Most of us can afford more life than we’re living — but debt, fear, and chronic pain trick us into believing we can’t.

It’s always boggled my mind how people say, “I can’t afford to do that.” As if that single sentence is the iron gate between them and the life they want.

As if money is the warden and they’re the prisoner.

But here’s the truth — and it’s going to sting a little: you probably could afford it if you prioritized it.

And before you roll your eyes, let’s talk numbers. Because feelings are real, but data doesn’t lie.

📊 The Reality Check: We’re All Drowning in Debt

If you think you’re alone in financial struggle, you’re not.

• United States: Household debt hit $18.79 trillion in Q1 2026, the highest ever recorded.

• Canada: Consumer debt reached CA$2.66 trillion in Q1 2026, with households owing $1.80 for every $1 of disposable income. As cited by trybree.com.

• Mexico: Household debt climbed to $358.6 billion USD in Q2 2026, an all-time high. As told by ceicdata.com.

And here’s the kicker:

28% of Mexican households spend over 40% of their income on debt payments. Information sourced from creditolab.com.

The reality is, debt is universal.

Debt is normal.

And debt is suffocating.

And just as important, debt, is also the easiest excuse to hide behind.

Factor in Chronic Pain or any form of mental health conditions?

And Now You’re in a Mental Prison.

When your body hurts, your world shrinks.

Pain convinces you that staying home is safer, easier, cheaper.

But pain doesn’t stop when you stay home — it just gets a bigger audience.

I’ve learned this the hard way.

I’m uncomfortable no matter where I am.

So if I’m going to hurt, I might as well hurt on a back road with the windows down.

And yes — our car has heated seats.

Not exactly a miracle for nerve pain, but when your muscles seize up?

That warmth feels like someone finally giving your body permission to unclench.

Ahhh, that much needed sigh.

The Outdoors Doesn’t Ask for Perfection — Just Presence

We collect so many consumer things — gadgets, décor, clothes, subscriptions — hoping they’ll make us feel alive. Or for most of us probably, they’re aids in passing the time.

But nothing compares to the moment your bare feet hit the grass and something ancient wakes up inside you.

That grounding?

That magnetic pull?

That’s life reminding you that you’re still here.

More days than not, I have to force myself out of the house.

I’m not a people person — never have been.

But trees? Waterfalls? Moss-covered logs?

That’s my church.

That’s my therapy.

That’s my reset button.

Maybe it’s a PNW thing.

Maybe it’s just a human thing we’ve forgotten.

Either way, to me the great wild outdoors feels like a soft, dryer warm blanket on a cold night.

Joy Doesn’t Require a Plane Ticket — Sometimes It’s a Tank of Gas and a Car

For me, it’s simple:

A drive.

A tank of gas.

Some snacks.

And the people I love sitting around me.

That’s it.

That’s the whole recipe.

As Bob Ross would approve of, “Just happily little trees” all around us.

Now Let Me Ask You Something — And Don’t Look Away

• What experiences have you convinced yourself you “can’t afford”?

• What would happen if you stopped buying things and started buying moments?

• What part of your life is waiting for you on the other side of one small decision?

• And the hardest question: Are you using money as a shield to avoid living?

• Final question, if you were gonna be in chronic pain, no matter where you were at would you choose to stay home?

🌎 Life Isn’t Found in Your Living Room — It’s Found Out There

Debt is real.

Pain is real.

Fear is real.

But so is the world outside your front door.

And it’s begging you to come back.

You don’t need a vacation.

You need a moment.

A breath.

A road.

A reason.

And maybe today…

that reason is simply remembering that you’re alive and capable.

Where will you wander to next?

cheers 🥂 to the open road and its endless possibilities.

Yours,

Vonnah