What is Your Rich Life?
Dave and I have been watching the show How to Get Rich with Ramit Sethi on Netflix and the hosts key question is “What is your rich life?”. Everyone has a different rich life and what appeals to me might not appeal to you, and vice versa. Clothes are not my thing. Neither is having a flash car. I don’t have to stay in fancy hotels or eat at the most epic restaurants. But travel, that is my rich life! Time with my family, definitely my rich life.
Dave and I have been talking for a while and going into semi retirement, reducing our costs as much as possible so that we can work minimal hours, and spend our time hanging out together and travelling, living our rich life. Our plans involve lots of slow travel, and the other week we had some time off to do a mini practice. We had the week booked in to do something, but until the day before, we actually had no idea what we would do!!
We ended up spending two night away. The first day we headed over via Arthurs Pass to Hokitika, stopping at Castle Hill on the way. I really enjoyed exploring Castle Hill, and I definitely want to head back to again! In Arthurs Pass we spotted a couple of wild keas, which blew Bennys mind a bit after only seeing them in animal parks. We got to Hokitika just after sunset, but I was stoked that there were still some sunset colours in the sky!! We stayed in a wee unit at a holiday park (for about 2/3 of what it was advertised at on booking.com by going direct).
The following day we headed up the coast a wee way to the Coal Creek Track. It was a fairly easy walk in to a beautiful waterfall that apparently in summer is a good swimming spot, but it was too cold for us to attempt it! After that we stopped at Motukiekie Beach, and while we didn’t get to the cool rock formations, we did get to explore the rock pools. From there we headed over the Lewis Pass to Hanmer Springs (again staying in a motor camp and saving money booking direct rather than online).
The next day we did some exploring through the forest, then hung out in the hot pools for a few hours before heading home.
It was an amazing trip but we also learned a LOT along the way!!
1. We need to make sure Benny is fed because when he gets hungry everything falls to pieces!!! We experienced that big time at Castle Hill. Trying to get him interested in exploring before he’d had a snack was basically impossible, I got completely frustrated and was feeling incredibly disheartened at the whole experience. Thankfully he became slightly more human and adventurous after stopping to refuel.
2. We want to move much slower. Because we only had a couple of nights away there was quite a bit of time spent in the car. We arrived just before dinner each evening, which made the dinner and bed routine a bit more challenging than we would like. It also meant loads of screen time for Benny to keep him happy in the car, and not enough free play time which is definitely needed! I had a client call during our trip, and Dave had a work call as well as doing some work each evening after Benny and I were in bed, so we know that moving slower means Benny will get more play time and less screen time, and we will be able to get in the work that we’ll still need to get done.
3. If we want to do a walk, we need to either find more play, bribery, or plan on carrying Benny. Hopefully the more we do the more he’ll get used to walking and exploring, but for now there is a lot of play, bribery and carrying needed. And snacks!
4. We’re on the right track! Homeschooling is something that has caught my attention for many years, and thinking about getting to have a front row in Bennys learning and exploring makes my heart so happy. Sharing with him the things I love that get me excited and helping him follow the things that get him going too. And learning more about my incredible husband through to process too, what lights him up and gets him excited to the next level. Being out there, seeing Benny playing, getting to show him cool things like starfish and anemones and different rocks and plants, makes my heart so happy! So so happy.
What is your rich life? If you’re not sure I’d love to chat to help you work it out! I love love helping people work out their rich life and making a plan and taking steps to achieve it!
