It’s hard to capture the magic of this summer without also acknowledging the challenges that came with it. I don’t think we were fully prepared for RV life. No matter how many hours you spend watching others on this journey, nothing truly prepares you for being thrown into the fire—and that’s exactly what happened to us.
I didn’t anticipate how much this lifestyle would affect my nervous system. As someone who has dedicated so much of my life to spiritual work, I’ve noticed that this new way of living has become a major area of growth for me. In the past, I’ve always had a separate room or space in the house that I could turn into my own sanctuary.
In that sanctuary, I’d do all my spiritual work—sessions, journaling, meditations—everything took place in this one dedicated area. There were no distractions, and each time I entered the space, I’d immediately feel a deep sense of grounding.
Now, living in an RV, there isn’t just one place where all of that can happen. I’m learning to adapt, finding new ways to ground myself in a much smaller space. Honestly, it’s been a bit challenging to navigate as I settle into this lifestyle.
As I reflect on the summer months of transitioning to RV life, I realize I experienced major nervous system overload. I wasn’t depressed or anxious; in fact, I felt incredibly alive, but also overstimulated. Amid the magical moments, there was a profound reminder of why we chose this lifestyle, but my body struggled to adjust. I woke up groggy, tired, with neck problems, headaches, and constant thirst, surviving mostly on coffee. Even when I journaled, meditated, and performed sacred ceremonies, the relief was temporary; it didn’t fully calm my nervous system.
It felt like I had to be thrown into a dark abyss of uncertainty and lack of control to lose myself, only to find myself again and rediscover the beauty and power of the body. The RV life has pushed us to the limit in every aspect. There are nights when we laugh at how far we’ve come, embracing the “trailer trash” aspect of this life, and yet finding it fulfilling in its own way.
Now, I’m on a new journey to understand and support the nervous system. Through yoga, herbs, breathwork, and journaling, I’m integrating this new knowledge because, without a regulated nervous system, nothing else is possible. We seek creation and those in-between moments, but if we’re not fully aligned with and connected to our bodies, we miss out on what truly matters.
Dishes
Dishes are a constant in the RV, and I actually love it. We have fewer dishes, so the clutter doesn’t pile up, but it does mean they need to be done more often. Washing them by hand, drying them, and putting them away immediately is essential to keeping our small space from turning into chaos. It’s a simple task, but it definitely takes a little longer than it used to.
Showers
Even something as basic as a warm shower now requires a bit of planning. First, we have to turn on the water pump and make sure the water’s heated up. Then comes the mental juggling act:
•When did we last drain the gray water tank?
•Will there be enough hot water for both of us?
•Should I wash my hair now, or do I need to drain the tank first?
It’s these little things—decisions we never thought about before RV life—that now take up mental space and add extra steps to the simplest routines.
Laundry
Laundry is another task that’s turned into an adventure of its own. Finding a good laundromat that doesn’t ruin our clothes, cost a fortune, or take forever has been a learning curve. Some places have been great, while others? Let’s just say we know which ones to avoid now.
Indoor Cooking: A Summer Challenge
Cooking in an RV comes with its own set of challenges, and summer takes it to a whole new level. Since moving into the RV, we haven’t dared turn on the oven or use the microwave. It’s just been too hot, and cooking inside would turn our tiny space into an oven of its own—one that takes forever to cool down.
Instead, we’ve had to get creative with meals, relying on outdoor cooking, quick fixes, or anything that doesn’t add to the heat. While it’s worked, I’d be lying if I said I’m not counting down the days until cooler weather rolls in. When it does, I can’t wait to fire up the oven and start cooking inside again. Until then, it’s all about staying cool and keeping things simple!
The Stench of Summer: Bathroom Battles
Ah, summer. The sun shining, the birds chirping… and the bathroom reeking. One of the joys of RV life we hadn’t quite prepared for was the relentless battle with “the kids dropping off at the pool” in the heat of the day. Being in the sun most of the time meant the brewing mess in our tank had a knack for trying to stink up the whole place.
It was a constant struggle, but we weren’t going down without a fight. After some trial and error, we found a few lifesavers. Happy Camper became our go-to product, along with extra pods from the RV section. Both helped keep things manageable, but the real MVP? Incense.
Let me tell ya, when things got bad, lighting one of those incense sticks was like calling in reinforcements. They saved us more times than we could count.
Was it glamorous? Nope. But it’s all part of the RV adventure and we survived the smelly summer.
The Portable Black Water Tank: Family Bonding, RV-Style
Since we planned to stay stationary for the first few months, we opted for a portable black water tank. The idea was simple: fill the tank, then haul it to a nearby dump station. Luckily, we found a few local stations close by to make the process manageable.
What started as just another RV chore quickly turned into an unexpected Sunday family bonding ritual. Every week, we’d load up the tank, pack up the boys, and head to the dump station together. Once the job was done, our reward was always the same: a stop at Maverik for ice water or a fun drink.
It might not sound glamorous, but there was something about the routine that brought us closer. It became less about the chore and more about the shared experience—the laughter, the teamwork, and the little moments in between.
“Laughter. I can’t express enough how this summer pushed us to our limits in every way, but isn’t that just how life is? There are times when things don’t look pretty, we’re navigating unknowns, and we find ourselves teetering on the edge of survival mode. It’s in those moments that laughter becomes the greatest medicine.
You hear the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine,” and this summer made us truly live that truth. Under the blazing sun, our hot and messy days became a poetic experience for Kurtis and me. It wasn’t perfect—in fact, it was far from it. Life felt unstable, looked chaotic, and smelled… well, let’s not get into that.
But through it all, we laughed. We laughed at the instability, the chaos, and the sheer absurdity of trying to hold it all together. Because that’s life, right? A balance of messy and beautiful, chaotic and calm.
If we spend all our time striving for perfection, trying to keep everything just right, we lose sight of what truly matters: living in the moment. Laughter gave us that. It allowed us to stand face-to-face with life’s challenges, struggles, and imperfections, and still find joy in the connection we shared.
In those moments of laughter, we got a glimpse of what it really means to live in the present. And honestly, isn’t that what life is all about?”
Gemma,
The Medicine Fairy