Live Creatively

Live Creatively
8 Lessons from the Road 
a Wild We Roam eBook
By Dana Roberts & Lou Gemunden

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• Introduction 


• Chapter 1: Find Comfort in Discomfort 


• Chapter 2: Meditation is for Everyone


• Chapter 3: Never Stop Learning


• Chapter 4: Should I Stop Drinking?


• Chapter 5: Breaking My Phone Addiction 


• Chapter 6: Satisfaction in Simplicity 


• Chapter 7: The Last Hurdle


• Chapter 8: Live Creatively 


Introduction
Since Lou and I left New York to pursue our wild creative dream in 2014, we've made
dramatic changes in the way we live our lives. I never would have imagined that we’d be
full-time business partners, with a daily meditation practice, who spent years living in a
van. But at some point along the way, I realized that every change we made was rooted
in our desire to lead a fulfilling creative life together. And this book, Live Creatively, is an
extension of that desire. We hope these stories help you on your journey of self-
exploration and inspire you to place creativity at the center of your life.

This book isn't a prescription for how to become a successful creative. And it isn't a
roadmap to happiness. We know that there isn't one path that will work for everyone.
Even though hearing how other people have created meaningful change in their lives
can be very helpful, in the end, inspiration only gets us so far. That is why Live
Creatively is more than just a series of stories. It’s a set of tools that we can use to fall in
love with the creative process, improve our physical and mental health, and gain the
stamina required to pursue our dreams.

WHAT IS LIVE CREATIVELY?

Maybe your passion is to become an author, so Live Creatively might help you create a
writing routine before your morning commute. Or perhaps you feel most alive when
you're fixing up your house, so you might look to this book to inspire you to keep going
on the remodel of your kitchen. Some of you could be starting this book exactly where I
was just a few years ago - completely detached from creative expression. But no matter
what role art plays in your life at this moment, we hope that after you finish reading this
book, you'll feel empowered to live creatively in whatever manner feels right to you.

HOW TO READ THIS BOOK

I don't expect you to connect with every chapter. Conscious sobriety, meditation, living
in a van, or learning how to draw, might not resonate with you. Our goal with Live
Creatively wasn’t to write a one size fits all prescription. Living creatively is unique,
complicated, and personal, but there's a bunch of skills we believe anyone can master
that make a creative life more fulfilling and sustainable.

If you find yourself eager to learn more about one of the chapters in the book, I've made
a very robust guide that can be found in the eBook Resources section of our website.
We’ve password protected these materials so that only people like you who have
purchased Live Creatively have access using the password growth.

Lou and I are often asked how to pursue a life like ours, and I always find myself saying
the same thing: never stop learning. With YouTube, you can teach yourself how to build
anything, fix anything, even speak any language. And with a public library membership,
you can find the information that's not online yet. We didn't study film or business or
marketing, but we did have the luxury of getting to go through this enormous
transformation together. Now we want to be that support system for you.

THE 8 CHALLENGES

Each of the eight chapters in this book has a corresponding 30 Day Challenge. The goal
with each challenge is to take what we learned and put it into practice. Each challenge
will have three difficulty levels (Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert) so that no matter
where you're starting, you can feel comfortable joining the community.

Before starting each challenge, go to the eBook Resources section of our website, use
the password growth and signup. We have extra materials, weekly emails of
encouragement and other resources to support you. We'll be announcing start dates via
email and Instagram throughout 2020, and documenting the entire experience on our
YouTube channel—but feel free to get started anytime!

A WORD OF WARNING

Disclaimer: First and foremost neither Lou nor I are doctors and this eBook does not
constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any lifestyle
changes. Also, if you have or are struggling with an addiction, an eating disorder, or any
other sort of compulsive behavior, we would like to warn you that 30-day challenges
might be triggering. Building new habits can break down your willpower, causing
behaviors you thought were handled to resurface. If you decide that you are ready for
the challenges, please approach them with care. It's crucial to be aware of how you are
feeling. If things start slipping, make sure to prioritize the aspects of your life that are the
most important and remember to be patient with yourself. Small, sustainable change is
often safer than major life overhauls that don't last. Lou and I have been building new
habits throughout the last five years, but these changes don't necessarily follow a linear
path of growth. We've experienced our fair share of setbacks and plateaus along the
way. Two steps forward, one step back, is still progress! We're so excited to be here to
support you on your creative journey and hope that this book is something you can
return to time and time again.
Chapter 1: Getting Comfortable with Discomfort
"He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life."
—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finding comfort in discomfort is the single most important discovery of my life. And that's
why we had to start Live Creatively here, at the heart of the problem. Because grit is
step 1, 2, and 3 on the creative journey.

The psychology professor Angela Duckworth defines grit as "passion and perseverance
for long-term goals."1 When I talk about grit in this chapter, I'm referring to her definition,
and to our ability to dig deep and overcome obstacles. Some of you may know exactly
what I'm talking about from personal experience, but if you're anything like I was
growing up, grit might not be something you've had a lot of practice with. In fact, it
wasn't until we left the comfort of home, moved abroad, and began pursuing an entirely
new career path that I realized how little grit I had.

But before we get into how I learned how to persevere, I just want to take a second to
recognize how lucky both Lou and I have been in life. We never worried about having a
roof over our heads or went hungry. We both had the luxury of attending excellent public
schools in the United States. And while I'm not trying to minimize how hard we worked
to get where we are today, I'm well aware that all of our privileges made that road far
easier and allowed us to learn grit by choice and not out of necessity. Many of you will
have learned grit by overcoming obstacles not of your own making. In subsequent
chapters, we're going to explore how to tap into that inner superpower and use it to live
creatively and create great art.

SWIMMING UPSTREAM

Lou and I began our van build in the mountains in southern Spain in January of 2018.
The very first night in the cottage, the toilet overflowed, and our only source of heat, the
fireplace, leaked smoke throughout our tiny new dwelling. From inside our sleeping
bags, we looked at one another, knowing full well, life was about to get a whole lot less
comfortable. In New York, we could turn up the thermostat whenever it got cold. There
was a bodega on every corner open 24 hours a day. In Berlin we had a projector, so we
could watch movies on the big screen in the comfort of our own living room. We had
unlimited internet. Unlimited hot water. Organic grocery stores. We never feared the
power going out or worried about the quality of our bathroom plumbing. And while it's
such a gift to live in a modern country where we take these things for granted, the
problem with constantly being comfortable is that comfort can become its own kind of
prison.
Modern society values comfort above all else. And while it might seem harmless to
choose to be comfortable, that choice actually comes with a lot of consequences people
aren't often aware of. Maybe you've experienced the comfort of a relationship with a
person you don't genuinely love? Or the comfort of a job that doesn't make you feel
inspired? I'm guessing you've felt the comfort of sitting down to binge-watch Netflix. It's
easy to forget that the repetition of seemingly harmless actions can have severe
consequences down the road. Don't get me wrong, I love watching TV on the couch, I
actually spent a lot of my youth doing just that. There's nothing wrong with being
comfortable and happy, but I've learned over the years that it's a slippery slope from a
comfortable life into a life you didn't consciously choose. Hopes and dreams can fade bit
by bit until they're forgotten altogether—unless we learn to fight for them.

YOU CAN LEARN HOW TO PERSEVERE

For our first 30 Day Challenge, we’re going to be tackling daily cold showers. Now, I
know some of you might be thinking one of two things. Either that this challenge sounds
awful, or that cold showers have nothing to do with living creatively. And five years ago,
I would have agreed. But today I want to let you in on a little secret I've learned: having
grit isn't something you're born with. It's actually a skill that can be learned with practice,
just like any other. Cold showers are the perfect stepping stone to increasing our
capacity to persevere. They allow us to get comfortable with discomfort without even
having to leave our home.

HOW DO I KNOW GRIT IS A SKILL ANYONE CAN LEARN?

Five years ago, I had almost zero grit. Don't get me wrong, I knew how to work hard, I
knew how to get good grades, get into a top college, and build a strong resume—but
grit is something else. Grit is the ability to show up every day, for years at a time, without
any sign that you're making meaningful progress towards your dream. It's about sticking
with something even when things don't go your way, and your goal feels impossible.

LEAVING NEW YORK

But let me take a second to rewind back to 2014. Before all this, before the van, before
Berlin, before Wild We Roam, before we learned to meditate and before we went vegan,
Lou and I actually lived in a one-bedroom apartment on the Lower East Side in New
York City. The apartment was so small Lou could touch the ceiling and a wall from any
given place. Whenever our friends would come over for the first time, they'd giggle in
shock that two people could actually function in such a tiny space. But to us, it was
home, our very first home together, and it was perfect. There was only one problem:
work.

Lou was a production assistant in the West Village, and I was working at a tech start-up
in sales. I'd routinely work 90 hour weeks, meaning the only substantial time Lou and I
spent together was on Sundays, and I spent most of the day sleeping off the week. As
you can probably guess, something had to give. Eventually, I couldn't do it anymore, so
I quit my job. I was tired of taking old male clients almost three times my age out for
late-night drinks. I was drained from working Saturdays and missing out on the lives of
all my loved ones. But most of all, I was unsettled by the sinking feeling that I was
sacrificing my health and happiness for someone else's dream.

WHAT IF THERE WAS ANOTHER OPTION?

One day we were up in New Hampshire, visiting Lou's family, and I explained how sad I
was with our life in New York. In response, his parents suggested we move to Berlin.
They had an apartment there we could live in, and it would be an excellent chance for
us to experience a different culture and different pace of life. Lou's father is German and
his mother is Peruvian, but they both immigrated to the United States for graduate
school and ultimately became college professors. They had bought a place in Berlin
over a decade ago and thought it could be the perfect environment for us to explore a
new career and get exposed to the European way of life.

I have to admit this opportunity turned out to be one of the most significant gifts of my
life because I'm not sure we would have made the leap so quickly without the
apartment. It gave us a reason to leave, and we felt safer returning to a city we'd visited
before. It was like we got the best of both worlds - the security of moving into our
parents' basement, but the freedom of our very own place.

MAKING OUR WAY

When we arrived in Berlin, we had no experience, no clients, and no clue how to build a
functional creative business. However, at the same time, we knew that we didn't want to
live in Germany forever. Starting a brick and mortar small business was out of the
question because we felt such a desire to explore all of Europe. But traveling the way
we had done before wasn't an option without our New York salaries. Lou and I love to
walk, and it was on one of our nightly strolls that we walked our way into van life, so to
speak.

You see, Berlin is flooded with camper vans, from old converted firetrucks to classic VW
Kombis. And as we walked about admiring the old campers, we started hypothetically
talking about van life as an option. If we had a car we could sleep in and cook in, we
could make travel affordable. No hotels. No rental cars. No restaurants. Instead of
visiting cities near major airports crowded with other tourists, we could go on adventures
in nature and get to see small towns all over the continent. And we could share the
whole experience on our budding Youtube channel.

GRIT LESSON #1: HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT TO BUY A VAN?

Transforming the dream of van life into reality turned out to be a much more
complicated process than we could have ever imagined. During the first three years we
lived in Berlin, I switched from a tourist visa to a language study visa, and finally to a
freelancer visa. Each transition involved gathering a folder full of paperwork - proof of
health insurance, proof of residence - and waiting in line at 5 am outside the
"Ausländerbehorde." Lou calls this menacing, concrete building his least favorite place
on earth, and I'm sure many people share his views.

Berlin's administrative offices are chronically underfunded and overwhelmed by

demand. Often, the only way to get an appointment is to stand in line for hours, wait for
the building to open, run inside through the corridors, grab a number, and then wait
again for a few more hours. Perhaps the most heart-wrenching part of the entire
process, however, is the fact that this same building is flooded with refugees from all
over the world, looking to extend their paperwork. And for many of these hardworking
people, a rejected visa can mean the difference between life and death.

In 2016, my own visa was denied. I was angrily told to come back in six weeks with
proof that German clients would be paying me at least 3,000 Euros a month, or I'd be
asked to leave Germany permanently. At the time, our only client was an American
company, and we weren't getting nearly that much business. We left the meeting
devastated. Our dream of living in a van in Europe was over before it had even begun.

THE FIRST HURDLE

Within two days of the visa meeting, we decided to do something that Lou had brought
up years earlier when we first moved to Berlin - it was time to get married. I remember
being so shocked the first time Lou mentioned marriage, back when we were living in
New York. He figured since he was a dual citizen of Germany and America, getting
married would solve all our bureaucratic problems. However even though that sounded
very practical, I had always dreamed of a traditional, romantic proposal - and this was
not that. I wanted to be ready to commit for life, and so we decided to tackle years of
paperwork to postpone answering that question.

But three years later, we realized that we were ready for the real commitment of
marriage, and there was no better time than now to make it official. We chose to get
married at City Hall in New York in front of a small group of friends and family just three
weeks after the visa appointment.

NO ONE LIKES GERMAN PAPERWORK

Once back in Germany, married to a German citizen, I was quickly able to get a new
visa, but the paperwork hurdles wouldn't stop there. We'd each have to obtain a
German driver's license—which is significantly more difficult than in the United States.
Next, we traveled all over the country to find the perfect van within our budget. And once
we found him, the seller would deliberate for an extra two months before finally turning
over the van. Eventually, we submitted the vehicle title to the proper authorities to
register the car in our name, only for these same bureaucrats to lose our deed to the car
for an entire month. It turns out they even mailed our forms to a complete stranger, who
happened to be a good Samaritan and sent them right back.
Overcoming these hurdles helped us decide what we would name our van: Odysseus.
And Ody, the 40-year-old Mercedes 307d, definitely lived up to his name. We had
planned to build the campervan in Berlin, near our apartment, during the summer and
fall months. However, as summer came and went while our van sat in bureaucratic
limbo, we realized we would need to get creative. We ended up looking much further
than a five-mile radius from our apartment to find the perfect spot to transform Ody into
our dream home.

I made over 50 unreturned phone calls and emails searching for the perfect place to
escape the cold weather. Finally, a nice British woman called me back. And just like
that, it was official! I had secured us a tiny rental cottage in southern Spain. She said
there was even a donkey pen that would be the perfect place for us to undertake the
van build. Best of all, it was in one of the sunniest places in all of Europe - Costa del
Sol.

GRIT LESSON # 2: HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT TO BUILD A VAN?

Little did we know, the cottage we rented for five months was actually located in a
microclimate, on top of a mountain. At first, there didn't seem to be any drastic issues.
Yes, the toilet overflowed the first day we got there, and we were unable to flush any
toilet paper for the rest of our time there. Yes, the chimney was leaking smoke, which
meant we had to choose between coughing all night or being freezing cold. Eventually,
this problem would be repaired, but none of these issues bothered us too much
because we enjoyed clear skies every day for the first few months. We got to know the
donkeys and the dogs, made progress on the van, and learned to work together as a
team.

AND THEN DISASTER HIT

We've just removed all three windows from our van so we can treat the rust under them
and then reseal them. Out of nowhere, the blue sky fills with dark rain clouds. It hasn't
rained in months, but, before we know it, torrential rain has brought our van build to a
grinding halt. We try frantically taping the windows shut to protect Ody as best we can,
but the wind makes short work of our efforts.

Inside the cottage, next to a crackling fire, we take a look at the local weather for the
first time. Without realizing it, we're burning some of the last dry wood we'll have for
months. At first, it looks like the storm will end in a few days, but for the next two weeks
the rain doesn’t stop for a single hour. After a month of torrential downpour and
hurricane-level winds, I can't even put into words how dejected we felt.

To make matters worse, many of the components we'd ordered for our van build weren't
arriving. The rental listing had stated that there was a functional mailing address at the
cottage, but it turned out that the delivery vans weren't legally allowed to drive up the
treacherous mountain road. Our mini-refrigerator was lost in transit, and our solar
panels were stuck in Spanish customs. It felt like van life just wasn't for us, but what
other option did we have? We'd sunk so much time and money into this project that
giving up now seemed nearly as challenging as pushing forward.

DIG DEEP

Even though our five-month rental was quickly coming to an end, we'd made very little
progress on the van. We tried to find the silver lining in our predicament by finishing our
first big commercial project. That video would end up paying for the entire van build, but
at the time, that was little consolation. We were physically and mentally exhausted. The
cottage was freezing cold, we'd run out of dry firewood weeks ago, and the lack of heat
forced us into our sleeping bags permanently. I worked, cooked, ate, cleaned, and slept
in my sleeping bag - as did Lou.

At some point, we couldn't wait out the storm any longer. So we started a new routine.
Every morning Lou would drive us down the steep mountain road with all of our supplies
inside the van. We would set up shop 40 minutes away in a parking lot where it wasn't
raining. Remember how I said our cottage was in a microclimate? Well, it turns out that
only 20 kilometers away it wasn't raining at all, while back on our mountain, the donkey
pen was beginning to flood.

Each day that we made progress, I could feel the stress leave my body. The walls were
going up around us, and while the process was tiresome, the visual transformation from
a metal box into a tiny home was exactly what we needed to improve our spirits and
keep going with the project.

SEEING IS BELIEVING

Building something physical is one of the most effective ways to improve your grit
because you can see with your own eyes the progress you've made from one hour to
the next. Other projects like learning to play an instrument, for example, require a great
deal of grit, but aren’t particularly visual. You can show up each day and work hard.
Nonetheless, it's difficult to see signs of progress from one week to the next. To combat
this feeling, Angela Duckworth suggests you build systems that highlight progress. In
the case of learning a new instrument, record yourself each week, and then compare
the results.2

When building something physical, however, you don't have to create any system of
feedback. And I think that is one of the reasons Lou and I love Ody so dearly to this day.
Each cabinet, each wall, each light switch, all serve as a constant reminder of the
months of paperwork, physical labor, struggle, frustration, joy, and teamwork that it took
to build him. He is a palpable embodiment of pushing through when we wanted to quit,
and because we didn't give up on Ody in the build, it became easier to not give up on
him when other difficult times arrived - as they always do...

