I must say when I felt to do this challenge I really didn't think there would be much in it for me. This is why i just let go and let "Life", because doing this challenge was the perfect thing at the perfect time.

Challenge Day 1 - The Challenge Of Freedom - I realised my challenge was not really about obtaining freedom, it's about what I do now I have it!
Challenge Day 2 - The "Y" Of My International House Pet Sitting Lifestyle - This is where it struck me that my inspiration comes from the "Y", and my freedom lifestyle "Y" starts with "To inspire people to trust and appreciate life so that they may change their minds about the world."
Challenge Day 3 - Freedom Day - The Perfect Day - I came to understand that a vision of my perfect day is more of a constant attitude or mindset, rather than a location, place or experience.
Challenge Day 4 - My Freedom Lifestyle Superpowers - I learnt to value change, adaptability, intuition and guidance, and how they will play their part in expressing my "Y".
Challenge Day 5 - My Daily Success Plan To Expand Freedom - I can now see how some structure can be very inspiring to my free flowing lifestyle, and in expressing and extending my "Y".
Challenge Day 6 - Finding My Trust Tribe - I realised the importance of finding and collaborating with a tribe that shares my values of Trust and Appreciation in life.
Challenge Day 7 - Beating Procrastination and Overwhelm - I realised that in beating procrastination and overwhelm I had to feel the imperfection and do it anyway.
Challenge Day 8 - My Freedom Adventure - This showed me that sharing an adventure with others just enhances the joy.
Challenge Day 9 - My Location Independent Lifestyle - I shared the importance of me allowing "Life" to balance and guide my work and  adventure.

This challenge gave me the excuse to examine and reflect on my current lifestyle. I loved the way the challenge structure took me on a journey of rediscovering "Y" I live the life I do, how to move forward and what tools to use.

I enjoyed and resonated with so many other posts written by people with similar mindsets, and they inspired to keep on keeping on. This freedom tribe also showed me the importance of others and collaboration, a lesson I will use as I expand my freedom lifestyle.

Mostly I just enjoyed the journey, and the experience of the gradual revealing of what it takes to not only live a freedom lifestyle, but to also to be in the Joy of it.

My favourite challenge day was two - The "Y" Of My International House Pet Sitting Lifestyle. Actually revealing and defining "Y" I live like I do provided the inspiration and new ideas that had been missing for some time. I had never intentionally done this exercise before and I found real value in it.

My biggest takeaway from this challenge! Well that is easy commitment, focus and consistency. This particular challenge came at a busy time of traveling, new locations, new properties and new experiences.

It was through making a commitment, focusing on my MIA's and consistently blogging that I was not only able to finish the challenge but reap the value from it.

Find and collaborate with a tribe of like minded souls who share my values of Trust and Appreciation of Life.

This is the end of the challenge but not the end and I look forward to all that is to come . Additionally I wanted to say thank you to @nataliesisson and those who took part in the challenge, I appreciate your efforts and am inspired by you all.

​As always feel free to express you thoughts and feelings in the comments below.

Just Liven what's Given

Cheers

Gavin

jillgavhousesitters.com

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The thing is I don't have to imagine that lifestyle, as I live it. In the past 5 years of International House and Pet Sitting I have traveled to 17 Countries on 5 Continents. House Sat 45 properties and looked after 150 pets. I have experienced beaches, bush, mountains, churches, temples, vibrant cities and rural communities. Visited major tourist attractions and been off the beaton track. Yes I live a location independent lifestyle and love it.

The interesting thing is I have no "One" way of balancing the adventure and work as it changes all the time when life presents different opportunities. You see while I am location independent and live a freedom lifestyle I don't have, yet, what I would call a freedom business. The balance comes from reducing living costs while still living in a style I enjoy, and by doing so, I have reduced my income requirements. For example two months motel relief management will pay for 9 months travel while house & pet sitting.

How do I balance this? Well in reality I don't, "Life" does. I just do my part by listening and taking action when obvious. I stay open to the opportunities offered and go where life guides me. My balance is Trust. Trust that life knows best and in my experience it does. I work when I feel to and travel and house-sit the rest. I say yes when I feel to and work out how to do it later if required. My balance is "Life" and my currency is Trust and Appreciation. The rest takes care of itself.

You see as International House and Pet Sitters we travel around a lot and rarely get to see family and friends. We have many amazing adventures, however at times we long to catch up with old friends, go out and generally connect on a level as only good friends can.

So when this challenge arrived it was time to write about today, we spent with some of our best friends. These friends have supported us and our freedom lifestyle by putting us up when we are in town, listen to our crazy plans and join us on some of our more other out-there adventures. Like today, it all started with a 16.5 kilometre hike along the beach where we saw whales and turtles and got some much needed practice for our Camino walk next year. (BTW one of these friends has decided to do it with us).

Then it was back to their house where we met another friend who we have not seen for a long while and at night we were off to the Big Bush Dance. Now our friends have Grey Hounds, who we have cared for, and they are the most amazing breed of dog you could ever meet. They are all rescued from racing and make the most amazing pets, and this fundraising event was put on by an organisation,  which they belong to is called friends of the hounds.

