New Post at Boom Travel & Wellness

My wife in her ultramarathon days.

FINDING YOUR WHY

Motivation. Whether we like the word or not, motivation is what causes us to get up out of our chairs and do something. We all need it, otherwise, we’ll never get going!

A lack of motivation, then, is what causes us to stay the same, not change, and sometimes not do anything at all. In fact, a severe lack of motivation can lead to depression; physical and mental lethargy.

Motivation comes in different forms. (For more click on the link.)

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FYI - My wife and I have started a new blog called Boom Travel & Wellness. The purpose is to share stories of travel, transformation, and wellness - all in the pursuit of a healthy, active lifestyle.

We'd love of your to subscribe that way you can keep up with our journey as we transition from Kansas to Puerto Rico ... and beyond! We'll be doing a lot of travelogues and sharing of ideas, inspiration, and tips to maintain a balanced, but adventurous, life.

Big Reveal - We're Moving to Puerto Rico!

It's official...we're cleared for takeoff! 

We’re excited to announce the launch of Boom Travel & Wellness – a place to talk travel, transformation, and wellness. Follow along as we make a life transition from Kansas to Puerto Rico ... and beyond!

I'll still be blogging daily here, but at our new site, my wife and I will be sharing about our adventures near and far – new and exciting destinations and discoveries. Places, people. Hidden gems and favorite locales.

Via various social media sites, we want to connect with anyone interested in travel and healthy life change, though our new blog, FB page, and IG account, etc., are especially for those wanting to maintain an active lifestyle during those wonderful ‘boom’ years just around the corner for so many of us.

We invite you to join us on the journey!

As we talked about entering this next chapter of our lives, we liked the idea of doing ‘a new thing’ – and to experience the transformation that occurs during the process.

The grape harvest represents the kind of change we’re after. That’s us in the photo. Picking grapes, participating in the process of turning this delicious fruit into wine.

All the while enjoying the complete adventure – the before, during, and after! Sharing what’s good and encouraging others to experience the good in life is part of our mission.

If you’re looking for a positive place to find inspiration and share your empowering tales of travel, transformation, and wellness, then check out our new blog.

One of the first things we’ll talk about is the event that sparked this whole enterprise…our decision to move from Kansas to Puerto Rico!

That’s right, over the next six to nine months (and then beyond as we branch out from our new home base in PR), we’ll relate the good, the bad, and the ugly of this transition. Should be fun! Should be exciting! And could be a little scary, too!

We’re pretty stoked. Life is full of opportunities. Are you looking for them? Maybe, as we share our story, we can help you find a new, fulfilling route for you to follow in the near future.

Check in for regular updates as to our progress. Along the way, you’ll be inspired, entertained, and encouraged. At least, that’s our goal. Thanks for joining us!

Congratulations to My Wife on Her Retirement!

My wife retired from full time employment last Friday after ten years at the local YMCA. I’m celebrating her accomplishments with this blog post (among other things like dinner, wine, flowers and chocolate!).

She started her working career in high school, as so many have, at McDonalds. Didn’t enjoy coming home smelling like hamburgers, so switched to retail at Sears. There, all the older ladies smoked so she came home smelling like an ashtray. Pick your poison, I guess. ;-)

Put herself through school on that job at Sears – at a private Christian college outside of Chicago, no less! With a few grants and a couple of gen ed courses from a community college, she graduated with a BA in Elementary Ed without taking a loan. She’d started saving for college in the eighth grade!

We got married at the end of our junior year, had a baby right before graduation, and then we moved to Philadelphia for my seminary. There she taught 2nd grade at a private Christian academy in North Philly in exchange for about 9k a year! We were living large.

After the birth of our second child, we moved to western PA, where I served as a pastor. She entered the field of social work with a position at Family Preservation Services. She also did a bit of retail again; part time at a Hallmark store so she could buy me Star Trek ornaments on discount!

A full time mom and "pastor's wife" (sans piano playing), my wife earned her MEd at nearby Slippery Rock University. (Yes, such a place exists! And we're still on their mailing list despite asking them to save a tree.)

When we moved to Kansas twenty-six years ago, my accomplished life-partner continued her career in non-profits with positions at Early Head Start and Mental Health Services. She then transitioned to becoming the Director of Operations at a private special education clinic and school, serving in that position for ten years.

At this point, her interest in ultramarathoning and physical fitness led her to obtain her nationally recognized ACSM certification for personal training. (And when I say interest, I mean passion! A few years back I crewed for her as she completed a few 12- and 24-hour events as well as a 50 miler or two!)

With certificate in hand, she joined a local branch of the YMCA as a trainer, working her way up through the ranks to Senior Program Director. She has now concluded her career there and is retiring from close to forty years of full time employment.

Man, time flies since I first fell in love with that teenager I met orientation weekend in college! She’s as beautiful today as she was then and I’m so excited to celebrate her accomplishments. Even more excited to enter this next chapter of our lives together.

What will that next chapter entail?

Well, on February 1 we’ll announce a new website, Facebook page, Instagram account, etc. (expanding to YouTube, TikTok, Twitter and more as time allows) in order to focus on travel, transformation, and wellness.

Not planning to be social media influencers, per se, just sharing our journey into this next wonderful era of active living and encouraging others to live the good life along the way.

And we’re moving!

But more on that next week. Until then, join me in celebrating my wife’s successful career path that has led to a much-earned change of pace and transition to a new phase of life.

Love you, babe. Congrats!