Life transitions in midlife, like divorce, retirement, an empty nest, or evolving health challenges, can leave us feeling lost, questioning our identity, and uncertain about the future. However, these challenges also offer powerful opportunities for growth and self-discovery. Building resilience is key to not only surviving these changes but thriving through them.

My life these days could not be better! I’m several pounds lighter, active  every day, eat healthy (most days), avoid alcohol, and take no medications. Turns out being happy with myself and content with my own life really is the best medicine!

If we are happy with ourselves, we are better for our family, friends, and everyone we come in touch with in our lives. Good vibrations really can make a difference. So step out of your comfort zone and into the unknown, spread your wings and let your SoulBird fly!

Trying new foods is one of the great pleasures of travel. Sometimes it’s easy to make healthy choices. The street food in northern Thailand was amazing – cooked fresh right in front of you at incredibly cheap prices.

However, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and eating well on the road can also be a challenge. It’s easy to make excuses for “little indulgences”.  Case in point – an extra 5-10 pounds I gained enjoying great baked goods in Ireland.

Walking and staying active definitely helps, but what we put into our bodies makes a huge difference in how we look and feel, and more importantly our energy levels. Traveling has opened my eyes to many new possibilities and ideas for eating well and living a healthy lifestyle.

Step one is to think, daydream, about what you really want to do. What is your vision for travel or your future dreams? Maybe start a wish list. It’s sort of like a bucket list, but somehow wish list sounds better. iWish is a fun app to get you started. Think about what makes your heart sing, brings you happiness, brings joy and excitement to your day. Maybe your dream isn’t even travel related – whatever it is – if you dream, and believe it, you can make it happen. 

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.”  ~ Vincent van Gogh

Have you ever had great anticipation for something only to find it is not what you expected, or in this case much harder to accomplish than you expected? I have wanted to learn to sail for years, and always enjoy a chance to photograph sailboats. The picture in my mind of just gliding across the water didn’t follow through to the actual skills involved.

I have always heard that travel changes a person, but had no idea at the start of this journey how profound these changes would be.

It all started with the planning process and the letting go of “things” almost an entire year before setting out for Ecuador. I had no idea what freedom would come with the simplicity of having only a few material possessions. It’s hard to believe I was recently able to fit all my worldly possessions into one vehicle, but more about that later.

Vilcabamba – what can I say about Vilcabamba – paradise, oasis, sanctuary? It was a place like no other that I visited in Ecuador or anyplace else for that matter. Nestled in the Southern Andes it is referred to as the Longevity Valley. It is unclear why, but there are stories of an uncommon number of residents over the age of 100. Some theories behind this phenomenon are the minerals in the water, the healthy diet, exercise, and laid back lifestyle.

After a three day snow delay in St. Louis, I arrived in Quito, Ecuador to be greeted at the airport by my warm and friendly Spanish teacher, Mariana. I was welcomed into her home along with a young man from England and a retired couple from Colorado. Living with Mariana, her husband Frank, and children Jon Pierre and Marie Jose was a wonderful experience.

Their home is in the Los Chillos Valley with a beautiful view of Quito and the mountains. I felt a little like a kid at camp as I settled into my bed and slept soundly to the sounds of clicking frogs, barking dogs, and roosters (who seem to think 4 am is a good time to rise).

“The presence of dignity doesn’t mean poverty is absent.”

This sentence truly hits me in the heart of what I witnessed last week on my trip with the Compassion International Sponsorship Tour to Nicaragua. My first impressions were more distant – seeing the homes and destitute situations from our air-conditioned bus; attending worship services at Be Tania Baptist Church in Ciudad Sandino; even the visit to the project in Hilario Sanchez where the children greeted us with smiles, laughter, and a beautiful program of music and dance. None of this prepared me for the heartbreak I felt after walking down a dirt road to visit a rural family home.