How Living in a Car Changed my Life

Living in My Car: Lessons Learned and Future Plans

Author

Ark
May 31, 2025

I never planned to live in my car. It wasn’t a dream or a goal—it just happened due to circumstances. Years ago, I made the bold (and, in hindsight, not-so-bright) decision to move 17 hours from North Carolina to Iowa with an ex-girlfriend. When that chapter ended, I faced a choice: return home or make it work. With a decent job at FedEx, I chose to stay and save as much money as possible. Having dabbled in car camping as a hobby, I figured living in my Toyota RAV4 full-time would be a natural step. Little did I know how much I’d learn from the experience and how it would shape my future.

The Art of Sacrifice

Living in a compact SUV taught me the art of sacrifice. Full-time car living is unconventional, and the smaller your setup, the bigger the challenge. My RAV4 forced me to embrace discomfort and make deliberate choices about what mattered most. Sacrifice, to me, is doing what’s necessary, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s a mindset that became second nature and laid the foundation for everything else.

The Power of Discipline

Discipline is the action behind sacrifice. You can’t sustain sacrifice without it. Living in my car required me to get up every day, embrace the grind, and focus on the small tasks that make big goals possible. Whether it was organizing my tiny space or sticking to a strict budget, discipline kept me on track. It’s about showing up consistently, no matter the circumstances.

Living in the Moment

One personal area of growth was learning to live in the moment. It’s easy to get caught up in future goals, but living in a car reminded me that tomorrow isn’t promised. I started being more intentional with my days, finding balance between chasing ambitions and appreciating the present. It’s a cliché for a reason—it’s a lesson we all need to revisit.

Setting and Reaching Goals

The primary reason I lived in my car was to save money for big goals. Initially, I aimed to save $200,000 for a 100,000-mile cross-country road trip. Though that goal has evolved, the lifestyle allowed me to save significantly and plan for the future. Working six days a week—sometimes seven during FedEx’s peak season—left little time for anything else. But staying focused on my goal made it worthwhile. A fun highlight? Giving treats to the animals I met on my delivery routes.

Ignoring the Noise

Living in a car taught me to stop caring about others’ opinions. Whether it was YouTube critics or people in my life judging my unconventional choice, I learned to prioritize my happiness and security in myself. It’s liberating to let go of external validation and focus on what feels right for you.

Life After the Car

These days, I’m back in North Carolina, and life looks different. The creature comforts of an apartment—like space to move around—are nice, but my day-to-day hasn’t changed much. I still focus on work and staying in shape, playing basketball with friends I grew up with. After moving back, I prioritized finding a career with benefits and a pension to support my future travel plans. But even with these comforts, something feels missing.

Rediscovering My Passion

Taking a break from my YouTube channel allowed me to focus on this transition, but stepping into my gear room reignites my adventurous spirit. My passion for videography and capturing moments is still alive. I’ve decided to continue filming and sharing car camping and destination travel videos. To everyone who’s supported my journey, thank you—I’m excited for what’s next.

Stay tuned for more adventures as I keep documenting my life, one trip at a time.

#Innovation #Leadership #Entrepreneurship #DigitalMarketing #Technology #Career #Networking #Business #Motivation #FutureOfWork

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