GRIT LESSON # 3: HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT TO LIVE IN A VAN?

I remember so vividly being in Tarifa, Spain, because it was one of the first places we
ever wild camped in our van. It was also the moment I honestly considered giving up on
van life. We'd just left the town of Casares where we did the van build, but there were
still a lot of unfinished parts. The gas for our stovetop didn't work. We were being eaten
alive by mosquitoes because we forgot to install bugnets. Every night we struggled to
fall asleep in the hundred degree heat. Our water pump didn't work, which meant that
tasks that required water took ten times longer. I wasn't that comfortable taking showers
outside in a parking lot, and my hair was quickly turning into dreadlocks. Most of all, I
was heartbroken.

On the mountain, we’d fallen in love with Alfie, the German Shepherd that belonged to
the women who owned the property. She had offered to sell him to us, but a tiny car was
no place for a big, beautiful dog. I cried every single day for the first few weeks after we
left him behind.

Why did I even want to live in a van in the first place? I fantasized about giving up and
flying home. But quickly, the realities of that choice would sink in. After all this effort to
get our German papers in order, find the perfect van, remodel him, and chronicle the
experience on YouTube, how could I bail? What about Lou? How could I let him down
like that? I knew deep down, I would never forgive myself if I were the reason we
abandoned Ody.

And even though I so badly wanted to quit in Tarifa, somehow the days and weeks
passed, and life improved. We installed bugnets and slept well for the first time. With
help from a new friend in Lisbon, we fixed the wiring on our solar panels so that our
battery would stop dying. Lou created a storage system, which meant that the van didn't
feel like total chaos every other day. We slowly became brave enough to meet new
people on the road and explore the remote areas we'd dreamed of visiting. And at the
end of the day, instead of falling asleep homesick and exhausted, I was feeling more
alive than ever before.

ACCOUNTABILITY IS KEY

One of the reasons I was able to push through at that moment is you. I know you might
not believe it, but having all of you along for the highs and the lows made a tremendous
difference. I realized I didn't want to let you down. And that gave me the power to
overcome the feeling that van life was too hard, that I was too tired, hot, itchy, and
uncomfortable. Sharing our story on YouTube actually serves as an incredible source of
accountability in our lives. Because when we share our goals with other people, we are
far less likely to give up when times get hard. You stick it out not only to protect your
pride, but also because you are stronger with a support system.

KNOWING WHEN TO QUIT

Just to clarify, I don't think there's anything wrong with giving up if whatever long term
goal you're pursuing no longer resonates with you. But for me, before our van
adventures, there had been times in my life when things got hard, and I gave up not
because I didn't believe in what I was pursuing any longer, but because I was scared of
failure.

Now I know it's not because I was weak or lazy, but because I didn't have all the right
systems in place around me. It turns out, converting a van with Lou and documenting
the process was the perfect training ground to build my grit.

As van life progressed, I started to get more comfortable sleeping in a new place every
night. The noises of the road woke me up less and less, and when they did, I didn’t
need to double-check if the door alarm was still on. We figured out systems that made
going to the bathroom while the other person was still in the van less embarrassing,
though we always tried to give one another privacy when possible. Thank God for
noise-canceling headphones and Palo Santo! I also discovered a technique for washing
dishes that used significantly less water. We learned to ignore our frugal instincts from
time to time and splurge on a campsite. Having a convenient place to wash laundry and
take a naked shower in privacy can make a big difference.

Slowly but surely, van life started to exceed all the dreams and expectations we had put
on it while living in Berlin. We wild camped on beautiful Greek islands. Explored magical
cities like Venice and Lisbon. Climbed to the top of majestic mountains and spent days
floating in crystal clear oceans. But while the highlight reel makes it seem picturesque, it
only felt that way because we got comfortable with all of the challenging aspects of
living together in a tiny metal box.

WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU, MAKES YOU STRONGER

Lou and I always joke that every couple should build a van together before getting
married. On top of that mountain, we learned to trust one another entirely. It's pretty wild
that just a few years ago, I had no clue how to use power tools. I used to think that I
could only be happy living in a large, modern city. The word "creative" is not one I would
have ever used to describe myself. But that’s the beauty of deciding to show up in your
life whole-heartedly - you get to keep growing and evolving.

A VISUAL REMINDER

Our van, Ody, reminds me and Lou that we can accomplish great things by working
together. Some nights, I'll lay in bed and wonder: "if we can build a home on top of a
mountain in a foreign country, what else are we capable of?" Don't get me wrong,
building and living in a van didn't solve all my problems. But when it came to improving
my grit, Ody was critical for my growth.

Grit often gets labeled as a character trait, but it's similar to the other muscles in your
body. The more you train, the stronger you'll get. As Duckworth explains, "getting
anywhere in life, doing anything worth doing, it just takes so much effort. If things were
easier, then maybe we wouldn't need grit. But I think most things that are worth doing
take a long time and that sustained commitment. There are no shortcuts to true
excellence."3

We believe that the easiest way to strengthen not only our grit muscle but also our
confidence is to commit to a specific small goal and complete it successfully. This is why
we included a 30 Day Challenge component with each chapter of Live Creatively. And
our first challenge will wake us up from our comfortable lives by shocking us to our very
core. 

CHALLENGE 1: 30 DAYS OF COLD SHOWERS

For Lou and I to reach our potential as creatives, we had to break our addiction to
comfort. The transition to van life taught us to embrace discomfort, but we know not
everyone wants to live in a van. Cold showers will serve as a chance for us to practice
not giving up on a goal, training the body to handle stress, and creating a community to
support each other as we pursue our dreams.

You might have heard of the benefits of cold therapy from a man named Wim Hof, also
known as "the Iceman."4 Some benefits of cold exposure include increased immune
system function, better concentration, improved sleep quality, and a reduction in
inflammation. This practice has also been known to treat diseases like depression,
arthritis, and Crohn's Disease.5 When the freezing water hits your body, it stimulates our
natural "fight or flight" response. However, by breathing through this initial shock, your
brain learns to calm down in a stressed state.

One of the best attributes of cold showers is that they are accessible. You don't need to
buy anything fancy or expensive. You don't need a ton of free time. You don't even need
any specific type of skill. Simply walk into a cold shower over and over again until it
feels easy.

So now, choose your challenge level and signup at wildweroam.com/challengeone. We

want each challenge to be approachable, no matter how much experience you have
with the subject matter. Pick the level that will challenge but not destroy you. It's better
to start slow and safe and then upgrade levels later, so you're not forced to give up
entirely.

CHALLENGE 1: LEVELS

Beginner: One minute on the coldest setting after a regular shower.

Intermediate: Five minute cold shower per day.
Expert: Twelve minute ice bath per day.

For detailed information about the challenge levels, please visit wildweroam.com/
challengeone and use password growth.
Chapter 2: Meditation is for Everyone
Meditation saved our lives, our relationship, and our business. I know that sounds overly
dramatic, but when I look back at all the facts, it's impossible to come to any other
conclusion. Sure we had already gone vegan and moved abroad before we learned how
to meditate, but this practice was the catalyst for our internal transformation. Sitting still
for 20 minutes twice a day enabled us to train our brains to separate our thoughts from
our reality. That space, in turn, made it possible for us to pursue our dreams effectively.

WITHOUT THIS TECHNIQUE, THERE WOULD BE NO WILD WE ROAM

Like me, I'm sure many of you have started projects, only to get sabotaged by self-
defeating thoughts. Getting a handle on my thoughts empowers me to take control of
my mental health. And it is only from this place of stability that I discovered a way to
make art sustainably. So often, society glorifies the narrative of the tortured artist. We
circulate this damaging notion that you can't be happy and create great art at the same
time. But this myth does a massive disservice to the creative community.

Of course, hardship and struggle serve as rich artistic themes, but to consistently make
art about that struggle, the artist needs not only to survive but also to thrive. Meditation
has permitted us to weather those ups and downs, and still publish the quantity of
content that our capitalist system demands. The goal of our "30 Day Meditation
Challenge" at the end of this chapter is to share this practice with you and together
strengthen our mental fortitude, and thus expand our creativity.

I DIDN'T THINK MEDITATION WAS FOR ME EITHER

Years ago, I would have been very skeptical to hear anyone talk about the benefits of
meditation. I wasn't the kind of person who could commit to a daily habit. My mind was
always racing. Adding one more thing to my daily to-do list felt impossible. Who has the
time to sit still every day?

It’s surprising to hear that people like Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Jerry Seinfeld, Katy
Perry, Paul McCartney, and Arianna Huffington all credit meditation as the foundation for
their sustained success. And after meditating daily for over three years, Lou and I can
also vouch for how transformative this habit has been for our physical and mental
health. I've experienced less anxiety, more creativity, and a sense of calmness, unlike
anything I felt before bringing this practice into my life.

MOVING ABROAD DIDN'T HELP ME GET AWAY FROM MY PROBLEMS

Let me take you back to Berlin, 2014. While I had been the one who pushed us to make
the jump from New York to Europe, I was struggling emotionally much more than I
chose to admit. Up until that point, I had always thought of myself as a happy person.
You could usually find me surrounded by friends, telling stories with an enormous smile
on my face. But there was a different side of me that I didn't share. I struggled with
bulimia starting at the age of 17. In the first few months of college, I cried every single
day. I never felt as smart as my friends. And when the start-up where I was working in
New York imploded, something inside me fell apart. I didn't realize it at the time, but in a
way, our move to Berlin was an attempt to escape all these struggles. I would soon
realize that it’s impossible to run away from your mind. Physically moving might distract
you for a few months, but your problems will always catch up with you in one form or
another.

NEW FRIENDS, NEW PERSPECTIVES

In Berlin, we had made friends with Bridget, an Australian journalist who had traveled
extensively. She had such a whimsical and passionate energy about her. Bridget
recounted stories from her time working in the Congo, the Middle East, and her many
solo travel adventures. I was enamored. My soul seemed so similar to hers, and yet, a
gulf of experiences separated the two of us.

I craved adventure but also comfort and routine. I wanted to tell great stories, and yet, I
kept telling myself that Lou was the creative one. One night when Bridget was at our
apartment for dinner with a bunch of new friends, she mentioned that she had recently
been trained in Vedic meditation. Even though I’d heard this kind of sentence quite often
in Berlin, hearing it from her made meditation sound different to me. Within just a few
weeks of practice, Bridget was feeling lighter, less anxious, and her desire to drink at
social events was subsiding with each passing week. The next day I reached out to her
teacher, Eddie Vero, and scheduled an appointment for me and Lou.

MEETING OUR TEACHER

Eddie showed up at our apartment with a huge smile, bushy auburn beard, smelling of
sandalwood. His teaching style is so profound because he understands that we are not
going to remember all of the proven science behind meditation, so he focuses on
crafting beautiful stories.

All these years later, I can still remember him asking us to envision ourselves in the
middle of an enormous lake, sitting in a rowboat that is slowly filling with water. You see,
all of us have a hole in the bottom of our boats. And as water pours in, we try to use the
tiny bucket in our boat to bail out the water. We move as fast as we can, but because
the bucket is so small, it's impossible to get rid of the water as quickly as it's pouring in.
Panic rises as we become aware that the boat is going to sink. Now envision that the
water coming in is the stress taking over our lives. All meditation does is give us a
bigger bucket. Now we can get rid of the water and continue rowing to safety. Once in a
while, we’ll need to stop rowing and bail water out the boat again. Life will continue to be
stressful at different points, but meditation gives us a tool big enough to deal with the
problems as they arise.
THE METHOD

After all the stories, it was finally time to begin meditating. Eddie gave us each a
personal mantra and explained how to use it. All we had to do was sit up straight, with
our back supported but our head free. This way, if we fell asleep, our head would fall,
waking us up, and we could continue the practice. In many cultures, sitting cross-legged
without back support is a normal part of daily life, which makes it possible to meditate
without back support as well.

Once we were seated comfortably, he asked us to close our eyes and repeat our new
mantra in our mind quietly. Eventually, we'd start thinking of something else, like the
email we forgot to send or what we needed to buy at the grocery store. When that
happens, all we have to do is return to our mantra. He said it was essential that we not
get upset when a thought pops into our mind. Thoughts flow in and out of your mind
naturally. Instead, when you realize you've drifted into thought, immediately return to
your mantra without any judgment. And that was it. Meditation really is that simple.

PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE - LIVING IN THE MOMENT

I used to spend a lot of time reminiscing about the past or dreaming about the future.
This habit might sound normal or harmless, but it was detrimental to my happiness. To
put things in perspective, I cried almost every day during my first semester of college.
Like a lot of first-year students, I was homesick, but for me, the experience was
debilitating. I couldn’t let go of the life where I was still in high school with all my friends,
still with the boyfriend who had dumped me, still falling asleep in my bedroom without a
snoring roommate.

Living in the past obscured the reality in front of me. I had access to an incredible and
expensive college education, new classmates from all over the world, and professors
who were willing to help me learn anything my heart desired. Unfortunately I was stuck
in a thought pattern where I truly believed that my past was better than my current
situation. The fact that I could never get it back was devastating.

TIME HEALS MANY WOUNDS

But when things got better, I now found comfort daydreaming about the future. At this
point, Lou and I were dating long-distance, and it was my final year in college. He was
studying at NYU, and I was in Maine. Every day I'd dream about what life would look
like once we were finally reunited. After we were living together in New York for a year,
we started talking about moving abroad. Now my brain could escape the present
moment to fantasize about how beautiful life in Europe would be. Though once we
made it to Berlin, the van life dream took over. I'm guessing you can see the pattern
now. We distract ourselves with future goals, but by the time we reach them we have
already moved on to the next thing in our head. Thus, it becomes impossible to find
fulfillment.
Slowly, meditating lessened my brain's desire to dwell on the past or daydream about
the future. Sometimes I still love thinking about the future. For example, we're currently
scheming about how to buy a boat and circumnavigate the globe. But those future
thoughts aren't all-consuming. When I'm in the ocean, my mind is in the water. When I'm
hiking, it's on the mountain. When I'm in the van, it's there basking in the home we built
together. Of course, thoughts will always come and go, just like a little water will
inevitably leak into the boat. Though nowadays, I have an enormous bucket to bail out
all that water. And my meditation practice has become something that affects not just
the 20 minutes I am sitting down with my eyes closed, but my entire experience of the
world.

DO YOU GUYS EVER FIGHT?

Meditation helps you enjoy the beautiful moments in life more deeply. It can also help
you be present in uncomfortable moments so that you're able to deal with your emotions
instead of repressing them. My practice has helped me process trauma, anger, pain,
and sadness. Which brings me to question we often get asked - "Do you and Lou ever
fight?"

And the answer is of course. We fight just like any other couple in the world. However,
now that we've been meditating daily for many years, we tend to fight far less frequently.
I'll give you a recent scenario from the van to explain how meditation has changed the
way our brains work and how we interact.

THE "DEATH SECTION"

After a nine-hour drive from Albania to Croatia, Lou and I were utterly exhausted. It was
pouring rain outside, which made the van feel even smaller and more chaotic than
usual. The space underneath our bed next to the bathroom, which we've named "The
Death Section," did what it always does during long drives. The constant bouncing
throws everything around, and all the hard work we've put into organizing that area
quickly disappears.

As Lou tried to grab his computer from the "Death Section" to import footage, he let out
a deep sigh. A mound of potatoes, sleeping bags, and dirty laundry stood between him
and the laptop. He started venting about how annoying it was that this area was a mess
again just after we'd gotten it sorted a few days earlier. To put this in perspective, Lou
never complains. I think it's because he has Rheumatoid Arthritis. Many years ago, he
turned off the complaining part of his brain to cope with the constant pain. But me, on
the other hand, I love a good venting session and usually enjoy when Lou complains
because it humanizes him.

But after many long days on the road, I was exhausted, which means I was extra
sensitive. So instead of commiserating about the van chaos, I quickly retorted that he
should let it go and that I would organize it tomorrow. I don't think he rolled his eyes, but
that's what it felt like, so I put headphones on and started to listen to music in a huff. I
know this might not look like a big fight, but Lou and I aren't yellers. We don't slam
doors, and in a van, there's nowhere to go if you're mad.

CHANGING THE WAY WE ARGUE

Years ago, it used to take Lou a long time to process the experience of a fight. I was the
opposite and wanted to talk about it immediately. Maybe that’s why they say opposites
attract? On top of that, within our relationship, he's the tidy one, and I'm the messy one.
In an apartment, it wasn't a big deal, but in the van, I have tried to be neater, because I
know how important it is to him. On top of that, since I'm smaller and can maneuver
better, I'm tasked with "The Death Section." So when he complained about that space, it
made me feel like he was saying I wasn't doing my part. Like most couples, a lot of our
fights repeat. Me being messy comes up from time to time, which makes me even more
sensitive.

What's ironic about the whole situation is that normally I encourage Lou to share his
frustrations and commiserate with me. But now, in a moment when he finally did, I
silenced him by saying, "it's not a big deal." So when I realized what had just happened,
Lou was already at work at his standing desk. Instead of interrupting his edit, I decided
to text him my apology: "I love you. I'm sorry I didn't let you vent about the death
section. My gut reaction is to feel embarrassed that I can't keep it the way you like it,
and it made me feel like a bad wife."

