's resolutions. I am talking about
understanding your why, who will help you get there and what is it
you need to do today to advance toward your ideal life. As
this is publishing I am in the final days of w2 work, and merely
weeks from our departure in the RV for our family gap year.
Working towards a gap year has been a few years of intention
setting and making progress towards our family gap year. If
you need a tool or framework to guide you through that process then
I suggest using the Best Year Yet framework that set me on this
path in 2018. I have a link in the show notes for you to take
the online course.
*Register for the Best Year Yet to set your lifestyle intention and create an
accountability structure to support building out your life.
https://ordinarysherpa.com/byy
Website for this episode:
https://ordinarysherpa.com/102
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to the email List:
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One of the critical factors for our family
advancing the idea of taking a family gap year with kids, was about
surrounding yourself with the right people. After writing the
book I had several readers ask. “But how did you find your people?”
Which is why I invited our guest today. You will hear some
tips on setting intention, but also the importance of showing up in
real life then checking in with how that person makes you feel. One
of the strategies I ended my W2 work on, was understanding the game
changing nature of connection and community building in moving from
surviving to thriving.
Diania Merriam is the founder of The EconoMe
Conference, a party about money designed specifically for the FIRE
movement (financial independence, retire early). She's also
the host of the popular podcast Optimal Finance Daily where she
narrates articles from the best personal finance blogs on the
planet. After getting out of $30k of debt in 11 months, she used
her newfound financial freedom to negotiate a remote working
arrangement with her employer, take a 2 month sabbatical to walk
500 miles across northern Spain on the Camino de Santiago, and
launch her own business.
Key Takeaways
- Diania was overly ambitious growing up, often
listening to external indicators of success such as “if you make 6
figures before 30 you are doing really well.” At 28 was the first
time she looked at her life and started to put other factors in
front of the external success indicators. The
self-exploration while dragging herself out of debt helped her
understand her relationship with consumerism.
- The Camino was
completely outside her comfort zone. She wouldn’t consider
herself athletic or outdoorsy. She hadn’t ever really camped
before. She spent 3 months training and breaking in her
Merrell hiking shoes - which she still owns and hikes
in.
- Part of her
preparation was talking with about 20 other people who had
completed the Camino to have them review her packing list. The
Magic of the Camino began long before she was on trail.
Through a sequence of events from not having a car, to chatting
with teh Trader Joe’s cashier she ends up being connected with the
cashier’s friend who lent Diania her pack for the Camino. The
overarching theme of the Camino was the sense that you are guided
and protected.
- Losing 200 Euro in
cash while on trail was a bummer. Reframing her mindset to “I
have plenty of money, I will be fine. I hope that someone who
actually needed the money picked it up.”
- Diania’s story
emulates the power of community in adventure. She had people
looking out for her on trail, off trail, before trail, after
trail. Sometimes adventure can feel like we need all the
things - and yet there is a deeper KNOWING that everything will be
okay.
- When you attend an
event like the World Domination Summit you feel like your life is
full of possibility. Diania thought “I want to do something
that makes people feel this way, but about money!” I knew
that getting my money right helped create space and exploration in
my life.
- When people are
walking towards a common goal, there is a sense of camaraderie - if
I don’t know this person, I know “this is my kind of person”
It was this desire that led her to get more involved in the FIRE
Community. She set out on a quest to meet people in real life -
people living unconventional lives create a vibe. I wanted to
absorb their expansive energy. The result is EconoMe - a
party about money with surprises and connections.
- If you are focused on
material abundance you’ll never get to experience the kind of
abundance that is more interesting. Such as time abundance,
relationship abundance, creative abundance. All of these make
space in your life. The less materialistic you are, the more
idealistic you can be.
- Finding her people was
an organic process. She began paying attention to how she
felt after meeting someone new.
- Funemployment is her
definition of being in a financial position to contribute, and be
super picky about the type and amount of work you want to do; and
who you want to work with. Any discomfort she has now is not
going to be fixed by money. She already has enough
money. We are conditioned to think more is better, so
reminding herself “I don’t need more, I need enough.”
- Find your Own
Camino. What is the common goal that you share with
others? Make a point to meet your people and absorb the
expansive energy that excites you and helps you feel guided and
protected. If that is getting your money right to live a more
adventurous life then come see Diania and I at
EconoMe.
Call to
Action
Join
us in real life at EconoMe, there are only 100
tickets left. Hopefully I’ll see you in Cincinnati March
17-19, 2023.
If
you aren’t really sure what your what your why is or what you want
you lifestyle to be, then register for the Best Year Yet online
learning and accountability and get a discount ($75 off) using my
link: https://ordinarysherpa.com/byy
To Connect with or Follow Diania Merriam
Website: https://economeconference.com/
Podcast:
Optimal Finance
Daily
Youtube Channel:
@economeconference