Your Plan, and Then There’s Real Life

We’re finishing the school term, and suddenly we’re here: three weeks off at the end of the year. Living in Bali has taught me something I’ve shared before—you can have your plans, and then there are Bali plans. Things unfold differently here. Slower. Less rigid. I’m learning to loosen my grip and move more with what’s actually happening, rather than what I thought would happen.

Normally, I don’t leave travel planning to the last minute. I like structure. I like knowing what’s next. But this season came with a series of personal events that needed my attention first. Travel planning moved to the back burner—not because it wasn’t important, but because it didn’t need to be forced.

Now the break is here, and we’re deciding where to go in real time. What matters most isn’t maximizing experiences or spending more money. It’s being able to take a real break, travel thoughtfully, and stay within a budget that feels supportive rather than stressful.

We’ll spend part of our vacation here in Bali, letting the days be simple. After that, we’re hoping to travel to one of the countries near by  and we’re exploring options that allow us to enjoy being somewhere new without defaulting to expensive hotels or high-season Airbnb rates.

One option we’re considering is home exchange. Years ago, after watching The Holiday—where Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet swap homes between LA and England—I loved the idea of stepping into someone else’s everyday life for a while. Home exchange has been around for decades, offering travel through reciprocity rather than transactions. While we’re not able to exchange our home this time around, we do have guest points, which allows us to stay in someone else’s home anyway (just like an Airbnb, but without having to pay the higher fees). You can click here to read more.

We’re also looking at TrustedHousesitters, which feels especially aligned for our family. We’re pet-friendly, family-friendly, and genuinely love animals. My daughter especially lights up when there are pets involved. A few years ago in Hawaii, we stayed at an Airbnb with pigs, chickens, ducks, and goats. We helped care for them not out of obligation, but because we enjoyed it. This time, the idea of exchanging care for someone’s pets in return for staying in their home—rather than paying nightly fees—feels incredibly appealing. You can click here if you want to learn more.

This past week, a client of mine just returned from a seven-night, eight-day complimentary vacation that I had gifted her. The total cost—including the activation fee and taxes—came to $329 for 2 people 7 nights/8 days!! (flights, food, and activities were separate). She came back rested, grateful, and reminded that travel doesn’t have to be extravagant to be nourishing.

I hear people say this all the time: I’d love to travel there, but I can’t afford going there. I understand that feeling. I’ve had it too. 

What I’ve learned to ask instead is a different question: How could this be possible? That shift doesn’t magically produce answers, but it opens the door. And more often than not, that’s when opportunities and options start showing up—ones that weren’t visible before.

That’s really the theme of this season for me: choosing options that support our lives instead of draining them. Rest doesn’t need to be justified. Travel doesn’t need to be excessive. Sometimes it’s enough to choose what works, what feels aligned, and what allows space to breathe.

As we close out the year, I’ll be stepping back until mid-January to honor this time off. You won’t be hearing from me in writing during that window, though podcast episodes will continue to release. This pause feels intentional—a way of practicing what I believe in rather than just talking about it.

Sometimes the most grounded choice isn’t the most impressive one. It’s the one that gives you room to actually enjoy your life.

Have a fabulous holiday season! And if you end up traveling with some type of opportunity please share and send me some photos!

With love and courage,

Tania 

P.S:If any of these travel options resonate, you can explore them here:

• HomeExchange 

• TrustedHousesitters 

Some of the links I share are referral links. I only share options I’ve genuinely explored myself, in case they spark ideas for you.

And if you’d like the opportunity to win a complimentary seven-night, eight-day vacation—like my client did—all you need to do is leave a review for The Courage to Be podcast on Apple Podcasts

Send me a screenshot, and you’ll be entered into the drawing.

Listen to the Top 2% Global ranking Podcast by clicking here