Here's where things have changed as a result of meditation: that entire fight lasted five
minutes from start to finish. A few years ago, it could have taken at least five hours.
Even after my apology, Lou would have needed hours to process his emotions.
Meditation has shortened the duration and intensity of our fights. And we got to enjoy
the rest of our evening as a result.

LEARNING TO PROCESS EMOTIONS

Meditation isn't a magic pill that will eliminate all of your problems. Nonetheless, it can
become a valuable tool for dealing with anything life throws your way. Daily meditation
can help you reduce your stress levels, improve your focus, and sleep better at night.
My daily meditation practice has radically improved my relationships with friends and
family members, as well as my relationship with myself, and I can't wait to share this
experience with you.
CHALLENGE 2: 30 DAYS OF MEDITATION

This 30 Day Challenge is unlike any other in this book because an expert joins us! Our
very own meditation teacher, Eddie Vero, will share his knowledge on how to meditate
and build an effective daily practice. Please take advantage of the free additional videos
exclusively available on our website: wildweroam.com/challengetwo using the password
growth.

CHALLENGE 2: LEVELS

Beginner: Meditate 5 minutes twice per day

Intermediate: Meditate 20 minutes twice per day
Expert: Meditate 1 hour twice per day
Chapter 3: Never Stop Learning
As babies and toddlers, we experience the world through play. We learn to crawl
because we want to explore at our own pace. We learn to talk so we can communicate
our needs and thoughts. We probably even remember that stage of our lives where we
couldn't stop asking annoying questions. Why do some trees stay green while others
lose their leaves? Why do dogs bark but cows moo? For our parents or loved ones, this
phase must have felt endless. And yet, one day we grow up and stop asking questions.

For this month's 30 Day Challenge, we're going to jump back to a time before school
made us feel like learning was a chore. Because before we looked to outward forces to
decide where we should focus our minds, we were in touch with an internal compass
that was happy to lead the way. That's why our third challenge is a reading challenge.
Even though Lou and I believe in the power of videos to spark inspiration and to begin
the learning process, we always turn to books when we want to understand a topic
deeply.

In Walter Isaacson's biography of Leonardo Da Vinci, he investigates the development

of Da Vinci's education: "His curiosity, like that of Einstein, often was about phenomena
that most people over the age of ten no longer puzzle about: Why is the sky blue? How
are clouds formed? [….] Leonardo's relentless curiosity and experimentation should
remind us of the importance of instilling, in both ourselves and our children, not just
received knowledge but a willingness to question it—to be imaginative and, like talented
misfits and rebels in any era, to think different."6

Curiosity for the world and creativity are innately tied together, but unfortunately, our
society isn't designed to reward the person who never stops asking questions. Just think
about a modern classroom, and what would happen if the teacher stopped to answer
every single question? Teachers are under enormous pressure to get through the
material, improve test scores, and manage large class sizes. This environment doesn't
allow space for each child's interests.

Instead, school becomes a place where children learn how to jump through hoops to get
stickers, awards, and good grades. Most important of all, they learn to sit still and be
quiet. For many children, this system steals their natural desire to learn.

WHO HAS TIME TO READ THE WHOLE BOOK?

I loved going to school not because I loved learning, but because I loved socializing. But
as I got older and the work piled on, I liked it less and less. By middle school, I was
already reading SparkNotes instead of the assigned books. (SparkNotes is a website
that summarizes the books assigned in school, so you don't have to read them.)
Reading summaries helped me get my homework done after soccer practice and still
have time to watch my favorite TV shows like The OC and Gossip Girl.
But even though I was able to skate by and get good grades, for the most part, I never
learned how to apply myself. By college, I was thoroughly checked out. This meant
picking classes based on creating a convenient schedule rather than topics I cared
about. Doing the least amount of reading as possible. I procrastinated and pulled all-
nighters to write papers the day before they were due.

I could have used those privileged years to explore different topics and maybe even
stumble upon a real passion. Instead, when college ended, I had no idea what I wanted
to pursue. I ended up working in an elementary school in Harlem, New York, but then
quit after half a year. Next, I found a job working in sales at a tech start-up. I hoped this
would be precisely what I needed - start-ups are high energy, competitive, and offer a lot
of growth potential, right? Well, a year and a half later, the start-up went under, and I
was right back where I started.

Without grades or a specific track like medical school to dictate my next move, I
floundered. And that is when we decided to move to Berlin.

LOU'S GOT GRIT

Luckily for me, Lou's one of those people who managed to graduate from college with
his intrinsic motivation still intact. And when we arrived in Berlin, I finally got to see how
effective he was at pursuing his passions without the need for formal structure. Our
dream began as a desire to make an alternative travel show like Anthony Bourdain’s No
Reservations. But our show would be vegan and progressive, with me as the female
host. Lou would be the cameraman and video editor. And I would be the producer. We'd
sell it to a TV Network and be paid to travel all over the world. What could be so hard?

Upon arrival in Berlin, Lou taught himself how to film, photograph, edit, audio level, and
color correct. He relied on YouTube tutorials, camera forums, and hours upon hours of
trial and error. Over the months, he took endless, detailed notes on other travel shows.
Recording shot composition, duration, and movement allowed him to figure out how we
would replicate the process. He searched for answers to questions like: What types of
music would we need to secure rights to? How did that music affect pacing and mood?
Meanwhile, I was floundering with the lack of structure. You see, Lou was tapping into
something that I lacked at this point in my creative journey - intrinsic motivation and a
growth mindset.

MINDSET IS EVERYTHING

There was no one there to give Lou an "A" on a video or set out a curriculum for him to
follow. In fact, most people around us thought that he was making a huge mistake. He
was advised to enroll in film school or take video editing classes. But Lou stuck with his
plan. He didn't want to spend the money on school. On top of that, Lou was confident
that if he gave himself enough time, he could learn all the skills needed to become a
successful filmmaker. This sense of self-belief stemmed from the fact that over many
years, Lou had cultivated something called a growth mindset.7
Carol Dweck, a psychology professor at Stanford University, explains that there are two
types of mindset: "In a fixed mindset, people believe their basic qualities, like their
intelligence or talent, are simply fixed traits. They spend their time documenting their
intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone
creates success — without effort [....] In a growth mindset, people believe that their
most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work — brains and
talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience
that is essential for great accomplishment."8

When Lou got a software error while learning to edit that he couldn't resolve for days on
end, he stuck it out and kept pursuing his goal. This blend of grit and growth mindset
allowed him to master all of the skills traditionally packaged in an expensive film school.

CONFIDENCE FROM FOLLOW THROUGH

But why do some people turn out with so much willpower and others don't? I decided to
ask Lou about where he developed his ability to fight the urge to procrastinate. In
college, for example, he usually handed in assignments and papers a day or two after
they were assigned. Who in the world does that?

Lou attributes the majority of his confidence to two factors. First, there's white, male
privilege. Our entire culture and media reinforce the notion that a white man is capable
of achieving anything. And thus Lou wasn’t conditioned to be insecure and self-
conscious when exploring a new passion. Now if you’re like me and not a white male,
this won't be particularly helpful advice, so let's move on to the second factor:
completing what you start.

Let me rewind to Lou’s childhood. He’s sitting on the front porch, eating some gummy
bears his grandmother sent from Germany. Out of the blue, his younger brother Sean
says: "I bet you couldn't go a week without candy." After thinking it over, Lou responds,
"I bet I could do a year." They shook on it, and that was that. At just 11 years old, Lou
didn't eat candy for an entire year.

Each time Lou set out to do something and accomplish it, his confidence grew, allowing
him to take on more challenging projects. After visiting Italy in high school and falling in
love with the "perfect" pizza, Lou decided that his house needed a proper pizza oven,
and he was going to build it. He had no idea how to lay bricks or build an arch, but he
wanted that pizza. After carrying hundreds of pounds of cement through the yard to pour
a concrete and rebar foundation, his parents took a second look at his progress.

Now that it was sitting there in their yard, Lou's parents decided it was far too big of a
structure for that spot. He'd need to cover up the foundation with grass and start over
somewhere else. Now, most people would give up at this point. I know I would have
been distraught that no one had listened to me carefully during the planning stages. No
doubt, I would have abandoned the entire project and blamed other people for the
failure. But at this point, Lou was in college, and all these strange challenges he had
done earlier in his childhood had built grit and tenacity. He started over in the new
location, and two years later, he was making delicious homemade pizza for the entire
neighborhood.

THE STARTING POINT

Unlike Lou, when we got to Berlin, I didn't have years of experience motivating myself.
Becoming self-employed was a huge transition, and on top of that, I had never done
anything creative in my life. A few months before our move, I quit my job in NYC and
subsequently realized how much I had been neglecting my health. That past year I had
slept very little, drank far too much alcohol and caffeine, and avoided exercise. I figured
the best way to kickstart my health was to do a month-long cleanse. The one I stumbled
upon was alcohol-free, gluten-free, and plant-based. And since I no longer had a job, I
ended up with a lot of alone time in our apartment. I had so much energy from my new
lifestyle that I decided to do a little research on veganism.

I won't get into exactly what I uncovered. I'm guessing many of you don't want to know
the acceptable percentage of blood and puss in cow's milk at the grocery store. But my
research on veganism led me to a critical realization: there is important information that
isn't taught in school and won't be covered on the news. Billions of dollars are effectively
being spent to discredit and obscure specific facts. If I hadn't known about veganism
until just now, what else was out there that society wanted to hide from me?

REWRITING MY FUTURE

Before our move to Berlin, there were so many different aspects of my life I accepted
without questioning. Things like if you have a headache, take an aspirin. If you want to
be successful, get a good job, and make lots of money. To celebrate an
accomplishment, go out for a drink. To be happy, find a partner, get engaged, then
married, have kids, and buy a house.

Berlin challenged the way I looked at so many of these questions. Never before had I
been exposed to women in their 30s and 40s without children. These women radiated
happiness and experienced life on their own terms. We met young entrepreneurs going
after their dreams surrounded by families that they had chosen - usually an international
ragtag crew covered in tattoos. The expectations I grew up with surrounding marriage
and career paths were quickly disintegrating.

Even my perception of my own country's history was changing as I got to know people
from all over the world. I encountered different opinions about American politics, and I
realized that my education had come through a filter. I started questioning everything:
late-stage capitalism, democracy, gender norms, diet culture, and consumerism. It was
an emotionally overwhelming but intellectually exciting time for me.
I started reading as much as I could. Authors like Tara Brach, Ekhart Tolle, Tim Ferris,
Elizabeth Gilbert, and Paulo Coelho. And it wasn't just self-help books either. I read The
Hidden Life of Trees, Fluent Forever, Taking Charge of Your Fertility, Early Retirement
Extreme, and so many others. I devoured podcasts, documentaries, and spent way too
many hours Googling whatever subject captured my attention at that moment.

At this point, my curiosity for learning had come out of a long hibernation, but my brain
couldn't stay focused on just one topic. I bounced from one subject to the next
overnight. I had so many different questions. How do I create a healthy gut biome? Will
my period ever come back after coming off "the pill"? If I'm bad at languages, can I still
learn German? How do you stop a panic attack while it's happening? Is it possible to
make it as a creative without going to graduate school? It's fair to say that my interests
were scattered at this point. Meanwhile, Lou was the complete opposite.

FINDING A PASSION

I'm still not sure what compelled me, but one day in a cafe in Berlin, I decided to try to
draw Lou's portrait. I loved how it turned out and immediately started drawing every
morning while Lou had his espresso at our local coffee shop. I wasn't just interested in
pen and ink drawing though; I also got my own set of watercolors and began
experimenting with painting. There was no formal routine. No big goal. I was just
enjoying a new interest and filling notebooks up along the way.

But after two years or so of dabbling, I decided that art was actually something I wanted
to pursue with more focus. And I made this decision to prioritize my new passion at the
most inconvenient moment possible - the same day we started our van build in Spain. I
committed to a self-designed 90 Day Drawing Challenge focused on learning to draw
portraits. Each week I created different lessons for myself using books and YouTube
tutorials as a guide. One week was skulls. Then a week on eyes. Noses. Hair. And
eventually, during the final weeks, I was drawing full portraits of women and men of all
ages and ethnicities.

Taking the time to draw for roughly 30 minutes a day during the van build was such an
incredible experience. Lou and I do so much work together, but this was completely
different. And in that experience of carving out time for myself, I learned how important
self-care is for my mental health. The drawings weren't homework for school. It was just
something I did for myself because I felt compelled. Flipping through the filled
notebooks at the end of the challenge was incredibly satisfying.

In the beginning, I couldn't even position a nose or ears correctly on a face. But just a
few weeks later, I could draw something that actually looked like a human. Sure it wasn't
the Mona Lisa, but with each day that passed, I found myself enjoying the habit more
and more. I even kept drawing after the challenge ended.

In fact, my obsession with drawing faces naturally evolved into an interest in urban
sketching once we moved into the van. The new places I saw as we drove through
Europe became the perfect source of inspiration. Successfully completing the 90-day
drawing challenge empowered me to start our first art series on our YouTube channel.
This "Sketchbook Stories" series, in turn, gave me the confidence for "Inktober", a pen
and ink drawing challenge throughout October. Lou and I even made a video every
other day that October sharing the whole urban sketching adventure. I then took all the
illustrations and turned them into a zine, which was the first item we ever sold on our
website.

AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

Looking at our YouTube channel now, you might be under the impression that I've
always been an artsy person. In reality, this is an entirely new aspect of myself that I
only discovered a few years ago. Learning to draw in my late 20s, (which might sound
really young or really old to you depending on your perspective), seemed scary at first.
Why hadn’t I discovered drawing sooner in life? Shouldn't I have been the kid constantly
drawing in her school notebook instead of the one playing football with all the boys? But
the thing is we are all multifaceted individuals capable of so much more than we allow
ourselves.

Toni Morrison published her first novel at the age of 40. Grandma Moses, a famous
American Folk artist, didn't start painting until she was in her 80s. Greta Thunberg is
only 16, but she’s already nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her incredible efforts
as an environmentalist. Julia Child didn't write her first cookbook until her 50s. Vera
Wang was a figure skater before entering the world of fashion at 40. The two things that
all these people have in common is that they never stopped being curious, and they
never let age get in the way of passion.

We’ve found that the easiest and most effective way to cultivate a curious mind is
through reading. Books can expose us to new perspectives and instantly transport us all
over the world, and without leaving the comfort of home. And that's why we chose
reading as our third 30 Day Challenge. We believe that carving out time to learn is one
of the best things you can do for your creative life.
CHALLENGE 3: 30 DAYS OF READING

"If you don't like to read, you haven't found the right book." ― J.K. Rowling

For this challenge, you can commit to reading many hours a day or simply picking up a
book on the weekend if that better suits your lifestyle. No matter what, I recommend you
work your way through all the books in the Expert Level at some point this year. From
habit formation, to how to get financially literate, to how to focus in a chaotic world, we
wanted to share the books that have transformed the way we live our lives.

Even though Lou and I both adore fiction, we decided that this reading challenge would
be entirely dedicated to non-fiction. However, there’s a full list of all our recommended
books available in the Challenge Three section of our website.

Don't forget to sign up at wildweroam.com/challengethree using the password growth

to get all the extra online materials that will keep you inspired through the full 30 days of
reading!

CHALLENGE 3: LEVELS

Beginner: Read Live Creatively and The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg

Intermediate: Read Live Creatively, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, Early
Retirement Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker, and Deep Work by Cal Newport

Expert: Read Live Creatively, The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg, Early Retirement
Extreme by Jacob Lund Fisker, Deep Work by Cal Newport, Radical Self-Acceptance by
Tara Brach, and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by
Susan Cain. After reading these books, design your own curriculum for the rest of the
year.
Chapter 4: Should I Stop Drinking?
Disclaimer: If you think you may be battling alcohol addiction, here are some resources
for you:
Alcoholics Anonymous: https://www.aa.org
Additional Resources: https://www.alcoholrehabguide.org/resources/

WHEN TIMES ARE GOOD, HAVE A DRINK. WHEN TIMES ARE BAD, HAVE
ANOTHER.

Alcohol has become intricately woven into the fabric of modern life. Eating out at a nice
restaurant doesn't feel complete without a bottle of wine. A tough day of work demands
a nice cold beer. For many of us, alcohol plays a crucial role in how we relate to our
peers, how we cope with the ups and downs of life, and how we let go of our
inhibitions.

In this chapter, I want to explore our relationship with alcohol and conscious sobriety.
But before you stop reading, hear me out: I am not saying that everyone needs to go
sober. Drinking enriched many of my closest friendships. When Lou and I fell in love in
Barcelona, Spanish wine was always on the table. Nonetheless, over the past few
years, I've started to question the role alcohol plays in my life.

We've all heard the story of the songwriter retiring to a cabin in the woods with nothing
but a guitar and a case full of whiskey; a year later, he emerges triumphant with a
finished album that casually wins a few Grammys. But what about the artist who
explores sobriety for a year, and focuses entirely on her work instead? I don't think it's a
coincidence that the one year Lou and I decided to give up alcohol, our YouTube
channel more than quadrupled in size, and we got more views on a single video than
we had from all our previous videos combined.

I don't want to use this chapter to try and convince you to quit drinking. That decision
might not be right for everyone. But I'd like to explore my troubled relationship with
alcohol, and how beginning to unravel that history unlocked my creative potential.
There's a myth that alcohol fuels creativity, but looking back at my trajectory as an artist,
I'm starting to wonder if perhaps the opposite is true.