A great night was had by all with dancing, bonfires, food, drink and socialising all in the company of our friendly puppies and for a great cause.

While traveling the world and having experiences is fun, the adventures I enjoy most are in the connections and relationships I have made with others and the experiences I have with them.

As always feel free to express you thoughts and feelings in the comments below.

Just Liven what's Given

Cheers

Gavin

jillgavhousesitters.com

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This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 7

So this challenge is all about beating procrastination and overwhelm. About feeling the imperfection and doing it anyway. About being with friends and socialising sitting there thinking I should be writing this blog post. Yes I love the words should and if only. Let's face it, if something is worth doing its just worth doing, because if I waited to do it properly it would never get done.

So here I am in the bedroom of our friends place writing this while they are out socialising and and having fun. Well I have 20mins and this is it. I made a commitment to do this challenge so this post does not have to be perfect it just has to get done. This morning I was out walking with them and decided that, walking would be my imperfect action I will take every day.

We are going to do the camino next year and I want to be somewhat ready for it, so here is the commitment. "I will walk at least 30mins each day come anything." Because like this post its all about doing it and not what conditions have to be met to allow it to happen.

That's it folks all I have time for today, no pictures, or nice formatting just this.

Just Liven what's Given

Cheers

Gavin

jillgavhousesitters.com

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oooopppssss forgot the the this, see ya ....

​

The thing is I have found at least two people who live a life of total freedom. They have let go all blocks to life's presence, and have total trust in what's given. I have followed them for years, adopting their advice in letting go and letting life and eventually joined their community.

They inspired me to radically transform my life, and let go of my perceptions and beliefs without the need to replace them with anything other than a sense of extending Trust and Appreciation and developing a lifestyle around it. They are responsible for me living my life of freedom and helping bring into my awareness that true freedom will only ever come from a total trust in life.

I have met, traveled and lived in close proximity to both of them and asked many questions. Three of these questions provided answers, which consequently made the most impact on my life:

• What do I have to be willing to give up to achieve total freedom?
• What does "To have, Give All To All" mean?
• What is the one most important thing you did  to achieve freedom?

My journey with them now feels complete and that search is over, and while I live a freedom lifestyle of sorts, I am not totally free.

During the last few years I have always struggled with the need for some sort of plan for the day.

The simple fact is I have developed my freedom lifestyle without one and I enjoy the free flowing feeling of life, just making obvious what the next thing to do is and then doing it.

​It seemed to me structure was just a way of me wanting to control my life and and thinking I knew better.
​

So with all that said here is my initial Daily Success Plan To Expand Freedom ...

1. Upon waking and clearing my mind, allow the MIA's to come to mind and document them.
2. Set time(s) to undertake these MIA's in set 25 min slots, in an environment where they are the only things I focus on.
3. Celebrate the completion of the MIA's each day.
4. Undertake other tasks and activities as given outside of the set MIA's time slots.

Ok there I have it. I will run with this and see what else life has to offer. 

​As always feel free to express you thoughts and feelings in the comments below.

This blog is to be all about superpowers. Now superpowers as defined by this challenge are things I am good at, enjoy or love to do, and what others see I am good at. What I find interesting about this challenge is defining what they are and how these particular superpowers have made my current freedom lifestyle possible.

​Being a mature person with a lot of life experience, i.e. old and done a lot of stuff, I have developed many skills that has allowed me to take part in many and varied activities both online and off. Additionally these skills have been instrumental in developing the lifestyle I have today. However, while important I don't feel they are my superpowers as defined by this challenge. ​

I have written about this before when I did a post on my Lifestyle Review and after some reflection, and asking people, these are my superpowers that have not only made my freedom possible, they will be the things that move it forward. So here I go, the superpowers:
​

As the old saying goes "The Only Constant In Life Is Change." Which I find really interesting because from my experience most people hate it and will do anything to avoid it. It was only when I learnt to embrace change that life opened up a whole new set of possibilities that I never really thought were possible.

For me change is an every day occurrence, either new country, new house, new pets, new technology, new people, new experiences and the list goes on. e.g. In the last day I have traveled hundreds of kilometres to a new location, house, people and pets. It is my ability to adapt to that change, and then by embracing it that I identify and utilise the opportunities it offers. 

​Additionally I have found life is always moving me on and presenting me with situations and opportunities to be free of long held beliefs and society dogma which remains essential for me to expand my freedom lifestyle.
​

Now this superpower I feel is probably one of my most important. I would love to say I have really honed, developed, and worked on it, however in truth it is something we are all born with, and our only task is to learn to value and listen to it.

I am told I read people and situations very quickly, I understand what the underlying motivations and intentions are, I tend to choose situations and events that are perfect for whatever it is I am doing at the time. When in reality I just follow a feeling. It may manifest in many ways but it is what I have come to accept as Intuition, guidance or just plain old gut feeling.

