Inspiring Stories: Don’t wait until everything is all set – take a step of faith

I will be compiling a lot of videos and stories of people I find inspiring on separate pages, but thought I might discuss some of them individually as I go along. What inspires me might not inspire you and vice versa.  And what inspires me can change from one day to another.  But hopefully we can find some common ground!

Anyway, the other day on YouTube, I came across the story of a lifetstyle photographer named James Barkman.  He’s 22 and lives in his Westfalia van and tows a motorcycle behind it so that he can save money on gas and get to locations that he might not otherwise be able to reach with the van.  His website is Jamesbarkman.com.

As my brother and sister in law can attest, VW vans can have a lot of problems as they age and so if you own one, you will inevitably learn a lot about doing maintenance on it.  (They are the creators behind the blog, It’s Not a Slow Car, It’s a Fast House, and are currently on an overland trip that is leading them to South America.) Everyone who has talked about living in a van and is realistic about it discusses the fact that it can be frustrating and super stressful at times, and at other times, they feel like it’s entirely worth the stress and aggravation they go through. James Barkman mentions that in his video too.

In the beginning of the video, and again at the end, he discusses pursuing your dreams before you have everything set in place.  I take that to mean that you can’t wait until is perfect and you feel like you have all your bases covered to take that leap of faith.  He also mentions that wherever you are, or whoever you are with, be there with all your heart. And “be whoever you’re created to be.”  Don’t let fear run your life.

Looking back, I’ve done that at times, most recently, when I moved to Albuquerque without a job, but with the faith that I would bust my butt to get one (and I did!)  As many of you know, I aspire to live tiny, and I’ve recently begun fantasizing again about living in the Pacific Northwest.  I just really miss living near a large body of water, and I actually like the gray days we  get here in ABQ, though they are few and far in between.

I found the cinematography of this video to be pretty amazing.  Please let me know your thoughts by dropping a comment below!  As always, thanks for reading!

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