JUST LIKE AN AMERICAN MOVIE

I began drinking alcohol at age 15. My high school had a very pervasive binge drinking
culture. House parties looked like something you'd see in a classic American movie.
Picture kids doing keg stands and lots of drinking games involving beer in red solo cups
and white ping pong balls. At the time, being able to drink a lot "for a girl" made me feel
special and made it easier to fit in. The first time I got drunk, I remember feeling so alive.
I could let go of all my insecurities, and I no longer had butterflies in my stomach when I
talked to boys. I was funnier and braver when I had a few drinks in me - or at least that's
how I felt at the time.

I'm still close with my high school friends in part because the time we spent playing
drinking games and exploring our limits created an unshakeable bond. But I wonder
why I always seemed to be the girl that ended up crying at the end of the night? You
may know this girl. She's had a few too many drinks. Her insecurities start to show, and
soon enough, her friends must take care of her.

I still remember one guy in high school telling me that I was more fun when I was drunk.
I'll never forget his words, in part because I was stone-cold sober that night. I had
decided to take a few weeks off from drinking after a particularly unpleasant experience.
I felt that the only way to avoid it happening again was to avoid all hard alcohol since I
had been drinking vodka the night I got sick.

When I chose to take a break from drinking, most of the people around me didn't
understand my decision. Instead of not drinking at all, why don't you have a few drinks,
they'd ask? I remember feeling so uncomfortable in my skin that night. I didn't know how
to explain that sometimes it was hard for me to have one or two drinks without getting
carried away. It felt so unfair that some people got drunk but remained funny and cute,
while when I got really drunk, it almost always ended in disaster.

MORAL HANGOVERS

The part of binge drinking that finally pushed me to change my relationship with alcohol
was the feeling of dread deep down in my stomach after a night when things got out of
hand. My friends and I used to call this a moral hangover. Maybe I told someone a
shameful secret I wanted to keep private… Or I lost my purse or cellphone in the
process. In the morning, I’d wake up overwhelmed with regret.

My history with alcohol might come as a bit of a shock to you, seeing as we now live an
alternative lifestyle filled with plant-based food and daily meditation. If you've never
participated in binge-drinking culture or never drank a drop of alcohol in your life, these
stories may seem horrifying and uncommon. But I'm guessing many of you can relate to
my struggle, and confirm the ubiquity of these issues across cultures.

SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE

Fast forward to my early-20s, I’m living in New York and working in tech sales for a
start-up software company. Multiple nights a week, I had to go drum up business at
networking events all over the city. At first, it was exciting, but I quickly began to dread
wining and dining all these old male clients. Many nights I came home to Lou asleep in
bed, only to make chaos in our tiny apartment by being an obnoxious drunk person.
There was one night that got really out of hand, and I still remember how upset Lou
looked in the morning. I didn't know what I had said or what I had done, but I had a
sinking feeling in my stomach that something terrible had happened. I don't remember
all the details of this time in our life, but I remember how this morning made me feel. I
was physically ill, but emotionally I was even worse. I felt like a failure. So many
questions circled through my mind. Why can I never control how much I drink? What if
he never forgives me? This hangover lasted for days. When the dust finally settled, I
promised myself I would never drink to the point of blacking out again.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED

Based on what you've read, you might think I was an alcoholic. The thing is, that label
never felt appropriate to me back then, and it doesn't now, either. I never wanted to
drink alone. Most of the time I could happily have a few drinks and not get out of control.
At various points, I stopped drinking for weeks without much effort.

THAT'S WHEN I LEARNED AN UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH

Alcoholism can be defined clinically using a set of traits, but I prefer to see the condition
as a spectrum of behavior. Western society desperately wants to classify alcoholism as
binary. Some people drink to excess, become addicted, and are called alcoholics. And
everyone else gets a pass. But what I came to realize in New York was that I wanted to
make a change in my life without having to wait for my life to hit rock bottom. I didn't
view myself as an alcoholic, and yet, I wanted to reexamine my relationship with alcohol
nonetheless.

So, when we moved to Berlin after I quit my tech job, I decided to explore the idea of not
drinking. We made lots of new friends, and none of them knew about my past. I could
reinvent myself free from judgment. Though Berlin has a reputation as a party city,
there's also a surprisingly prominent straight edge culture filled with people abstaining
from drugs and alcohol.

Choosing to explore sobriety in Berlin meant that I had to face aspects of myself that
drinking had long kept hidden. Is a club or a bar as fun sober as it is drunk, and if it's
not, what does that mean? These experiments also forced me to deal with my emotions
sober. I began to see that I had issues with depression and anxiety. I used to blame sad
moments on the fact that alcohol itself is a depressant, but feeling the same emotions
sober made me realize that alcohol wasn't the root cause of all my problems. I had
some work to do if I was going to be a happy, emotionally stable person.

The break from drinking also meant I didn't have to deal with my usual hangovers.
Throughout our time in Berlin, I never aspired to be completely sober. I went from weeks
of abstinence to weeks of light use, heavy use, and back again. Slowly, I began to
master the concepts of balance and moderation that had so eluded me in my youth.

WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT

Lou is the kind of person who hates moderation. He either does something completely
or not at all. His relationship with alcohol also differs widely from my own. He has a very
high tolerance and rarely gets hungover. But even though the immediate negative
consequences from a night of drinking might not affect Lou as viscerally as they do me,
he still got to a point where he realized that something needed a change.

MAYBE THIS IS OUR TICKET?

To understand that moment for Lou, let's rewind to October 16th, 2018. We've driven
our van Ody to the Douro Valley, which is a beautiful wine region in northern Portugal.
It's the middle of "Inktober," a month-long drawing challenge where I completed an
urban sketch every day. Lou filmed, edited, and uploaded a video every other day to
chronicle the experience. That October was the most prolific our YouTube channel had
ever been - and might ever be. As a birthday present, Lou also managed our Instagram
account and weekly newsletter so that I could focus entirely on my art for the month.

Before starting "Inktober," we had heard from a reputable source that three videos a
week was the secret recipe to get promoted by the YouTube algorithm. We knew this
intense upload schedule wouldn't be feasible long term, but since I had wanted to do
"Inktober" anyway, it seemed like the perfect time to experiment. We hoped that if we
made great "Inktober" videos, we might find an audience of like minded people that
enjoyed creative projects, and alternative, slow-travel.

TAKING A STEP BACK

For the first few weeks of the challenge, I decided to take a break from the internet. I
just wanted to focus on my own experience of "Inktober." Then one day, October 16th,
to be exact, I decided to take a little peek and see how our videos were performing.
What I saw shocked me.

Our videos were hardly getting views. I felt disappointed and embarrassed. I had told
Lou that this series would help us find a more creative audience, but the videos weren't
getting any traction. I had seen other YouTubers complete "Inktober" in 2017 and gain
enormous numbers of subscribers as a result, but our series had no such effect.

So at this point, I did something I'd been resisting ever since we started our creative
venture back in 2014 - I started doing market research. Up until that day, my experience
at a failed tech start-up had ruined the idea of marketing. I wanted to believe that if you
worked hard and made great content, the right people would find your work. Marketing
felt like something other YouTubers did to sell out. At the same time, I felt terrible for Lou
and all his hard work. To fix this problem, I'd need to reenter the world of marketing and
algorithm optimization.

I left Lou editing in the van and told him I was going on a walk. I had downloaded a
bunch of podcasts on digital marketing, how to be a successful YouTuber, how to title
videos, what makes a good thumbnail, the importance of creating a community, and
how to produce engaging content. For hours and hours, I walked and listened, trying to
absorb everything I could.

And during this walk, I realized something. We had been going at it all wrong. We
blamed the algorithm for our lack of growth. The reason we weren't succeeding was that
we weren't willing to niche down, or so we thought. We didn't want to only make videos
about film photography, or cooking, or travel, or any one topic. That would get boring
eventually. We thought our videos lacked the clickbait, hyperactive antics, and
sensationalism that thrived on YouTube. The goal of our channel was never to be
mainstream, and yet our indie approach wasn't working out. Over the years, we had
developed a series of excuses to hide the fact that we weren't comfortable with the
business side of being entrepreneurs.

We hadn't taken the time to understand how our videos fit inside the YouTube
ecosystem, and had neglected parts of the process that were critical for success. The
podcasts I was listening to used unfamiliar terms like metadata, SEO, tags, thumbnails,
and Google ranking. Understanding these terms was a prerequisite for succeeding on
YouTube.

At this point, Lou wasn't doing so well mentally. Going into 2018, he had geared himself
up for this being "our year." Van life would help us create a sustainable business that
would allow us to keep making videos into the future. One day we'd be able to afford a
boat and realize our dream of circumnavigating the globe. At some point, we'd earn
enough to settle down and buy a large piece of land. Maybe even do well enough to
support a family. But as each month crept by and we didn't see results, it got harder and
harder to be optimistic and keep pouring everything we had into our videos.

Even as I write this, I feel self-conscious. It's scary to talk about the other side of
YouTube. For so long, I romanticized the stories of successful people who could say, "I
was doing it because I loved it. And then suddenly it all came together. I got discovered,
a publisher reached out, my video went viral…"

But that wasn't our story. We had done it backward. We had left everything we knew to
pursue our wildest dreams. We'd moved to a new country, and were living in a van. Wild
We Roam wasn't just our job; it was our greatest passion in life.

SHARING THE BAD NEWS

When I got back to the van after my long walk, I didn't know how to tell Lou everything
I'd learned. He was completely exhausted. I wasn't aware of it at the time, but we had
put our health on the back burner for the entire year. The van build had been
exhausting, and we were still adjusting to the new routine of life in a van. Even though
we were having incredible adventures every single day, we were also in a state of
constant high alert. Our quality of sleep had plummeted because of a terrible mattress,
noisy parking lots, and bright street lamps. When it was too hot in the van to cook, we
started eating out and drinking regularly, which was causing all of Lou's arthritis
symptoms to return. We weren't stretching or exercising, and Lou was doing most of his
editing in bed hunched over his laptop.

So as I sat down in the van, I debated what to tell Lou. As you might guess, I'm terrible
at keeping secrets from Lou, so I revealed everything I'd uncovered. Unfortunately,
"Inktober" wasn't the answer I had hoped it would be for our channel. One of the
podcasts taught me about the concept of search volume - the number of people looking
for a specific topic on a given day - and "Inktober" was far too low for any of the videos
to have a good chance of going viral. We had thought it was consistent content that
would push our channel to the next level, but we had been focusing on the wrong
metric. Consistency has some value, but making videos about topics that a lot of people
are searching for is far more likely to create explosive growth.

It seems so obvious now, but the thing is we knew nothing about social media at the
time and even less about YouTube. Neither one of us had watched YouTube before we
started our channel. On top of that, Lou deleted his Facebook profile years before
#deletefacebook became a movement. When it came to apps like Instagram, we were
out of our comfort zone.

IT'S TIME FOR A DRINK

Now we get to the ironic part of this story. I unload all this information on Lou. Then the
battery that powers all our electronics dies. The fridge stops humming, and the lights in
the van go out with a pop. It's been raining for a week straight, so the solar panels are
struggling. Our laptops don't have electricity to charge. Work is canceled.

Now up until this point, we had observed 40 days of sobriety to detox from the summer.
But sitting in our van in the rain, in the most iconic wine region in Portugal, we decide it's
time to go out for a drink. It's strange to admit in a chapter about sobriety how that night
transformed our YouTube trajectory. Yet, as we worked our way through that bottle of
Douro, we saw for the very first time all the mistakes we had been making, and all the
solutions we needed to explore. That night we made a pact to prioritize our creative
dreams above all else in 2019. We would read all the books. We would learn any new
skills necessary. Little did I know, this conversation would inspire our decision to go
sober the following year.

MAKING THE DECISION

It wasn't until the first season of van life was over, and we were celebrating Christmas
with Lou's family when Lou told me about his decision. We were on a walk on the
beach, and out of the blue, he announced that he wasn't going to drink in 2019. There
had been no talk about sobriety leading up to this moment, so naturally, I was surprised
to hear this news. Lou explained that when he looked at his life and what his goals were
for our YouTube channel, he realized his actions weren't aligning with his beliefs. Not
only was alcohol negatively effecting his autoimmune condition, but it was also
distracting him from the work he loved doing. In a way, alcohol helped make our failure
palatable. What would one year of hard work look like without alcohol, distractions, or
excuses?

ONE YEAR NO BEER

I tentatively joined Lou for the first few months of his sober year but eventually decided
I'd commit to all 12 months. Neither one of us had ever gone without alcohol for such an
extended period since we'd first started drinking in our late teens.

Years of work exploring sobriety had crystallized into a decision to go sober for one
year. Because we'd both been gently exploring the concept for so long, the transition
from drinking to sobriety wasn't as dramatic as you might expect. At first, our work didn't
seem like it was benefitting much, either. Then one day, we decided to make a video
about cleaning my childhood bedroom, and everything changed.

Our research on search volume and algorithm optimization helped us identify bedroom
cleaning videos as a potential viral video category. One day we'll write an entire book on
this topic alone, but here are the basics: if you make a great video, with an engaging
title and thumbnail, that most people will watch for at least ten minutes, there's a good
chance it will get promoted by the YouTube algorithm. Do all this perfectly, and you
could end up with millions of views.

Decoding this formula took considerable time and effort, but knowing the theory and
being able to execute on it are not the same. And that's where our year of sobriety
started to pay off. Because when we threw ourselves into making the "EXTREME
KONMARI METHOD DECLUTTERING" video in February of 2019, we did so with a
level of energy and creativity, unlike anything we could have mustered the year before.
Between planning, filming, editing, audio leveling, animating, color correcting,
marketing, and promotion, there's probably over 300 hours of deep-work in that video
alone. Not to mention the 50 hours it took to actually clean the disaster that was my
bedroom.

Before our year of sobriety, Lou and I routinely invested vast amounts of time into our
videos. However, when we gave up alcohol, it became possible to work at our absolute
capacity day after day, week after week. It was as if one year we hiked up a mountain
every day with a heavy backpack filled with rocks, and then the next year we took off
that backpack. The results were astonishing. The "EXTREME KONMARI METHOD
DECLUTTERING" video would go on to get over 3.7 million views in its first year.
Months later, we'd create the "7 DAY WATER FAST" video that's gotten over 7.4 million
views thus far. The revenue from these two videos alone would fund our entire year of
travel; neither would have been possible to make the year before.

As the year has progressed, we've continued to work on this video formula with varying
degrees of success. It's not as if removing alcohol magically makes our videos go viral
on YouTube. But it gives us the capacity to at least compete in that arena. While view
count is an essential metric of success on YouTube, we've always been more
concerned with the quality of our storytelling; in that regard alone, this year blew last
year out of the water.

SOBRIETY ISN’T JUST FOR ALCOHOLICS

Andy Ramage, the founder of the "One Year, No Beer" movement, says that "alcohol is
kryptonite for your dreams."9 A year ago, that statement probably would have annoyed
both of us, and yet, after our experiences this year, it's difficult not to agree. If you're
unfamiliar with his work, you might assume Ramage was an alcoholic or that he
believes everyone needs to stop drinking. Quite the opposite. Ramage wants to target
the moderate, middle of the road drinkers. The people who never get to experience the
benefits of sobriety because they never hit rock bottom. Ramage wants people to get
the chance to feel what a few weeks of sobriety can do for your career, health, sleep,
and interpersonal relationships.

And that's why for this chapter, we will be undertaking a 30 Day "Sober Curious"
Challenge. Ruby Warrington coined the term "sober curious" to describe those drinkers
that don't feel like the term alcoholic applies to them.10 These people abstain without
feeling that they need the forever label of "sober." You may drink every once in a while,
or you may never drink. The difference is that you feel like it is a choice you are making
because you want to and not because you need to. The goal isn't to be a stickler and
never drink again but instead be aware of how alcohol makes you feel and act from a
place of presence, not social conditioning.

For me choosing not to drink in 2019 helped me immensely. Not being hungover made
writing this book far easier. My ability to concentrate improved dramatically, and I slept
much better. I only got a cold twice, which is shockingly low for me.

I didn't only experience physical changes, though. My mental health improved as well. It
also meant that Lou and I got the chance to practice consistently sharing our feelings
without using a bottle of wine as a crutch to talk about difficult subjects.

Taking a break from alcohol can be an incredible way to expand all kinds of
relationships, not just romantic ones. Instead of a night out with friends at the bar, you
can get creative and learn a new skill together. Or instead of a boozy brunch, go on a
hike or visit a museum. At first, it feels strange, but you can use this lifestyle change as
an incredible opportunity to make more dynamic memories with loved ones.

BIGGEST TAKE AWAY

Conscious sobriety forced us to be present in all situations this year - good and bad. I
learned the most during those moments when I craved a drink. Large social situations
such as weddings, time with family, or dramatic events with our job, turned out to be the
three biggest triggers for me to want a glass of wine.
Alcohol wasn't there to dull any social anxiety. We also learned to get creative with how
we celebrate. And the best perk was that after nights that I had wanted to drink, but
refrained, I got to experience the morning without a horrible hangover and so much
pride that I could keep moving forward towards my dreams instead of laying in bed all
day in pain.

And at this point, I'm not sure if I will ever drink again. I bet I will at some point, but for
right now, I'm just glad we decided to take the time to experience our life without it. And
if you feel like a little more sober time in your life might be a good fit, I encourage you to
try our fourth 30 Day Challenge at whatever level feels right for you.

CHALLENGE 4: 30 DAYS SOBER CURIOUS

My biggest advice when making this lifestyle change is to realize that the hardest parts
of the challenge are mental. At the beginning it might feel impossible to be as brave and
silly as you are with a drink in your hand. But if you can shift your mindset, with time you
can learn to let your guard down and have just as a good of a time sober. You might
even be shocked at how empowering that experience can be.

