Today, vocation ministry is experiencing a boom. And it’s not just a passing fad. In fact, recent surveys suggest that more and more people are turning to a vocation as their primary calling. One reason for this growing interest? The newbie vanlife community has created an environment in which newbies can thrive.
Plan Before You Go
Begin planning for your future life in a van as early as you can! This goes for your first trip as well as your longer-term plans. Make a list of everything you need to bring, and then cross as many items off as you can. Make sure you have all your supplies, food, and other necessities.
If you’re not sure where to start, you can start by looking at our awesome packing list. You’ll also need to start saving for your van, and if you’re going to do it right, you’ll want to start as soon as you’re eligible to buy a vehicle. It’s also a good idea to start looking into van insurance and make sure you’re prepared for anything that comes your way.
Decide if Vanlife is for you
If you’ve ever thought about living in a van, you’ve probably wondered if you’d enjoy doing it. You know you want the experience, but you don’t know if you’re ready to commit. It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to deciding if this is something you want to do.
If you’re looking for a quick way to test the waters, you can take a trip. Try living in a vehicle for a weekend or a short period of time. If you don’t like it, you can leave and go back to your normal life. On the other hand, if you’re ready to take the plunge and see if this is something that works for you, you can begin planning for your longer-term future.
Build your relationships
Get to know your local communities better and make some good friends where you’re moving. This can be as simple as going to a meet-up or joining a local Facebook group. You can also look for opportunities to get involved in your local communities. Local charities are always looking for volunteers, and you can also get involved with your local city government.
If you’re interested in politics, you can run for office. Join your local civic associations and find opportunities to volunteer or get involved in your local communities. You can also find events that your community or local area hosts. You can also take a look at what local colleges and universities have events planned. You can find many different ways to get involved and make friends.
Get a sponsored trip
If you’re looking for a test run of your future vanlife, consider trying a sponsored trip. These are trips where a sponsor pays for your transportation and some of your expenses while you’re out on the road. This can be a great way to get out there, see what it’s like, and not worry about the daily expenses associated with living in a van.
You can find sponsors through various communities like the Vanlife subreddit and on the /r/vanlife Discord. There are also many sites that host sponsored trips. There are even apps that make it really easy to find sponsored trips!
Create a transition plan
You’re about to make a radical change. That’s exciting! But it’s also a major move, with lots of new and unknown elements. That’s why you should create a transition plan. This plan should include a rough timeline for when you’ll do certain things.
Such as moving out of your house, selling your stuff, and getting a dog. If you can’t afford the house you’re renting (or have to wait until you move out of your lease to make the purchase), you can use your transition plan for moving out of the lease.
Dig in your digital toes
The best way to ease into independence and make your transition feel less stressful is to start small, with a few small changes. One easy way to do this is by taking a digital vacation. Now, before you go searching for a digital island to visit, know that you don’t have to go all-in with this.
In fact, you can begin with a few small changes. A digital vacation doesn’t have to be a full-on digital move to a new country—it can be something as simple as turning off your phone for a day or emailing fewer times a day.
You can also use your digital vacation to test out new ways of doing things on your own. For example, one of the first things you should do when you become an owner is to dig in your digital toes and try something new, like trading your employer stock for a reliable government bond.
Decide if you’re an independent or a commune kind of person
Most vocational couples choose to live in a commune and travel together. But if you’re single, it’s important to decide if you’re an independent or a commune kind of person. If you’re independent, you don’t have to decide right now if you want to live as a commune or travel together with a single partner.
But if you’re a commune person, it’s important to decide whether you want to become a couple. There are lots of benefits to living as a couple, from being able to share retirement savings to taking care of loved ones in an emergency. If you’re a commune person, you should also decide whether you want to travel together or as an individual.
Stay safe on the road
Although the road is one of the best ways to experience the world, it’s also one of the riskiest. That’s why it’s important to stay safe on the road. Before you leave, make sure that you’re prepared for everything that’s going to come with travel.
For example, make sure that you have enough food and water, as well as first aid supplies. Make sure that you’re properly insured, including travel health insurance. And remember to keep your eyes on the road—there’s no need to text, call, or use social media while you’re driving.
Don’t neglect your health and safety requirements
In addition to being prepared for your trip, you’ll also want to make sure that you’re doing everything you need to do to stay safe and healthy during your trip.
This means getting a physical exam a few months before you leave, as well as making sure that you’re on track with all of your health and wellness goals while you’re away. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re properly insured.
Get offline and get connected
When you’re a newbie, it’s especially important to keep an offline mindset. That means keeping your head offline, in other words, and spending time on your own before you need to spend time with others.
When you’re offline, you can also use your offline time to connect with yourself and your own needs. You can do this by writing in a journal, meditating, reading a book, or simply doing something that helps quiet your mind.
Wrapping Up
It can be awesome to live the vanlife lifestyle, but it does come with lots of new challenges and unknowns. That’s why it’s important to prepare and make sure that you’re staying safe and healthy while you’re on the road.
It can also be helpful to separate your vanlife lifestyle from your identity as a person and your identity as an employee. If you can do this, it will be easier for you to make the transition from a non-vacationer to a full-time camper.
