WOW. 100 days. I can still remember week 1, kicking it in The Keys, trying to figure out how to cook in a 4-foot space, how to turn over in the middle of the night without whacking my head on a handle or the roof and how to communicate with each oth… — WOW. 100 days. I can still remember week 1, kicking it in The Keys, trying to figure out how to cook in a 4-foot space, how to turn over in the middle of the night without whacking my head on a handle or the roof and how to communicate with each other in a way that makes room for both our needs and wants... I still hit my head every night. Nevertheless, here are the things we've learned

WOW. 100 days. 18 states. 2 countries and now we’re in Canada! I can still remember week 1, kicking it in The Keys, trying to figure out how to cook in a 4-foot space, how to turn over in the middle of the night without whacking my head on a handle or the roof and how to communicate with each other in a way that makes room for both our needs and wants… I still hit my head every night. Nevertheless, when you live in a 21-foot space, 24/7 with the person you love, there are some crucial adjustments that must take place in order to make room for joyous living, so without further hesitation, here they are.

1. WORKING TOGETHER IS SEXY.

man washing dishes, sexy boy, how to make a girl happy, van life, washing dishes

You see that man above? That’s a man who isn’t afraid to make life for his lady a little bit better by helping out with the dishes every once in a while (major brownie points), getting the bikes out of the back every time we want to go for a ride or taking care of the not-so-glamorous van hygiene requirements (double major brownie points). It’s little things like this that make living together in such a small space actually enjoyable. Most days we work like a 2-man assembly line, passing each other things we forgot in opposite ends of the van and swapping spots in the driver’s seat as we continue to roll with cruise control on. It’s only when we give into (understandable) moments of stubbornness that our machine starts to breakdown, which is when we have to find a way to update our system, either adding or subtracting whatever is causing the malfunction. There is always a solution.

2. BE PATIENT.

dandelion, marginal way maine, cute flowers, flowers by the beach

When working together as a team patience is crucial, which is something I especially have to practice each and everyday. Used to going about a million mph in everything I do, I can’t expect Drew to do the same. This was harder for me to adjust to at first, but with a few months under my belt I am now able to step back, breathe and make room for the time and space Drew needs to get his things done… most of the time.

3. PRACTICE ACCEPTANCE.

mr and mrs adventure, brittany rouille, drew neumann, engagement photos, holi powder photoshoot, holi powder engagement photos, holi powder festival, white t shirt, white shirt engagement shoot

I am not always as sweet and carefree as the photo above might lead you to think. While patience is one of my biggest lessons, acceptance is Drew’s, which I would imagine is the case for most men. As a woman with a sensitive spirit, a need for security and a constant drive to create, accomplish and move, Drew finds himself trying to navigate the wild world of living with the opposite sex everyday. With that being said, we both have to practice accepting each other’s quarks, because when you live in a van, there is no where to hide them, and when you love someone it’s just what you do.

4. TIME IS ONLY A NUMBER.

NYC Clock, chelsea market, amazing lights, new york lights, girls with lights

Those of us guilty of making plans, mapping out schedules, organizing grand ideas and compiling bucket-list items to check off… which is pretty much everyone we know living in the Modern World, we are all too familiar with the pain that comes along when plans go awry or when time seems to slip through our tiny little fingers. Living in the van has reminded us that we can plan all we want, but sometimes life/God, has a completely different idea, one that is eons better than anything we could have researched online, pinned on Pinterest or read in the best guide book. Living the van life requires us to place more emphasis on unpredictable opportunities, the kindness of strangers and trusting whatever the weather has in store. Time is only a number and life is too short to miss out on all the richness that can be found in the spaces between.

5. RELEASE THE NEED FOR ROUTINE.

yoga on the beach, traveling in a van, cliff walk york, maine cliff walk

Having a home yoga studio, favorite trail run, weekly farmer’s market or that go-to cafe where everyone knows your name are just not joys one gets to experience when living on the road, but you know what? That’s ok. As much as I love my favorites, my plans and my mornings, life on the road is sweeter than life off. Meeting yogis I would have never otherwise known, exploring trails we would have never otherwise found, eating local fruits from farmers in every town and trying tea and cappuccinos at the best cafe in every state, you find a way to make no routine, your new routine.

6. THERE IS NO NEED TO CONFORM.

half dome couple, mr and mrs adventure, hike to half dome, amazing yosemite photo

This lesson can be applied to a number of different things, but what we want to focus on here is the fact that you don’t have to work a job you hate, follow a career path that isn’t you or work hours that strip you of every ounce of joy you could otherwise be using to live your one precious life. Your life is one thing, YOURS. Living “your dream,” whatever that might be, is completely possible, all you have to do is give it life by making tiny changes everyday. After 100 days on the road, we’ve been able to break free of any sort of mold, something that everyone deserves to experience. Don’t spend your days holding yourself back, instead ask yourself what you really want and have the courage to live it out!

7. EMBRACING THE UNKNOWN (and each other).

katadin kiss couple, mr and mrs adventure, hike to katadin, amazing appalacian trail photo, katadin mountain maine

Where are we going to park/sleep tonight? Will I have the right clothes for the unexpected 30 degree weather tomorrow? When will we have service/wifi again? Will we ever find out where the best lobster roll in town is? Our days are filled with questions, which in the past we unknowingly avoided by living in the comfort of our cozy LA lives, but after a 100 days on the road we have finally learned to let go of the need to know. Sometimes we’ll catch ourselves trying to predict an outcome but then we’re reminded to live in the moment, trust the flow of all that lies ahead… and embrace!

8. YOU NEED LESS THAN YOU THINK.

beautiful girl, flowers, jordan pond, acadia national park, bubbles hike maine, maine flowers

Clothes, papers, stuff, souvenirs, money, shoes, what is it all really? With a closet the size of most shoe boxes, and a pantry that literally IS a shoe box, we are limited in space for just about everything. When packing I can remember contemplating how many nail polish colors to bring, and you know how many times I’ve painted my nails? Once! That’s 1 color, not the 5 that I thought I NEEDED, and that’s just 1 example. The option of having more space to live comfortably and the funds to continue living freely, seriously outweighs the reality caused by storing and buying more. We have given some of our overstock to the homeless and narrowed our lives down to smart essentials. We try our best to focus on things that make our life easier and more fun, what could be more important than that?

9. LIFE IS SWEET…

giant ice cream, ice cream in portland, biggest ice cream in the world, giant soft serve, girl eating ice cream

…when you let it be. Living in the van has tested our patience, our relationship, our faith and all around flipped our worlds upside down… but what we’re coming to realize it that maybe our lives were upside down all along. Maybe our lives are changing in a way that lets us see the world, and each other, in a way we never could before… Life on the road has gifted us with a complete game changer, FREEDOM. We can use this gift for good, for love, for adventure, we can use this gift to make our lives and the lives of all we meet, SWEET.