But be prepared, especially if alcohol is a normal part of your social life, because people
might make fun of you or peer pressure you into drinking. Choosing to abstain from
something like alcohol inevitably draws attention to those drinking; they may feel
shamed by your choice and lash out as a result. You're not alone, though. Our goal is to
be here to support you through the next 30 days. I've put together a bunch of resources
on our website to help you from inspiring podcasts, TedTalks, journaling prompts, blog
posts, and books to read.

All you have to do is choose what level you want for this challenge and signup at
wildweroam.com/challengefour using the password growth to get all the extra online
materials that will support you through the full 30 days.

CHALLENGE 4: LEVELS

Beginner: No alcohol Monday through Friday

Intermediate: No alcohol Monday through Friday, plus one sober weekend
Expert: No alcohol for 30 days
Chapter 5: Breaking My Phone Addiction
What do you picture when you envision an artist? Take a second to visualize that
person in your mind. Sometimes I see a painter hunched over her work in a sun-
drenched studio. The paintbrush against the canvas and the distant chirping of birds is
the only sound in the room. No matter what scene my mind creates, there's one feature
that's never present: a cell phone buzzing with alerts from Instagram, or dinging with
emails as they arrive in an inbox.

WOULD THE MONA LISA EXIST IF LEONARDO HAD INSTAGRAM?

Do we need to have our phones with us at every moment? How often are we actually
required to check our email? Why do we scroll through Instagram when we're in line at
the grocery store?

I am so grateful for Cal Newport's books, Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, because
they prompted me to ask myself these very same questions. Over the last year, I've
created a workflow that enables me to use the internet effectively without succumbing to
the distractions that cripple creativity. And because creating that structure on how I
engage with technology is the only way that I was able to write this book, I decided it
had to be a chapter in Live Creatively. It's impossible to prioritize our mental and
creative health effectively without first modifying the way we use the internet.

WITH GREAT POWER, COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY

There is no doubt that the internet is an incredible tool. Lou and I feel grateful for being
born in a time where we can pursue our dreams without any formal training because of
the information available online. The medium of filmmaking, in particular, underwent a
dramatic evolution that made high-quality cameras cheaper and hard drives more
efficient; this transformation is democratizing a once super-elite and expensive art form.

It's wild to think about how much technology has shifted our reality in the last 30 years.
With the click of a button, we can FaceTime anyone in the world. Instead of calling a
cab, we get in a stranger's car, and they drive us wherever we want to go. A lot of
people don't even go to the grocery store anymore, or any stores for that matter,
because they can order whatever they want online and don't have to pay for shipping.
And as each year passes, technology continues to shift the boundaries that constitute
normal human behavior.

But just because information is more accessible than it's ever been, doesn't mean that
we can't benefit from reflecting on the way we allow technology to infiltrate the fabric of
our lives. The first step to fixing any problem is to realize that there is a problem to fix.
I'm not sure if you can relate to the way time can disappear when you're on your
computer, but for me, it wasn't until we moved into a van that I recognized that my
relationship to the internet wasn't ideal.

For example, when we lived in Berlin, my focus would often bounce from a lengthy to-do
list to my inbox, Instagram, YouTube comments, and eventually back to that to-do list.
Even after a particularly productive day, I often chose to check our YouTube analytics to
close out the workday. So I'm scrolling through our subscriptions, and there's a new
video from one of my favorite YouTubers. I don't hesitate to click because the video is
only 15 minutes, and, after all, the workday is over. I deserve a little treat. Two hours
later, my screen is cluttered with tabs and open windows. I've finished watching the first
short video ages ago, and now I'm watching some random video on how to sprout
chickpeas while also googling Wim Hof breathing techniques, and the best places to
purchase a van in Europe. My phone is out too because I'm texting my brother and
scrolling through Instagram periodically. At the same time, I'm still thinking about an
email I need to send to a client. This spiral down an internet black hole could happen in
the middle of the day, at 2 am in the morning, or for an entire Saturday. Yet, it would
take a shift in our lifestyle for me to recognize how much time I was wasting by playing
on the computer.

BYE BYE UNLIMITED WIFI

During van life, the internet became a hot commodity. The first thing we'd do when we
arrived in a new country was to figure out what the best data options were. In some
places, we got lucky, and cellular data was cheap. In other regions, it was much more
expensive. We'd go to cafes to use their wifi or get it at campsites when we really
needed to upload a video. But there were very few moments where we could use the
internet without some sense of moderation. You realize pretty quickly that the last
YouTube video you just watched cost 5 Euros.

Initially, losing unlimited internet access created some difficulties in our life. Uploading
our weekly YouTube videos was a struggle. We didn't always have enough cell service
to call family or friends back home. I'll never forget those stressful moments when we
ran out of data and simultaneously drove outside of the region of the map we'd
downloaded. Without offline maps and no access to Google, traveling through a foreign
country could get pretty intense rather quickly. But over time, we figured out a way to
manage. The lack of wifi forced me to recognize that the way I had been using the
internet wasn't sustainable or productive.

However, even with our limited internet access, I usually had enough data to keep doing
those little cell phone checks. You know what I'm talking about? That moment when you
feel an inkling of boredom, get stuck writing an email, lose interest in a book, or wait for
the water to boil, and you pull out your phone and distract yourself. I rationalized this
behavior by pretending that I required constant email access for work in case a client
needed something.
MULTI-TASKING DOESN'T WORK

Reading Cal Newport's book, Digital Minimalism, showed me that these quick checks to
email that I continued to do while living in a van were actually just as bad as my old
internet habits. Because when we allow ourselves to pick up our phone every time we
feel a slight sense of boredom, we get a dopamine hit, which eventually builds into an
addictive behavioral pattern.

My workflow often looked something like this: I'm writing our newsletter, but also waiting
to hear back if a sponsored video got approved. I really need the client to write back
without requesting any changes because it's Tuesday, and we have to publish the video
today. I can't help but wish we had gotten it to them a few days earlier. I'm not sure how
to start the next paragraph of the newsletter, so I take a second to refresh my email,
hoping for some good news. There's no response, so I go back to the newsletter. Five
minutes later, I do the whole process again.

The problem with this workflow is that I'm actually dividing my focus between two
separate jobs, and as countless studies have proven, multi-tasking doesn't work. For
the human brain, a quick jump between tasks can be just as bad as more obvious
distractions like talking on the phone while trying to read.

CREATING STRUCTURE

Newport's work taught me a much more effective way to handle the exact same
situation. Instead of checking my email whenever I feel compelled, I set a timer for 60
minutes or whatever duration I choose. While that timer is going, all I do is focus on the
task at hand. Before I start the timer, I silence my phone or put it on airplane mode. I
close all the other windows on my computer and turn off the wifi. And then, when the
timer goes off, I can take a break and can check whatever I need to check. There are
countless apps you can install to aid in this process, but I prefer not to become reliant
on another company to help me regain my focus.

By avoiding distracting digital platforms in this manner, it's possible to train your mind to
work through the discomfort and keep concentrating. Newport says it's almost like doing
pull-ups for your brain.11 Over time you can work up to timers of 90 minutes without
succumbing to any distraction. Not only is this time more productive, but also it allows
you to be much more deliberate with what you are working on. This is the exact method
I used to write Live Creatively, and Lou has used a similar workflow for all his video
edits these past few years.

IS SCROLLING THE NEW SMOKING?

Let's take a second to review some mission statements from the most powerful internet
companies of our age.
 • Facebook wants "to give people the power to build community and bring the world
closer together."12 


• YouTube claims, "to give everyone a voice and show them the world."13


• Google aspires "to organize the world's information and make it universally
accessible and useful."14

But these companies don't mention the defining principle of their business models: to
keep us addicted, so we spend as much time as possible on their platforms. Because
the longer we stay, the more ads they serve, and the more money they make.

Whether it's the autoplay feature or the like button, internet companies are optimizing
their platforms to keep us addicted. In his book Irresistible: Why We Can't Stop
Checking, Scrolling, Clicking and Watching, Adam Alter explains that "in the 1960s, we
swam through waters with only a few hooks: cigarettes, alcohol and drugs that were
expensive and generally inaccessible [….] In the 2010s, those same waters are littered
with hooks. There's the Facebook hook. The Instagram hook. The porn hook. The email
hook. The online shipping hook. The list is long — far longer than it's ever been in
human history, and we're only just learning the power of these hooks."15

I'll never forget all the warnings I got as a child that smoking is addictive and will kill you.
But when we went into the computer lab at school to learn to type, no one was there to
inform us that screens could be addictive and destructive like the drugs we were told to
avoid. It's as if our current relationship with technology represents the most extensive
experiment ever conducted on the human species.

LET'S TAKE BACK CONTROL

With a few deliberate practices, I believe we can change the way we interact with digital
media and gain control over our lives. To achieve this transformation, we must first
become self-aware. For example, I realized that quick checks were my biggest problem.
They were hindering my productivity, interrupting my ability to be present, and taking a
toll on my mental health. Your drug of choice might be something else, like constantly
refreshing the news, or scrolling through dating apps, or watching hours of YouTube
every day. There are so many different platforms through which the internet could be
negatively affecting your life. And this isn't to say that these programs are always
inherently evil. It's just that I'd love for us to engage with these mediums consciously,
instead of in the way that is most profitable for these corporations.

A year ago, I found it almost impossible to complete long term projects. I hated that pull
I felt to check my phone or my computer even if I had just looked at it a few minutes
before. It only took a little conscious effort to shift these patterns of behavior, but the
results were tremendous. So I thought that we could go through a bunch of different
strategies Lou and I have used to alter our relationship to the internet, and then you can
see what resonates with you and bring these tactics into your 30 Day Challenge.
MORNING ROUTINE

Lou and I don't work 9 to 5 or Monday through Friday. Our videos often look relaxing,
but the truth is we put extraordinarily long hours into Wild We Roam. And for the first few
years, we had absolutely no routine in our life except for daily meditation. We needed
this kind of flexibility because our filming and editing schedule was continuously shifting,
but the lack of structure caused all our long term projects to fall to the wayside. So in
July 2019, Lou and I finally decided to commit to a morning routine and below is what
we chose:

• 7:30 am wake up
• Meditate 20 minutes
• Drink water + make tea
• 2 hours of focused, deep work 


The whole thing takes roughly three hours, but because we have the luxury of working
from home, this schedule works great for us. For the focused work, Lou usually edits a
video, while I use the time to write either this book, newsletters, or Instagram captions.
However, we both use the timer system that I outlined earlier in the chapter, and we
both put our most challenging projects first.

SET BOUNDARIES

Refraining from all internet use until after we complete our morning routine has been
absolutely critical for my increased creative output. If I spend my morning looking at
what other people have made, I'll get lost admiring their work or begin comparing myself
to them. I quickly lose motivation and get anxious. Time gets away from me. Before I
know it, the day has started, the daily to-do list is calling, and the time I could have
spent working on my long term projects has disappeared.

It took a few weeks of getting used to, but no internet use before my morning routine is
a hard and fast rule for me now. Some days we have a lot going on, so we cut the
morning routine short. Maybe it's only a 10-minute meditation and 20 minutes planning
the days shoot over a cup of tea, but no matter what is on our agenda that day, I refrain
from checking my phone until I've completed my morning routine.

REDEFINING MY RELATIONSHIP WITH EMAIL

I used to be one of those people that could never get back to anyone on email. I read
every email coming in immediately, but because I was always in the middle of a different
task, I never had time to respond, and often forgot about replying altogether. Now, if I’m
adhering to my own ideal practices, I check email for 30 minutes about 5 times a week.
This might not seem like a lot, but we have very few urgent emails coming into our
inbox.
If constant email is something you are struggling with, I'd highly recommend reading Cal
Newport's Deep Work. He gets into the nitty-gritty of how to carve out time in an office
setting much better than I can. My new goal for email is to respond to all critical
messages and then try to get back to as many others as I can within 30 minutes. When
I finish reading an email, if I know I'll never have the bandwidth to get back to it, I
archive it. This was really hard to do at first because I always wanted to save things for
the figurative "one day I'll respond" corner of my inbox. But that corner just kept growing
and with it my stress levels as well. As the amount of emails we received grew and
grew, I had to accept that not every email can get a response.

SCHEDULE TIME FOR QUALITY ENTERTAINMENT

Even though I've made a shift in the way I consume content, I still love watching a new
Netflix show or YouTube series once in a while. My new strategy is to schedule a time
where I can enjoy that content without any guilt. This practice makes screen time more
enjoyable. I've also noticed that my bar for what content I choose to consume has gone
up immensely.

Of course, we're human, and sometimes the Netflix autoplay sabotages us, and we
watch more than the scheduled amount of time, but those moments don't bother me. I
think it's important to build systems that support healthy habits while not allowing those
systems to get too strict or unsustainable. Life is about balance.

GET COMFORTABLE WITH SOLITUDE

We live in an age where it's possible to find stimulation 24/7. Just 30 years ago, it was
the norm to go for a walk without listening to a podcast. People used to stand in line
without scrolling Instagram. No one brought their inbox into the bathroom with them.
Smart phones have robbed many of us of the quiet moments of solitude that used to
constitute our human experience.

The novelist Virginia Woolf spent much of her time alone, walking and thinking. She was
keenly aware of how technological developments were changing human behavior, and
wrote: "… it is in our idleness, in our dreams, that the submerged truth sometimes
comes to the top."16 But how many of us make room for idleness in our daily life? It's
scary how many brilliant ideas have been lost to the ding of a new email.

SCREEN TIME BEFORE BED

I love relaxing after a long day by watching a few episodes of a TV show, but I've
realized that my sleep improves dramatically if I don't have a laptop glued to my face
before falling asleep. Experts often tell us to limit screen time before bed, but it's a
difficult change to put into practice. The only way I was able to make this shift was by
falling in love with reading. Finding great fiction to get lost in makes me excited for the
time that Lou and I have carved out for reading in the evenings. You can find a list of
some of our favorite novels here.
FALL IN LOVE WITH OFFLINE ACTIVITIES

Disconnecting from internet distractions will free up vast amounts of time in your day.
You can use this time to learn an instrument, write a short story, pick up kayaking, or get
creative in the kitchen. Depending on what activity you choose to pursue, there's a good
chance you'll need the internet to help master it. The web is where you research, where
you find free lessons, and where you go when you get stumped. To make sure you're
offline leisure activity stays offline and stress-free, you'll need to be prepared. Download
any tutorials ahead of time and save offline versions of blogposts or eBooks so that any
resource you might need to refer to doesn't require an internet connection. You can also
use the same timer system we discussed earlier to help stay focused on creative
hobbies.

The art of conversation is another valuable offline activity that gets neglected these
days. How often are you out to coffee with someone, and at some point a phone
buzzes? Or eyes dart to a screen that lights up with new emails? Or someone interrupts
a group conversation after checking their phone to read a depressing headline they just
read on Twitter. Taking time to have meals with family and friends without devices can
be an excellent way to enjoy the present moment.

IT'S TIME TO UNPLUG

So I know it seems a little strange for someone who makes their whole living creating
content for the internet to want to inspire you to reflect on your internet consumption.
Even so, I couldn't share all the different changes we've made to improve our lives
without letting you in on one of the most effective, even if it is a bit ironic.

The thing is, I still love what the internet has done for my life. At no other point in human
history have we had more access to information. But finding a way to be deliberate with
my consumption has radically changed my ability to concentrate and produce quality
content, not to mention it's made me a better partner and friend. Throttling our digital
use, just like meditation, improves our ability to live in the present moment, and I can't
wait for you to try out this 30-day challenge.
CHALLENGE 5: 30 DAY INTERNET DETOX

This challenge will require immense amounts of willpower, especially if you choose the
expert level. However, small changes, like using a focused timer to get work done or
creating an internet-free morning routine, can have incredible effects on your creativity,
mental health, and relationships.

All you have to do is pick what level you want to do and signup at wildweroam.com/
challengefive using the password growth to get all the extra online materials that will
support you through the full 30 days.

CHALLENGE 5: LEVELS

Beginner: Internet free morning routine

Intermediate: Internet free morning and 2 focused work hours a day

Expert: Internet free morning, 2 focused hours a day, and a complete social media
detox
Chapter 6: Satisfaction in Simplicity
"Food and health are intimately related." - Hippocrates

It took two years living in a van for Lou and me to learn that eating food that makes us
feel great, both physically and mentally, doesn't have to be so complicated. At first, the
transition to simpler meals was out of necessity. Cooking and cleaning in a tiny kitchen
can be challenging and time-consuming. But then when Lou's Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
flared up in March 2019, we focused on making simple meals to bring him back to
health. Learning to prioritize health in our day and age is no easy lesson; it's no surprise
that it's taken us most of our 20s to get the hang of it.

Before I explain exactly what we eat to thrive in the van, I need to give you a bit of
backstory on how we ended up on an oil-free plant-based vegan diet. Between Lou's
battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis and my own issues with an eating disorder, figuring out
a healthy relationship to food has definitely been a complicated journey.

***If hearing about an autoimmune disease or eating disorder could be triggering for
you, please feel free to skip to the next chapter***

THE PAIN KEEPS SPREADING

It all started when Lou was in his first year of college and started waking up stiffer than
usual. At first, it became difficult to open and close his fingers, but over the next few
years, that stiffness morphed into constant pain in his hands, feet, and sometimes his
knees and spine. His joints started to swell, making it almost impossible for him to
button his shirt in the morning or tie his shoelaces without assistance.

