The idea is notto live forever,but to createsomethingthat will.

I’ve spent the better part of the last 12 months traveling. A LOT. Like a lot a lot. Some of the journeys have been for weeks at a time. Austin, DC, Dallas, Denver, Salt Lake, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, New York, Milan, Florence, Rome, and a few points in between. I call myself a travel blogger but, let’s face it, I SUCK at the actual blogging. What I am good at is staying in the moment, grabbing the current experience by the balzac and embracing it for all it’s worth. I’m a “must be present to win” kinda gal so I bring my audience along with me in real time through social media. If it makes you cranky that I don’t write blogposts, then just pop a valium and head over to Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat (@MiaVossOnTheGo) and Facebook. You can also see my reviews on Trip Advisor & Yelp (I’m behind on those too, get off my back!) I’m ninja good about dividing my time there and also staying in the present moment.

So now that I’ve outed myself as the WORST documented travel blogger in the world (let’s face it, I’m much more comfortable jumping in front of the camera then putting my fingers to a keyboard – I am actually self mutilating as I write this), let me share a few observations & lessons learned (repeatedly) over the past year:

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  1. I buy a lot of duplicate shit. Hence the closet full of the same stuff: lotion, shampoos, razors, tweezers, brushes.  Everytime I go to Walgreens I think: “summabitch, I have this at home”  #StopDropAndShopSomeMore
  2. Rookie travel tip: close the lids. Everytime. Put things in plastic bags. Everytime. (Please see the pile of clothing that is stained by every toiletry I’ve ever owned)
  3. Overpack if you can. That’s right.. I SAID IT. Yes, I know it: every single Pinterest Board, “Top 5 Things” Blogpost and article about traveling convinces you otherwise. I say “Eff it”. Pack it. That way you won’t have to buy something when you get there. (PS, I’m just saying this so I can watch you struggle with a ginormous bag when I see you and then not feel guilty about my own overpacking

MOST IMPORTANT LESSON LEARNED (wait for it…)

You can be happy with change. You can be happy wherever you are. The scenery may change, but you can hold onto your “I’m happy” like a little carry-on bag. Even if you are an arm chair traveler, you can be happy with change (whether it be in the form of a vacation or a nomadic lifestyle)

The first time I experienced this was when I had to sell my dream home. I bought this amazeballs house with my then husband and then the marriage ended 8 months later (look, don’t blame the house, ok?!) At the time, I thought I would be heartbroken to leave my yellow siding, white picket fenced 3600sf dream home. But guess what, when the time came pack up, move out & sign the paperwork, I left contentedly and never looked back. This was 2007. Since then I’ve continued to be present in the place where I was, enjoying the SHIT out of it and then moving on when needed, whether it be a home, a venture, a client, a test car, a friendship or a relationship.

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I recently spent a month in Austin and stayed at friends’ delightful cottage home and proceeded to eat, drink and merry my way through the 512 area code. As the month long visit came to an end, I thought for SURE that I would be sad to leave. Nope. I realized once I got back to Denver, I was just as happy there as I was in the wonderful little place where I had been the past month.

You can be too and I bet you are already. Sit in your current space, savor it and then be ready to be just as happy in the next place you visit.

Namaste & make sure you bite the lime of experience, lick the salt off the shot glass of life and down that nice healthy serving of “must be present to win”