​Over the years it is this single superpower that keeps my freedom lifestyle simple and on track. In my experience if I ignore this superpower life has a way of reminding me it was probably a less than wise decision.

Like I said I have done lots of stuff and in the process developed a lot of many and varied skills. Currently the skills I like to use are writing, photography, videography and marketing. These are skills that I have been refining and developing over the years, and the ones that others seem to value the most. They are also the ones that my gut feel indicates will move me forward into collaborative projects that are currently missing from my lifestyle.

This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 3

With my International House & Pet Sitting lifestyle I am moving from place to place, country to country and experience to experience regularly. I have come to appreciate what each has to offer and the joy in each day there.

As you can see my perfect day is more a mindset, and I appreciate this challenge by allowing the vision of that mindset to filter through every cell of my body. I will continue to be with this day and finish the vision as life reveals what my Perfect Freedom Day looks like.

​Now for my iced coffee and muffin ;-)

People often ask me why I live the lifestyle I do, and my easy answers are:

• Its very financially efficient
• I travel the world
• I experience new places and spaces, cultures and countries
• I always meet new people and develop on-going relationships
  
• And the list goes on.

I am on the way to really understanding why I do what I do.

David Mead in the podcast above summed it up rather perfectly when he was talking about two different leadership styles and the types of environments they promote. Well I love being part of, and extending, a community of people who promote "Trust and Co-operation" rather than  being part of an increasing worldly standard of "MisTrust and Self-Interest".

​A community and lifestyle that takes responsibility rather than passing it on and blaming others, or inventing new rules to punish. Being part of a community, and then showing others through our attitude and actions, how the currency of "Trust and Appreciation" is a very tangible and valuable commodity and a worthy cause to pursue.
​

So for me to start  articulating a why statement it would go something like this:

To inspire people to trust and appreciate others so that they may change their minds about the world.

Now of course this reflects our long held values of "Seek not to change the world, but choose to change your mind about the world" ACIM, and "You must be the change you want to see in the world." Gandhi, as well the others stated on our website.
​

So the task of this blog and challenge was to write down the reason "Y" I live this freedom lifestyle and I feel the statement above makes a good start.

I would also suggest it is a great exercise for those who are thinking of starting the International House & Pet Sitting Lifestyle. Because there are many different types and ways of doing it, and in my opinion developing your "Y" will give you a great head start into the style you want to adopt.
​

Well I really enjoyed that exercise and I trust it is helpful to others who are persuing or living the freedom lifestyle.

​Just Liven what's Given

Cheers

Gavin

jillgavhousesitters.com

To have these blogs delivered direct hot off the press, add your email and name to the entry form top right.

“This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 2”

#10DBC   #freedomplan

I was watching a movie last night and a line out of it was of particular interest "It's not really about obtaining freedom, it's about what you do when you have it!".

The reason for the interest is because in my case its been not much. For so long it was all about obtaining financial freedom, time freedom, spiritual freedom, and all the other freedoms that I was told I needed to have to achieve ultimate happiness. It was this search that made life interesting. It's why we started International House & Pet Sitting, sold all our stuff and traveled the world. All in the name of freedom and what it represented to us.

It was why we did all the programs, seminars, online courses and workshops. We wanted what was being sold a life where you have the money, time, health and resources to do whatever I wanted when I wanted. However what I was not ready for was what happens when I got it! 

​You see I never really thought freedom in these areas was actually possible so the question of what I would do with it never occurred until now. It was only when I came across "Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge" that I explored what is stopping me from living a life of freedom.

The answer is nothing! I have it. I am living it.

I have all the criteria I had set (or was set for me), to live a life I and many others had only dreamed about. Time freedom - Check, Financial freedom - Check, Spiritual freedom - Check, Health - Check, Relationship - Check, Check, Check, Check ... 

For me the freedom lifestyle (as I had defined it), was a wonderful motivating goal but after living it for a few years, a really boring destination. Everything that was bright and shiny became same old same old. Yes I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, but it's just 'That"... knowing what I want!

So the question then remains what next? If I truly had a lifestyle of freedom then why do I feel a need to do something else? And herein lies my reason for undertaking this blog challenge.

Its about expanding my view of what I thought a freedom lifestyle was all about. Because after living my version of it for some time now, I have realised it's not just about achieving those things then sitting back and enjoying the fruits of my labour. There is something more, and my challenge is to find it.

I suspect it's about switching focus from trying to achieve something, to actually giving back and living in the joy of freedom, however at this point I have no idea how that looks. I'm sure as I progress through this challenge it will all start to become clear, but for now its just noice to get some clarity about were I am at and how to move forward.

As always I am open to your ideas, thoughts and input so please feel free to express them below.

Just Liven what's Given

Cheers

Gavin

jillgavhousesitters.com

To have these blogs delivered direct hot off the press, add your email and name to the entry form top right.

“This blog post is in response to Natalie’s 10 Day Freedom Plan Blog Challenge Day 1”

#10DBC   #freedomplan