By 2012, Lou's pain had become unmanageable, right around the time we moved into a
tiny apartment on the Lower East Side in New York City. He started visiting multiple
doctors, but none of them had any idea what was causing his worsening condition.
Finally, he ended up in the office of a rheumatologist, where he was diagnosed with RA,
a lifelong autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks your joints. He was
informed that there is no cure, and if not properly managed, the disease can leave you
immobile, wheel-chair bound, and in debilitating chronic pain for the rest of your life.

HOW DO YOU TREAT IT?

Western medicine treats the symptoms of RA by using drugs that reduce inflammation
in the joints to decrease irreversible joint damage. Doctors prescribe a plethora of
drugs, usually starting with conventional NSAIDs like ibuprofen and working up to
powerful medications called biologics that are injected once or twice a week. Some of
the most common drugs prescribed are Plaquenil, Humira, and Methotrexate. But while
these drugs might stop joint degradation, patients face a lifetime of medication use. On
top of that, possible severe side effects include vomiting, dizziness, exhaustion, liver
damage, headache, and vision problems. For many people, these drugs leave them
bedridden for days, so while they may have less joint damage, the other side effects still
make it impossible to lead a normal life.

In Lou's case, his doctor prescribed a medication called Enbrel, which he had to inject
into his stomach once a week. And within a few months, his joint pain began to
disappear. He started waking up feeling like himself. But even though his joint pain was
diminishing, Lou could feel that something wasn't right.

THIS ISN'T WHAT 23 SHOULD FEEL LIKE

No matter how much warming up or stretching he did, Lou kept straining his muscles.
Even after something as gentle as walking a mile home from work, Lou could end up
with a hamstring pull that wouldn't go away for months. Or sometimes it was far worse.
One day when he was feeling pretty strong, he carried our air conditioning unit up four
flights of stairs with my older brother. This caused his first severe back injury; he'd
continue to have back problems for five years after this episode.

Lou wasn't able to carry anything for months, not even groceries or a heavy backpack. It
felt like he was back to square one, again. The days of playing soccer after work or rock
climbing with a friend were slipping away. Lou desperately wanted to be the young,
active 23-year-old he knew he could be, but his body felt like that of an 90-year-old
man. As you can guess, these injuries were affecting his mental health dramatically.

We developed a theory that because Enbrel suppresses the immune system, it was
also somehow interfering with his body's ability to recover from daily activity. When Lou
brought up his symptoms with the rheumatologist, though, the doctor told him there was
no correlation between muscle issues and his medication. But he did prescribe weekly
physical therapy sessions to manage his back pain. And for a few months, Lou went to
those appointments, saw a chiropractor, and got bi-weekly medical massages. After
many months of rehab, and many dollars spent, Lou finally felt reasonably healthy
again. But we were about to go through an enormous life transition, which would bring a
whole new set of challenges.

MOVING TO GERMANY

It was now 2014, we had recently gone vegan, and were living in Berlin. Getting Lou's
medication became a nightmare since we were still on American health insurance. We
devised a strategy where we would have his prescription sent directly to my house in
the U.S. My parents would store the injections in the refrigerator as they needed to stay
cold, and when we went home every 5 to 6 months, we would bring back a lunchbox full
of shots.
To manage the lack of supply, Lou started weaning the injections down from weekly to
monthly. However, over time, the process of acquiring the medication became too
exhausting and expensive. Lou decided that he didn't want to be on the drug for the rest
of his life and stopped taking his injections.

We definitely do not recommend coming off medication without the help of your doctor.
Looking back, it was reckless, but at the time, we were overwhelmed living abroad, and
it felt like our only option.

EVERYTHING FELL APART

In March of 2016, after about a year off the medication, Lou came into our kitchen
where I was sitting, and I could tell something wasn't right. After a little coaxing, he
explained how his pain levels were back to the same as they’d been in New York.

Even though Lou and I pride ourselves on having excellent communication in our
relationship, I knew him sharing this with me meant things were terrible. One of Lou's
coping mechanisms for living with chronic pain is to remove complaining from his
vocabulary. Whether he is tired, hungry, in pain, too cold, too hot, he never brings it up.
So when he said he was struggling, I knew his pain levels must have been out of
control. It was time to take action.

WHAT ARE WE DOING WRONG?

Even though we had been vegan for a few years at this point, I knew that we weren't
making health our top priority. Lou and I have always loved to cook together, but we
also ate out many nights a week. Lou was an avid coffee drinker and drank alcohol
regularly too. On top of that, we had just started our own business in a foreign country
and were battling visa issues, which caused a great deal of stress.

It's important to note that up until this point, all the information we had been told was
that lifestyle choices do not affect RA. No doctor had ever mentioned diet as a way to
manage symptoms - even when asked this question point blank. But deep down, I knew
some part of our lifestyle was causing Lou's body to react negatively, I just had to figure
out what we were doing wrong.

PAIN-FREE, DRUG-FREE

I began to research how to manage autoimmune conditions naturally. One thing was
clear: if we were going to get Lou pain free without drugs, everything would need to
change.

My first moment of clarity came late one night at the computer when I stumbled upon
the work of Clint Paddison.17 He is an Australian, who also suffered from Rheumatoid
Arthritis, but unlike Lou, Clint’s disease progressed so quickly that within 2 years of his
diagnosis, he was barely able to walk. After surgeries and multiple harsh medications
failed him, he developed his own protocol involving diet, exercise, and mindset. He
shared all the information he discovered in his eBook. Hoping it might have the
answers, I read the whole 145-page guide cover to cover in a day. Right away, I knew
that if I could get Lou to commit, then we might finally have found the solution.

CHOOSING HEALTH

For the first two weeks, Lou was miserable. Giving up coffee left him with the worst
migraine of his life. He was nauseous, could barely think, and on top of that, all he was
allowed to eat at the beginning of the program was cucumber/celery juice, quinoa,
buckwheat, dulse (seaweed) and miso (a fermented soybean paste). The plan called for
no animal products, no coffee, no alcohol, no gluten, no oil, no processed sugar, and no
high-fat plant foods like avocado or nuts. It worked like any other elimination diet. At the
beginning of the program, the baseline foods remain simple and then slowly over
weeks, and then months, you introduced new foods to see if your RA symptoms return.

I still can't believe how quickly Lou's health transformed. Within a month, his pain levels
had gone from 9 to 2. (On his scale a 10 represents unbearable pain like a shattered
bone coming out of your skin, while a zero is peak physical health.) He had lost 15
pounds, which we think was mainly the water weight from so much swelling in his joints.
His taste buds were even changing, too, and he began to enjoy simple foods like
steamed sweet potato. A few weeks earlier, those same foods had made him queasy.

But the Paddison Program was focused on more than just food. One of the most critical
aspects of managing an autoimmune disease is learning tools to manage stress. Clint
was a massive proponent of Bikram Yoga as a way to heal stiff joints, so Lou started
attending classes at a studio near our apartment. We also began meditating twice a day
and took some time off of content creation to focus on healing.

Instead of going to restaurants and bars with friends like we used to, we had to find new
ways to spend quality time together. We started meeting people for tea, going to a
museum or a movie, playing bocce ball in a park, or going for a walk. With time all these
new habits started to feel more natural. And every day that I made us green juice, Lou
got stronger and stronger.

"ALL DISEASE BEGINS IN THE GUT." - HIPPOCRATES

The goal of the Paddison Program with all the food and lifestyle restrictions is to create
the ideal atmosphere for gut healing. As your gut heals, less inflammation spreads
through your body, and therefore your symptoms start fading away. When it came to
food, that meant spending a few months eating simple meals. We ate quinoa, rice,
sweet potato, green vegetables, dulse, miso, fresh squeezed orange juice, and
cucumber/celery juice. Slowly as his gut got stronger, we were able to introduce new
foods. Sometimes a new food would cause a flare up, and we would go back to the
basics until his body calmed down before beginning the introduction phase all over
again.
Managing your health with lifestyle versus medication is definitely a more time-intensive
path. You have to commit to changing every waking moment of your day rather than just
a moment where you take a pill or inject a shot, but for Lou, it was an incredibly
empowering experience. Slowly his taste buds adjusted, and we found a set of meals
that worked. With time, it took far less willpower to avoid the espresso or the take-out
Thai food. In fact, now, Lou doesn't even need any willpower to resist coffee, which, five
years ago, would have been unfathomable.

Though I have to admit, we are not superhuman. Sometimes life gets in the way.
Priorities shift, and health is no longer our number one. Lou has fallen off this lifestyle a
few different times, and unfortunately, each time his pain creeps back in. Sometimes the
problems are subtle, while other times, things get dramatic.

HOW CAN THIS BE HAPPENING AGAIN?

The most painful realization that we had not been prioritizing health came when we
were in northern Spain in 2019. We were living in our van Ody, and Lou had gone to
sleep with a weird feeling in his back. In the middle of the night, he woke up in
excruciating pain. His back was spasming so severely that he couldn't even get out of
the van.

We're not sure exactly what caused this specific injury, but looking back, there were
definitely signs that his health was deteriorating. We had been home for three months,
and the lack of routine had made it very difficult for us to stick with a lifestyle that
supported Lou's health. We were tired emotionally and physically, and when that
happens, it's easy to let your health goals slip. Eating vegan pizza and drinking alcohol
had become routine. We missed meditations, and there was very little yoga or exercise.
By the time we got back into the van, we felt like we had been putting our dreams on the
back burner for far too long, so we threw ourselves into Wild We Roam, unlike ever
before. We were filming, editing, and driving every hour we could, and then before we
knew it, Lou's body forced us to slow down.

EXTREME MEASURES FOR EXTREME SITUATIONS

So unable to move or work, Lou decided to commit to his health all over again. He
would attempt a seven-day water fast, which was something he had been thinking of
doing ever since reading about the incredible studies linking fasting to inflammation
reduction in RA patients. However, before this injury, it had never seemed like the right
moment to take time off of work.

With each day he fasted and rested, Lou could not believe how quickly his body was
healing. And by day four of the fast, he woke up entirely pain-free, which is something
he hadn't felt in years. His mind was clear. And at that moment, Lou decided that no
matter what happened, he had to stay true to his desire to be pain-free and drug-free
even when life got crazy.
The water fast was such an intense experience that Lou knew he didn't want to go to
such extremes to manage his health again. If he could just keep to an oil-free plant-
based diet that had worked so well in Berlin and control the other lifestyle components
like meditation, stress, sleep, and exercise as best he could, he felt confident that he
could keep his RA in check. And I am so proud to share that 8 months post fast, Lou is
still keeping that promise to himself.

YOU'RE NOT ALONE

If you are suffering from an autoimmune disease like RA, Lupus, or Multiple Sclerosis,
and feel lost about how to handle your symptoms, I would highly recommend
purchasing the Paddison Program. Our eBook is many things, but it's not an exact,
scientific, detailed protocol of how to recover from an autoimmune disease. Just to
clarify, we are not paid in any way to promote the Paddison Program. Clint doesn't even
know about this eBook, but his guide saved Lou's life, so I am happy to give it a glowing
review.

MEANWHILE I WAS BATTLING MY OWN DISEASE

Now that we’ve chronicled Lou’s journey and how we use diet to manage his RA
symptoms, I think it’s time to dive into how my relationship to food has changed
dramatically in the past few years.

When we first committed to the Paddison Program back in Berlin, it did incredible things
for our family. Lou was feeling stronger than he had in years, and I was feeling great as
well. My chronic knee pain leftover from an ACL surgery in high school had
disappeared. My digestion issues were gone. But even though on the surface I was
doing well, deep down, I had this feeling that I couldn't keep it going. I could sense that I
was spiraling on the inside, but didn't want to admit it to myself.

When we started this new lifestyle, Lou was in so much pain that I took care of all of our
grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. I sprouted alfalfa seeds and mung bean
seeds. I juiced celery and cucumber every morning. I washed and chopped lettuce and
made sure we always had cooked quinoa prepped in the fridge. But while I told myself
this was all for Lou's health, unfortunately, I was ignoring a substantial internal
motivation that was also driving this behavior.

But when Lou went on a trip to Iceland with his brother, being alone in our apartment for
a week helped me realize something that should have been obvious since my senior
year of high school. I finally admitted to myself that I had been battling an eating
disorder since the age of 17.

STUCK IN SILENCE

You might be wondering how it's possible to ignore such an obvious problem?
But over the last two years, I've come to realize that because I didn't talk about things
that felt shameful, I was repressing all the trauma from my conscious mind. When my
eating disorder resurfaced in Berlin, I was no longer the 17-year-old girl from before. I
was different. I had actually begun the process of confronting the darker sides of myself.
It started with daily meditation. Then I stopped drinking. I was reading books like The
Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and Radical Self-Acceptance by Tara Brach. And without
realizing it, I was building a tool kit to start dealing with the parts of myself I didn't
accept.

I was in 6th grade when I first started watching what I ate. 7th grade when I went on my
first diet. Junior year of high school when I first developed characteristics of anorexia.
Senior year when bulimia entered the picture. I relied on these self-harming behaviors
on and off well into my mid-20s to deal with stress, anxiety, horrible body image, and
lack of self-worth. But the whole time, I never thought about my relationship with food or
to my body. I never looked like I had an eating disorder. I wasn't emaciated. I didn't
struggle with negative behaviors every day though there were months when it was all-
consuming. I still had an active social life, and some days I even felt great about
myself.

But because the media portrays only one specific version of a person suffering from an
eating disorder, I never considered that I was sick too. As a result, it never occurred to
me to reach out to a professional about my obvious issues surrounding food.

A MOMENT OF CLARITY

So when I was alone crying in Berlin, literally on the bathroom floor, I couldn't believe it
had happened again. I had lost control, binged, purged, and I was horrified and
embarrassed. I had worked so hard to get healthy. To eat nutritious food. I wasn't
drinking. How could this be happening again? I wasn't even dieting.

But when I got to that last thought, I paused. While Lou was in the house, I had told
myself that for his well being, I needed to be 100% on the program with him for moral
support. But when he left on this trip, I went and got myself a few treats that had been
off-limits. Years of dieting had taught me that there were "good" and "bad" foods. The
Paddison Program requires strict adherence to work, but my eating disorder had found
a way to morph into those restrictions. And that's when it hit me: even though I claimed
to be eating what my body wanted, I was dieting. I was still counting calories. I weighed
myself religiously. Lou's health journey had helped mask my own destructive behavior,
and now I was going to have to figure out a way to finally heal myself.

ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER

Luckily the first thing I do whenever I feel lost is to start Googling. This was when I
stumbled upon body positivity. I found YouTube channels and podcasts, where women
talked about recovering from diet culture and eating disorders. While Lou was gone, I
probably watched 8 hours of videos on the topic, trying to absorb everything I could
about recovery. I learned about the damage the media has done to our self-image as
women. In response, I started following a bunch of body positive activists on Instagram.

But one of the most helpful resources I found was a book called 8 Keys to Recovering
from an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin and Gwen Schubert Grabb, two incredible
psychotherapists. Not only did it have stories of people getting better and having happy,
healthy lives, but at the end of every chapter, there was a journaling prompt. These
writing exercises helped me work through how I had developed this relationship with
myself in the first place and what steps I could take to improve it.

HEALING THROUGH SHARING

When Lou got back from his trip, I finally told him everything. These were things that I
thought would make him turn away, but instead of being disgusted, he held me close
and told me everything was going to be okay. That he still loved me and would help me
through this. I started reading aloud journal entries when I felt comfortable enough to
share. It was much easier to be brave and honest on the page than in conversation.

Slowly I started to share my story with my parents and my brothers. Then I told my
closest friends. And as I kept opening up to people that made me feel safe, I could feel
the weight of the disease lifting off me. It was almost like my eating disorder thrived in
the secrecy, but when I finally brought it out into the open, I could slowly take back my
power.

PUT ON YOUR OXYGEN MASK

Very quickly, I realized that staying on the Paddison Program was too much for me
during my recovery. And even though Lou's health is one of the most important things to
me, the only way for me to resolve my issues with food and my body was to put my own
recovery first.

Up until this point, I did almost all of our cooking, juicing, and grocery shopping.
Stopping that work left Lou scrambling to figure out his new routine. But I kept reminding
myself about the message they have on airplanes: put your air mask on first before
helping others. So as I let go of all food rules and restrictions to heal, Lou's adherence
to the program slowly began to slip, and his arthritis started creeping back in.

The Paddison Program is an almost magical solution to arthritis, but it's not easy. We've
passed on this information to dozens of people suffering from arthritis, and not one
person has ever completed the program. You might already get a sense from the
content we make, but especially since we moved abroad, Lou and I do everything
together. We live, eat, work, and relax together. But while that brings us so much joy, it's
also why it was so difficult for Lou to continue on the Paddison Program alone.
It would take me over a year of daily work on my mind-body connection to feel like I was
actually recovered. I stopped exercising entirely for many months during this process
because I didn't feel like I could do it in a way that wasn't attempting to change my
body's physical appearance. Slowly I reintroduced mild forms of movement like walking
and calm yoga. Throughout this entire period, journaling was an essential part of my life.
If I had a problematic body image day, I could write my way out of it. If I made progress,
I'd run to my journal to celebrate. And if I felt compelled towards harmful behaviors, I
would write about them instead of acting on that impulse.

EMBRACING CHANGE

Suffice to say, it was a challenging year in my life, especially because when I let go of all
the rigid diet structures, my body began to change. But learning to love myself through
that process was the most important thing for me. Recognizing that the media,
magazines, Hollywood, TV shows, and social media present a distorted and narrow
view of beauty was also very liberating. It helped me realize that the eating disorder
wasn't my fault, but that I did have the power to break free from this mindset.

It's incredibly empowering to accept yourself exactly how you are. In fact, I think it’s one
of the most rebellious things you can do in our society today. Corporations feed on our
insecurity. The diet industry makes billions of dollars. We're constantly being told to
change the way we look and watching other people get praise for losing weight. But the
truth is that our bodies do not determine our worth. And even on the days when you feel
your absolute worst, you are always worthy of love just as you are.

WHERE AM I NOW?

It took almost two years before I felt completely confident in my mental health and my
ability to honor my hunger cues and trust that I would do whatever my body needed,
whether that was rest, a walk, a cookie, or a salad.

And while I support Lou completely in his health journey, I can do that now without ever
pressuring myself to be 100% committed to the Paddison Program. I got rid of the scale
and stopped calorie counting. We don't even have a mirror in the van, which makes it
far easier to focus on how my body feels rather than how my body looks. We still
meditate daily, which I look at as the tooth brushing equivalent for my mental health. If I
do have a bad day, which happens to everyone, I push myself to either journal or talk
about it so that I never find myself spiraling downward again.

FINDING HEALTH ON THE ROAD

With such different paths to healing, Lou using a stringent diet to manage his RA
symptoms and me letting go of all rules to get in tune with what my body needs to feel
safe, it took us a while to navigate how to find balance with food together. But after a
great deal of self-exploration on both parts, we figured out a way to thrive individually
and support each other without feeling like we had to compromise.
When Lou and I moved abroad, we relied heavily on our partnership. We didn't know
anyone else, so when things got complicated, we would turn to each other. This is also
when we started a business together and we learned how to collaborate as colleagues,
not only as romantic partners. We built an intense level of trust that allowed us to be
open about our fears and know that the other person would always be there.

WHERE WE ARE NOW

It's pretty incredible how much we've transformed our health through lifestyle changes.
If you go back five years, we were eating out and drinking almost every day, while also
doing very little to protect our mental or physical health. Lou was suffering intensely with
RA pain, and I was secretly suffering from an eating disorder. Thanks to incremental
changes, we are now in a place where we can make decisions that are not only right for
ourselves, but we're also able to support one another unconditionally.

CHOOSING FOOD FOR HEALING

Food brings people together, so when you change what you eat, it can have a massive
impact on how you engage with your community. Whether it's going vegan or ditching
gluten for health reasons or limiting sugar to manage ADHD symptoms, we all have the
power to make dietary changes to improve the quality of our life. But there will be
repercussions on how those decisions affect your social life, especially at first.

And that's why for this chapter's challenge, we want to make sure that you are choosing
to incorporate more plants into your diet from a place of self-love and respect for the
planet and animals.

OUR MINI COOKBOOK

Lou and I get so many questions about the food we eat, so I wanted to share a break
down of our pantry staples, our basic meals, and a few of the more elaborate dishes we
make when we're feeling festive. When it's just the two of us, and we're running around
filming all day, our simple go-to meals really hit the spot, but when we have the time to
make something a little more unique, we love to get creative in the kitchen. I hope these
photos inspire you to get creative with your daily meals! To access our Mini Cookbook
including recipes, beautiful photographs, and our pantry staples please go to the
Challenge Six section of our website using the password growth.
CHALLENGE 6: 30 DAYS OF PLANTS

By the end of this 30 Day Challenge, we want you to be comfortable and confident
incorporating more plants into your daily meals. Our goal is to share how affordable a
vegan lifestyle can be and how changing what you eat can change how you feel.

But we know that food is sacred, and that's why we've created three different levels to
allow you to choose a commitment that makes sense for you. We can't wait to see the
photos of all your plant-based meals!

And to get all the extra online materials that will support you through the full 30 days,
signup at wildweroam.com/challengesix using the password growth!

CHALLENGE 6: LEVELS

Beginner: One Plant-Based Meal a Day

Intermediate: 10 Plant-Based Meals a Week
Expert: 30 Days of Plant-Based Eating
Chapter 7: The Last Hurdle
Sticking with an exercise routine while traveling and starting a small business has not
been easy for either of us. We've gone through phases where we make it a high priority,
and then months go by with little physical activity at all. But regardless of whether we're
in a season of high activity or low activity, we always make time for walking. I'm a big
fan of after-dinner strolls, where we brainstorm ideas for future videos and review the
days' events. Lou loves a long solo power walk when he needs to digest hours of
footage into a compelling storyline for our next video. The simple act of putting one foot
in front of the other opens our minds to new ideas in a way that could never happen
sitting at a desk.

OUR WEAKEST LINK

Time and time again, we've had to learn the hard way that when we fail to prioritize a
healthy amount of exercise in our life, our bodies slowly begin to quit on us. We get sick
or run down. Lou's arthritis resurfaces. And eventually, our creative process grinds to a
halt. But while making time for movement in our life is something that Lou and I are
continually working to improve, it felt wrong not include exercise in Live Creatively just
because it's a subject we haven't completely figured out yet.

Even though Lou and I aren't yoga teachers or personal trainers or marathon runners, I
hope that this chapter resonates with you. We both believe that finding a form of
movement that you love is a critical component of a creative life, and we're looking
forward to tackling our 30 Day Movement Challenge together!

NO MORE #BODYGOALS

After coming to terms with my eating disorder, I had to cultivate a positive body image
and a healthy relationship with food before I could incorporate regular exercise into my
life. I believe one of the most radical decisions we can make in modern society is to
accept our bodies just as they are. For many of us, this is a really long process that
takes a great deal of patience and unlearning. However, choosing to reject the notion
that everyone has to conform to unrealistic beauty standards doesn't mean that we have
to reject exercise entirely.

What role did movement play in your life when you were a child? Young children rarely
stop moving. They're either chasing, running, jumping, dancing, or climbing, but their
motivation has nothing to do with calories. And yet, as we grow older, many of us spend
our time doing activities we hate just to check the exercise box for the day.

FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

Growing up, all I did was play soccer from the age of 5 to 17, which meant that exercise
was a massive part of my life. But I never thought about it in that terminology. It was a
form of play that I loved, not an item on my to-do list.

But in my senior year of high school, I tore my ACL, a ligament in my knee, and had to
undergo knee surgery. Unfortunately, I ended up with chronic tendinitis after the
operation, which ended my soccer career and left me in constant pain. Before this
injury, exercise had been naturally woven into my life, but now I couldn't walk up a flight
of stairs without cringing.

WE DON'T HAVE TO BE A "BEFORE" OR AN "AFTER"

Without the camaraderie of a team or the ability to play the game I loved, exercise
quickly evolved into something I had to do if I wanted to control my body. I would get
motivated to get in shape and outline an insanely intense workout plan. I'd stick with it
for a few weeks before either my knee flared up or life got in the way. This cycle
repeated itself more times than I can count.

And it wasn't until I began my eating disorder recovery in Berlin years later that I
realized that my relationship to exercise wasn't always coming from a healthy place. It
would take me months to undo the belief that I'd only be worthy if I could become the
epitome of an "After" photo, but I am so proud that I can actually say that I have moved
on from this painful chapter in my life.

TRANSITIONING TO A VAN

I knew that to start exercising again, I would need a new approach. There weren't going
to be any more "Before" and "Afters" photos. No more measuring tape. No scale.
Exercise needed to become a place I went to reconnect with myself and recharge. For a
long time, that looked like gentle yoga. Then I started walking while listening to
podcasts. Later, Lou and I fell in love with hiking while on a camping trip in southern
Germany. And then we began the biggest adventure of our lives so far - van life. It
would start with 6 months of physical labor to build our dream home.

When you think of van life, you probably think of an experience filled with natural
movement - swimming in the ocean, hiking up mountains, biking through vineyards,
walking through new cities. But for us, it turned out that a lot of days were actually filled
with almost zero physical activity. Our kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom were only steps
away from each other. We drove to the grocery store instead of walking like we had
done when we lived in a city. And we spent most of our time on the computer creating
content. So while the days we filmed were usually very active, the majority of our first
year in the van was surprisingly static. We chalked it up to getting settled in this new
alternative lifestyle, but in 2019, we resolved to make health more of a priority.

THINGS DON'T ALWAYS GO AS PLANNED

Looking back, choosing to start our exercise routine in the middle of our first winter
living in a van was a bold strategy. We had to take showers outside in freezing weather,
and our willpower was slowly being depleted. And just when we were getting the hang
of our new exercise habit, Lou's arthritis flared up horribly. We were parked in Bilbao,
Spain when Lou hurt his back so severely that he could barely get in and out of the van.

And as I shared in the previous chapter, he ended up doing a 7-day water fast to reduce
the arthritis inflammation as quickly as possible in order to give his back a chance to
heal. Lou's back injury highlighted that our new commitment to exercise was actually not
honoring our bodies. We went from zero training, straight into burpees and jump lunges.
The transition was far too intense, and his injury showed that we needed to ease back
into an active lifestyle.

HONORING WHERE YOU ARE TODAY

Whether you're recommitting to exercise after an injury, a diagnosis, having a baby, or

just because life got crazy, I know how tough it is to accept that your body is in a
different place than it was before. If you were a runner, that might mean you are minutes
off your personal record. Or if you're a yogi, your flexibility might be nowhere near what
you remember. But honoring our bodies where they are today not only prevents injuries,
but also protects our mental health.

So for Lou post water fast, that meant slowly building up his strength again. His intense
hunger faded away after about two weeks of re-feeding, and after about a month, his
energy levels recovered. Tentatively, we decided to ease back into an exercise routine,
but this time we weren't going to overdo like we had at the beginning of the year. So we
returned to the thing we'd always loved doing together - walking.

A HIDDEN KEY TO UNLOCK YOUR CREATIVE MIND

And it wasn't until I started thinking about this book that I realized how influential walking
is to our creative process here at Wild We Roam. Lou and I take at least five walks
together a week. Sometimes they are short 10-minute breaks in the middle of a long
edit day. But our favorite way to unwind from a long day is to go on an after-dinner stroll.
And it is on these tired, rambling walks that we have some of our most insightful and
innovative conversations. These gentle strolls unlock our minds and it turns out we
aren't the only people who use walking to improve creativity.

Virginia Woolf, Charles Dickens, Beethoven, Aristotle, and so many other great thinkers
and innovative artists throughout human history have leveraged the simple act of
walking to improve their creative output. Henry David Thoreau wrote, "Methinks that the
moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow."18

It's important to note that Thoreau’s walks weren’t accompanied by headphones.

Walking either in solitude or with a colleague must provide the mind space and time to
wander.
THE SCIENCE AGREES

A 2014 study from Stanford University asked the question, does walking improve our
creativity? And the results were shocking. They compared the creative output of
students seated versus students walking and found that the group that was asked to
answer questions while walking had a 50% higher output than their peers who were
sitting.19

They continued the study comparing people walking outside in nature to those walking
indoors on a treadmill with the assumption that quality time in nature would be the most
beneficial for creativity. But the results didn't come in as expected. It turns out just the
mere act of moving your body is all it takes to get the creative juices flowing. It didn't
matter whether they were walking in a beautiful place or staring at a blank wall in a lab,
the students who moved still had double the output of their seated counterparts.

WALKING MEDITATION

Cal Newport, the author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism, has a technique he calls
"productive meditation" that I utilize before writing my weekly newsletter.

He explains in a Bloomberg interview, "You go for a walk and your goal is to make
progress on a single professional problem only in your head while you're walking. And
just like mindfulness meditation, if you notice your attention wandering off that problem
to think about other things, you have to bring your attention back to the problem. I did
that during a two year period. By the end, I was really adept at holding variables in my
head and doing pretty complicated thinking, writing book chapters, and proof solving. I
think of productive meditation like pull-ups: It's really hard at first, but it gives you really
big results."20

And this is the technique we are going to ask you to try out for this chapter's 30 Day
Challenge. Because I've found that incorporating intentional walks into our weekly
routine has not only made us more productive, but it's also helped the entire creative
process feel easier.

THE BEST MOTIVATOR

Walking has become a vital tool in my creative kit, but it's also reframed my relationship
with exercise. I've learned to use movement to ease stress, beat writer's block, relax,
reconnect with my body, and ultimately as a form of profound self-care.

I love how the novelist Søren Kierkegaard describes his relationship to movement:
"Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-
being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts,
and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it."21
During my recovery, I've realized that choosing to exercise to improve my mental health
is a far more effective motivator for consistency than guilt ever was before.

EXERCISE FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Many of us exist in a state of chronic stress. In Chapter 2, we explored how daily

meditation can help manage stress levels, but we've found that regular walks
exponentially increase the stress-reducing benefits from meditation. In fact, the NHS is
now even recommending that people with mild to moderate depression exercise 3 times
a week for about 45 minutes for at least 10 to 14 weeks to manage their symptoms.22
For people in wheelchairs or with limited mobility, alternative forms of cardiovascular
activity are equally effective in improving quality of life.

Between work, family, and paying the rent, finding time for exercise can feel impossible.
But we've personally discovered what happens when we put everything else before our
own health. Slowly things start to unravel. And when our mental and physical health
begin to slip, we can't be the best partner, colleague, friend, child, sister, or brother that
we strive to be. And that's why Lou and I had to include a 30 Day Exercise Challenge in
Live Creatively. We can't wait to hear how you transform your activity levels in the next
few weeks!

CHALLENGE 7: 30 DAYS OF EXERCISE

Unlike many of the other challenges in Live Creatively, this 30 Day Challenge isn't a
daily commitment, even on the Expert Level. We realized when doing a 100 day
exercise challenge in 2019 that removing rest days from your schedule is a recipe for
disaster. So no matter what level you choose to pursue, there will be recovery days
included in your routine.

CHALLENGE 7: LEVELS

Beginner: Two 60 minute walking meditations per week

Intermediate: Two 60 minute walking meditations + two intense/sweaty workouts per
week
Expert: Two 60 minutes walking meditations per week + learn a new form of exercise
like yoga, swimming, surfing, or karate. Use this month to get creative and switch up
your normal exercise routine.

No matter where you are on your fitness journey, we are thrilled to do this challenge
with you. All you have to do is choose a level and signup at wildweroam.com/
challengeseven and use the password growth.
Chapter 8 - Live Creatively
This book wouldn't be complete if we didn't have a chapter on finding your creative
passion. But creativity isn’t something that I was very comfortable with until recently. Up
until the age of 23, I had no experience with any form of art, unless you count one year
of violin at the age of seven. I grew up playing sports and loved socializing with my
friends. I used to think being creative was for those who were born with a gift. But when
we left home and moved to Berlin, my mindset began to shift; I evolved from someone
who would never use the word creative to describe herself into a full-time artist.

Our intention with Live Creatively isn't for you to ditch your current life, move across the
globe, and reinvent yourself unless, of course, that's something you're interested in. No,
our hope with this book is to share how transformative it can be when we allow creativity
to trickle into every aspect of our life. Before moving to Berlin, I was blind to the fact that
we can express ourselves creatively in the meals we cook, the books we read, even the
clothes we choose to wear. It's not only famous artists who were put on this planet to
create beautiful things - every single one of us has a story worth sharing, but it's up to
each of us to figure out how to make that happen.

BUT TRUST ME, I'M NOT CREATIVE

Even though our focus upon moving to Berlin was to become filmmakers, the only
reason that I felt confident making such a bold career choice with no experience was
that Lou has always been so creative. When I met him, he wanted to be a writer. He
was the guy on the beach reading an enormous 700-page novel from some obscure
Russian novelist. So when we chose to start a company together, the plan was for him
to be the creative lead, and I would do the business side of things since that's where I
felt most confident.

But when we made it to Berlin, things didn't go as planned. I wasn't aware at the time,
but I was dealing with a lot of mental health issues that were making me feel
unmotivated and lost. So while I did enjoy the collaborative process of filming videos
with Lou, we only shot a couple days of the week. And then the rest of the time, Lou
would be editing.

I knew that with my skill set from previous jobs, I should have been focusing on the
business side of our infant company or working as a producer for our upcoming videos,
but I couldn't find the energy.

On top of that, I felt guilty that I wasn't thriving in Berlin since my move had been really
painful for my family back home. If I was going to put them through all that, shouldn't I at
least be loving my new life? But moving abroad didn't solve my problems as I had
hoped it would.
TRIAL AND ERROR

Even during those tough times, I occasionally found the energy to take action. I was
always on the hunt for whatever could be "my thing" in the way that video production
had become Lou's passion.

At one point, I thought I wanted to be a portrait photographer. I spent a few weeks

learning about camera settings, organizing photoshoots with friends, but eventually, I
lost interest. I went through a phase when I thought we should open a vegan restaurant.
Lou and I worked on a menu and started cooking weekly pop-up dinners in Berlin. At
first, the environment was exciting, and it felt incredible to feed all the people who came
to our events, but after a few months, that lost its luster as well. There was another
phase where I wanted to be a yoga instructor, and then a naturopath, but nothing ever
felt right. The process of finding new passions and then falling out of love with them left
me scattered and upset. We had left New York to be creatives, and yet I didn't feel
creative at all.

MENTAL HEALTH COMES FIRST

In Chapters 5 and 6, I shared how I recovered from a long history of disordered eating
and body image issues. This took time and substantial effort, but as my recovery
progressed, something incredible happened that I wasn't expecting at all.

As I dealt with my mental health issues, my bandwidth to apply myself grew

exponentially, especially when it came to creative pursuits. Without realizing it, the
majority of my attention had been consumed with negative thought patterns. But when I
did the mental work to stop this vicious cycle, the thoughts eventually disappeared, and
I was left with an enormous fountain of time and energy.

I started to explore who I was at a deeper level and validate my story. At first, I was most
comfortable with the written word. I spent hours journaling, focused on dealing with my
eating disorder, and processing what traumas had gotten me to that state of mind. But
as I began to heal, and my confidence grew, I realized that the written word wasn't the
only way I enjoyed expressing myself.

LEARNING A NEW MEDIUM

Over the past two years, I have fallen deeply in love with drawing and painting. But even
though in my experience, it was an eating disorder that kept me disconnected from my
voice, it doesn't have to be this way if you're struggling with mental health issues. In
fact, for a lot of people, self-expression can be an incredible tool in the healing process.
Whether it's through music, painting, sculpture, or any other art form, artists can use
their medium to process their pain.

MAKE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH CHECKLIST

I know how difficult it can be to prioritize the things that keep me mentally stable, so
that's why I created this checklist. This way, if I start seeing a pattern of bad days, I can
look to my list to see if I've been consistent with the things I know bring me joy.

• Have I meditated today? 


• Have I exercised recently?


• Have I been deliberate about my screen time? 


• Have I been getting enough sleep (at least 8 hours)?


• Have I called my mom this week?


• Have I spent any time in my sketchbook?


• Have I journaled about my feelings?


• Have I made time for a date with Lou recently? 


This way, if I don't have the energy to figure out what steps I can take to feel better, I
can go to this list and see if I've been prioritizing self-care properly. Sometimes it’s as
simple as going to bed earlier for a few nights and I feel better. I’ve found that the state
of my mental health and my ability to create content consistently are deeply intertwined.

CREATIVE HURDLES

Whether you're brand new to the world of artistic expression or you've been painting
since you were a child, many hurdles will show up in your creative journey. From
imposter syndrome to plateaus to learning how to handle criticism gracefully, you will be
continuously challenged. Lou and I are not immune to these problems and have dealt
with our fair share over the last five years. Using a few proactive strategies, though,
we've been able to continue producing content regardless of the situation.

THE MOMENT OF INSPIRATION

It's common to think of creativity as something that only comes in the form of a spark of
genius. You're on a walk, and then a poem drops into your head, and it's up to you to
write it down as quickly as you can or else it's gone forever. For us, moments like these
are few and far between. And I believe that we do ourselves a great disservice when we
view creativity as something that only exists in an unexpected moment of inspiration.

THE YOUTUBE HAMSTER WHEEL

When we became YouTubers, we quickly realized that waiting for inspiration to strike
would not provide us with enough content. At a bare minimum, the YouTube ecosystem
demands weekly content. If you want to wait for the perfect combination of motivation,
inspiration, and sunshine, well, you'll be waiting a long time.

Despite our initial hesitation, our weekly deadline has become our most valuable asset.
By showing up each Tuesday with a new video, we've developed the ability to dig
deeper to get the job done. This process has pushed us past numerous creative
plateaus. Each time we pour hundreds of hours into animating and editing a single
video, we're able to reach a new level of creative expression. Repeating this process
week after week resets our breaking point to an ever-higher level.

Consistency can be exhausting, but we're not the only artists that think it's a huge
mistake to wait for inspiration to get started. Jerry Seinfeld credits his success as a
comedian to his daily writing practice. His method is simple. Hang up a calendar with a
box for every day of the year. When you complete whatever your daily goal is, in his
case writing jokes, put a big red X through the box. After a few days of consistency,
you'll have a chain. As Seinfeld explains, "Your only job is to not break the chain."23

Creating a daily routine or even just a formal structure around your creative practice
saves you from life’s inevitable distractions. So with this chapter's 30 Day Creativity
Challenge, I'd highly recommend reading The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
because creativity is a habit. And if you treat it that way instead of romanticizing the
concept of artistry, you will find that you're able to tap into inspiration more frequently,
profoundly, and with more ease.

NETFLIX & CHILL

After a long day of work, choosing to pick up your guitar and practice instead of
plopping down in front of your computer takes willpower. And that's why structure and
proper habit formation are so important when building a creative practice. Sometimes
the things we want to do most are the same things we consistently self-sabotage.

CREATING ROUTINE

When I began writing this book, I battled these same issues. It felt like everything we
were doing was a higher priority. The newsletter had to go out that day. Or we needed to
film a video for our weekly upload. In the beginning, I would only get an idea for a
chapter every few weeks. Hopefully, if I was inspired at a convenient time, I would set
up our folding table outside the van and write for as long as possible. It became clear
after a few months that unless something changed, I'd be writing this book for the next
decade.

That's when we decided to dramatically shift our daily routine. We began a 30 Day 5 am
Challenge. This meant that we'd wake up every morning at five, meditate, put up the
standing desk, take out our laptops, make a cup of tea, and work without distractions for
two hours. On days where Lou was editing a video, I'd continue writing from 5am until
5pm. Within days, the book started to take shape.
It was this month of early wake-ups that helped me to appreciate the famous American
writer, E.B. White's quote: "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work
will die without putting a word to paper."24 These words ring true for all of us whether we
want to become a writer, or we want to learn to dance. Waiting doesn't work. We have to
create conditions that allow us to succeed.

BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF

Depending on when you discovered our channel, you may have been present for our
evolution as YouTubers. We started with vegan travel content in Peru, then made videos
about small business owners. Later we tried vlogging in Berlin but didn't find any
success until we stumbled upon film photography. This turned out to be both a blessing
and a curse.

Our videos on film photography helped our channel grow, which in turn helped us obtain
the commercial sponsors that would sustain our early years. At first, we really enjoyed
the film photography videos. Shooting a roll of film was a new way to explore a city, and
it was exciting to learn how to develop film at home. But as time progressed, Lou found
the videos boring to edit, and my passion for drawing and painting kept growing. On top
of that, most of the audience we cultivated through photography videos wasn't
interested in subjects outside of photography.

We were in a bit of a tough situation because the only videos that did well on our
channel were ones about film photography. We had contracts with clients that depended
on views, so we decided to make all our film photography videos sponsored
advertisements. This way, we wouldn't disappoint our clients, but this solution wasn't
ideal because every time we published another video about shooting film, our
community would slowly grow in the wrong direction.

For the most part, we found that people who came to us for film photography had no
interest in anything else we were doing. A film photography video might get 30,000
views, whereas a van build video would get 2,000 views.

We had no idea how to make content that would help us find "our people." The ones
who were interested in all sorts of creative pursuits, and wanted to live a life filled with
creativity, without just focusing on one limited topic. Our conversations at the time
always circled back to the fact that our channel wasn't growing because we weren't
willing to niche down. Our videos were too slow for YouTube. It seemed like everywhere
we looked for advice, we heard how the only way to be successful was to pick one thing
and do it well for a long time. But how could we pick just one thing? We loved our van,
but we didn't want to only make videos about van life. We were passionate about
veganism, but we didn't want to have a recipe channel. We loved the outdoors but didn't
want to be stuck only making hiking content.

HONORING OUR VOICE

Figuring out what sort of content made us feel fulfilled while also building a community
that appreciated our perspective turned out to be far more challenging than we
expected. And it wasn't until one of you reached out to us that our perspective finally
shifted.

Dan Gaba, a photo editor at The Wall Street Journal, stumbled across our channel
when looking for a film photography tutorial. He ended up falling in love with our
storytelling and watched not only the film photography content, but also our videos from
the van build, from our wedding, and our stories from the road. When he reached out to
see if we wanted to talk, we were overwhelmed. It felt unbelievable that someone from
such a credible source as The Wall Street Journal would have any interest in getting to
know us and potentially writing a story.

SHOULD WE BE HONEST?

When Dan reached out, Lou and I were in southern Portugal in a rental van with my
younger brother David who was visiting from California. We bought an extra SIM card
so that we would have enough data to FaceTime and prepared as best we could. At
first, we tried to brainstorm ways to tell our story in a digestible, internet-friendly manner.
After much debate, Lou and I decided that we weren't going to attempt to give him
something neat and easy to write about.

Instead, we wanted to take this opportunity to share our authentic, messy story with a
professional. Dan is someone who edits for a living and understands how to transform
untidy life experiences into short content. We divulged our struggles and our
insecurities. We told him how much we felt like our indecision to pick a specific topic
made it impossible to find an audience.

We worried that if we told him that our love for film photography had faded and that we
didn't plan on making any more film photography videos, that his interest in us would
wane too. But even though it was scary, we chose to be honest.

THE CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

After years of telling ourselves that our inability to narrow down our passions was our
biggest weakness, Dan turned that narrative on its head. He said that we needed to
embrace the fact that we were "creatives living a creative life."

What we had thought of as our most significant weakness in the internet marketplace,
Dan saw as our greatest strength. But he warned us that most of what we told him
wasn't coming across in our videos. Dan advised us to explore the creative process
through our videos by focusing on all our passions at once. Since Lou's art form was
videography, we should start sharing the editing process more. If I loved to draw, then
we needed to start making videos about learning to draw.
He encouraged us to share our passion for learning and explore our creativity on
camera. Our creative relationship needed to be at the center of our content, not hidden
in the background. The thing that we thought was bringing us down had actually drawn
him to our channel. This call turned out to be one of the most motivating and
encouraging moments of our career thus far.

I'll never forget the feeling when we hung up the phone, and all started jumping around
in the van. It felt like we had finally been understood and coached in the right direction.
That call and our celebration with my brother David will forever be one of my favorite
days of van life.

THE SEED WAS PLANTED

It would take Lou and me many months and hundreds of conversations to uncover the
two words at the center of our channel: live creatively. Not only are those words the title
of this book, but they're also the mantra we return to when thinking about the content we
want to share with you.

Our channel is constantly evolving, and we are still trying to figure out the best way to
integrate our mission into our videos. It's hard for me to express how much relief we
both felt after finding the right words to describe our passion. Dan's call planted a seed
we continue to water and nourish; that weakness is strength, that losses are lessons,
and that the process is paramount.

ENJOY THE PROCESS

Live Creatively means so many different things to Lou and me from staying curious to
prioritizing self-expression, but above all, it's about enjoying the creative process. That
is why we chose a verb - because creativity is an action, not a destination.

So whether you're just getting started or already a full-time creative, it's easy to become
overly fixated on the "what" that you are making. But when we only focus on the final
product, whether that's a painting, a song, a sculpture, or a novel, we miss out on the
pure joy of creating.

Deepak Chopra says that "there will never be a time when your life is not this
moment."25 We can use this idea to ensure that our focus remains on creating, and not
on the final end product. Views, likes, awards, and accolades can never fill you with the
sense of joy and contentment that comes from a hard day of work exploring your craft.

Finding purpose and joy in the present moment is the only way to live creatively.

WE CREATE OUR REALITY

If you're struggling to feel comfortable in your own skin or to find direction in your life, I
hope that reading Live Creatively made you feel less alone. That our book inspired you
to keep pushing forward towards a life that fulfills you. I genuinely believe that purpose
and happiness go hand in hand and that they are available to all those willing to put in
the work.

There is no way that I would have been able to write Live Creatively without your
support. This was by far the largest and most challenging project I have ever
undertaken, but your comments and questions fueled my writing every day. Thank you
for always showing up for Lou and me, and I hope that our book has given you the tools
to show up in your own life and live creatively. You deserve it.

I can't wait to do this last challenge together because it's one we can continue to do
over and over again for years to come. 

CHALLENGE 8: 30 DAYS OF CREATIVITY

Congratulations! You made it to the final 30 Day Live Creatively Challenge! Our goal for
the next four weeks is to bring together everything that we've learned thus far and start
living the creative life we've always dreamed of living.

If you are reading this and have absolutely no idea where to start your creative practice,
we've designed the Beginner Level just for you. Each week you will explore a new
medium of your choice, and at the end of the 30 days, you will be much closer to
discovering your creative passion.

If you think you know what "your thing" might be, but haven't been able to create a
consistent routine, then the Intermediate Level is right for you. In the next 30 days, you
will commit to your craft in a way that you have never done before. This will allow you
the time to see if this hobby is a phase or a passion, and either way, you will become
more confident in your creative ability by the end of the month.

However, if you already know exactly where you want to go in life, and you feel
connected to your passion and want to take it to the next level, then you can start on our
Expert Level.

The levels in this challenge are meant to be cumulative. If you complete the Beginner
Level and feel like songwriting might be your passion, then migrate up to the
Intermediate Level and commit to your craft for 30 days. And once you've accomplished
that, move on to the Expert Level. Or if songwriting wasn't what you thought it would be,
head back to the Beginner Level knowing you’re one step closer to finding your passion!

Even if you feel like you know what passion you want to pursue in life, there are
numerous benefits to starting at the Beginner Level. Exploring new mediums is an
incredible way to help your style evolve across disciplines.

CHALLENGE 8: LEVELS

Beginner: Each week spend 3 focused hours exploring a new medium 


• Week 1 - Written Word (poetry, creative writing, screenplay writing, non-fiction,

blogging…)


• Week 2 - Sound (something related to music: singing, playing an instrument, song

writing, composing) 


• Week 3 - Traditional Art (painting, ceramics, dancing, needlepoint, photography,

knitting, sculpture…) 


• Week 4 - Digital Art (animation, digital illustration, electronic music, videography,

video editing…) 


Intermediate: 5 focused hours a week in your chosen medium

Expert: 1 focused hour a day in your chosen medium, while working on a specific goal
set out at the beginning of the challenge. After the 30 days, share your art publicly in
whatever way feels right to you.
• Examples:
◦ If your goal is to become a stand-up comedian, at the end of the month,
you could perform at a local open-mic night.


◦ If your goal is to write a short story, at the end of the month, you could
submit it for publication or create a blog and publish it there. 


◦ If your goal is to sew a capsule wardrobe, at the end of the month, you
could wear your handmade clothes to school or work or post a photo to
Instagram with a caption that explains your creative experience.

All you have to do in order to get started is choose your level and sign up at
wildweroam.com/challengeeight using the password growth. Make sure to share your
progress with us on Instagram by tagging @WildWeRoam and using the hashtag
#livecreatively. Lou and I can't wait to see what projects you pursue this month and are
so grateful to be part of your creative journey. 

ENDNOTES:

1. Duckworth, Angela. Grit: Perseverance and Passion for Long-Term Goals. 2017,
angeladuckworth.com/.

2. Duckworth, Angela. Grit: the Power of Passion and Perseverance. Scribner, 2018.
3. Hilmantel, Robin. "Grit Angela Duckworth: How to Develop Grit." Time, Time, 12
May 2016, time.com/4327035/4-signs-you-have-grit/.

4. Hof, Wim. "What Are the Benefits of Cold Showers?: Wim Hof Method." What Are
the Benefits of Cold Showers? | Wim Hof Method, 2019, www.wimhofmethod.com/
benefits-of-cold-showers.

5. Knight, Sophie. "Can the Cold Make You Stronger?" The Guardian, Guardian News
and Media, 13 Mar. 2016, www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/mar/13/can-the-
cold-make-you-stronger-wim-hof.

6. Isaacson, Walter. Leonardo Da Vinci. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, 2018.

7. Dweck, Carol. "Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck." YouTube,

YouTube, 9 Oct. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiiEeMN7vbQ.

8. Dweck, Carol S. Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfil Your Potential.
Robinson, 2017.

9. Roll, Rich. "One Year, No Beer & Beyond With Andy Ramage | Rich Roll Podcast."
YouTube, YouTube, 26 May 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vIjyhC_LIM4&list=PLNlNx9Di_AxuSvXu4xRiy6qfx8KY-J-
C9&index=23&app=desktop.

10. Matei, Adrienne. "The Rise of the Sober Curious: Having It All, without Alcohol." The
Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 1 July 2019, www.theguardian.com/
lifeandstyle/2019/jul/01/sober-curious-alcohol-abuse.

11. Newport, Cal. Deep Work. Piatkus, 2016.

12. Zuckerberg, Mark. "Bringing the World Closer Together." Bringing the World Closer
Together, Facebook, 22 June 2017, www.facebook.com/notes/mark-zuckerberg/
bringing-the-world-closer-together/10154944663901634/.

13. YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/about/.

14. "Google." About, about.google/.

15. Alter, Adam. Irresistible: the Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of
Keeping Us Hooked. Penguin Books, 2018.
16. Woolf, Virginia. A Room of One's Own. Alma Classics, 2019.

17. Paddison, Clint. “The Paddison Program For Rheumatoid Arthritis.” The Paddison
Program, www.paddisonprogram.com/.

18. Thoreau, Henry David, and Jeffrey S. Cramer. The Portable Thoreau. Penguin
Books, 2012.

19. Oppezzo, Marily, and Daniel L. Schwartz. "Give Your Ideas Some Legs: The Positive
Effect of Walking on Creative Thinking." Journal of Experimental Psychology:
Learning, Memory, and Cognition, vol. 40, no. 4, 2014, pp. 1142–1152., doi:10.1037/
a0036577.

20. Greenfield, Rebecca. "How to Focus Better and Work More Effectively."
Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 25 Jan. 2019, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/
2019-01-25/how-to-focus-better-work-more-effectively-productivity-exercise.

21. "A Quote by Søren Kierkegaard." Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/

quotes/336809-above-all-do-not-lose-your-desire-to-walk-everyday.

22. "Exercise for Depression." NHS Choices, NHS, www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-

anxiety-depression/exercise-for-depression/.

23. Clear, James. "How to Stop Procrastinating by Using the ‘Seinfeld Strategy.’" James
Clear, 26 July 2018, jamesclear.com/stop-procrastinating-seinfeld-strategy.

24. "A Quote by E.B. White." Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/

68951-a-writer-who-waits-for-ideal-conditions-under-which-to.

25. Chopra, Deepak. "There Will Never Be a Time When Your Life Is Not This Moment."
Twitter, Twitter, 7 Apr. 2011, twitter.com/deepakchopra/status/56027050766643200.