About five minutes after checking into our campground, I got an email on my iPhone announcing a bit of a work emergency, something that demanded my attention within the next 12 hours.

My cell phone service promptly vanished as soon as I finished reading the email.

We unhooked the travel trailer from the back of our SUV, made sure no dishes had been broken in the transfer, and put the TV back in its place. Then I went hunting for wifi.I’d been told there was internet service available at a lodge near our campground, so I headed there first, optimistically carrying my laptop. There may, in fact, have been internet service there - but the lodge (and most other businesses in the Grand Canyon National Park) closed at 5:00pm. Defeated, I hauled my laptop back to our campsite and set my alarm for 7:30 am.

The next morning, while my family was still trying to figure out whose socks were whose, I packed my laptop and myself back into the SUV and went hunting for the Park Headquarters; the park welcome brochure had indicated HQ offered wifi access during the day. After a minimal number of wrong turns, I found a low, stone building tucked into the woods. (By the way, did you know there were woods around the Grand Canyon? I didn’t!)

The rangers at the front desk let me know that wifi was barely accessible in their lobby, but that I was free to use a room in their research library at the back of the building. My laptop bag and I hiked through the courtyard and found our way to a small collection of tiny, fluorescent-lit rooms that were labeled “Research Library.” I was pointed to a back room that seemed to serve as storage for coffee makers and paper shredders, where wooden table in the middle of the room would serve as my desk for the morning.

The Internet speed was fantastic.

As I sat there handling my work crisis in borrowed space, I was struck by how, well, how weird the whole scenario was. Here I was, huddled in a storage space in some remote library in the Grand Canyon, scavenging Internet service. I wondered what the rangers and office workers thought of me, if they imagined some tech-addicted mom who couldn’t break free from the Matrix for long enough to enjoy a weekend with her family in the Grand Canyon. I realized it didn’t matter; I was just grateful to have found this pocket of connectivity.

This is my life, I thought, my strange, off the beaten path, beyond the norm life. I have to hunt for wifi here because no one else here has to worry about wifi, but I’m getting to take my kids to the Grand Canyon on a Friday in February, just because. After about 45 minutes on the web, I would unplug for three days before regaining a signal on the road to Vegas.

On Monday I took my kids to watch acrobats in a casino. Today I’ll do my work perched atop a washing machine, because the best wifi connection in this RV park is in the rec and laundry rooms. On Friday we’ll go snowboarding.

Yes, I’m constantly plugged in - or looking for the best signal if I’m not. But it’s a worthy tradeoff for the other abnormal perks.

I work pretty hard at being happy. I work even harder at finding peace and calm, at acknowledging what I can’t control and letting go of my desire to try anyway. I’m probably more aware than most of my state of mind at any given moment, and I feel a fair amount of responsibility about what that state might be.

I suppose that’s why it pisses me off so much when anxiety or fear come calling.

Of course, none of us likes anxiety or fear. As a species, we go to great and sometimes ridiculous lengths to avoid these cold, prickly feelings. Our instincts are to run from, ignore, or push down that which keeps us awake at night.

As a species, we’re kind of stupid.

Recently, I’ve been wrestling with some ambiguous anxiety about my family’s year-long road trip. Although I’ve enjoyed dang near every day of our journey, I’ve found myself wishing for the end over the last month or so. When my husband revealed he was having similar thoughts, I suggested we might all be getting tired of life on the road.

“Maybe,” he said, “but I don’t think we’re tired as much as we’re anxious about… something.”

I thought about this a little bit and realized there were places my brain was trying not to go, worries and concerns that I wasn’t letting myself really address. At the risk of spending the remainder of a once-in-a-lifetime trip wanting it to be over, I decided to make an effort to let my own mental guards down a little bit.

What I discovered was that some changes needed to be made to our plans. Our budget was off, something I’d known but been avoiding for months, and we weren’t going to be able to achieve any of our long-term goals if we didn’t make some adjustments, which I’d also been trying to not think about.

After confronting the idea of having to change, which we’re all programmed to hate, and taking the time to figure out what adaptations would be best, I realized my anxiety had dissipated. Even better, I was no longer looking for an excuse to run to the end of our trip.

Experience keeps trying to teach me that fear and anxiety are road signs put up by the part of me that actually has a clue. The trick is learning to recognize and decipher those signs.

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So, I spent last night sleeping on the concrete floor of a handicap bathroom. No one in my family is handicapped, but it was the largest unoccupied space in the bath house of the campground where we’re currently “living”, which allowed my entire family of four to huddle on the same floor together.

Technically, my husband and kids slept while I laid awake listening to the storm rage outside. My body has become too accustomed to memory foam to be able to sleep on a concrete floor, even with the hasty padding of a king-size comforter that was wrapped burrito style around us. The three of them were exhausted after the 1:30 am wake-up call that came from pounding rain, blinding lightning, and howling wind that actually shook the RV, exhausted enough to fall asleep once we’d relocated to the safest place I could think of when the watches turned to warnings on my iPhone’s weather app.

At about 5:30 this morning, the noise outside the cinder-block walls had quieted and the map on my phone showed that the worst of the storms had passed us by. I roused my family and we hiked back to the RV, like gypsies with our blankets and pillows and fire-safe box strapped to our backs. About an hour later, the campground owner knocked on our door to tell us that flash flooding was now threatening our safety and the safety of our portable home. We headed for higher ground and realized we were destined to face the day without more sleep.

As I told my mom when she called this morning after reading my Facebook updates, we’re safe. We were, really, always safe. We kept an eye on the weather reports, took shelter at the first sign of serious trouble, and were spared any damage to ourselves or our belongings. Despite the watches and warnings, nothing worse than a big thunderstorm passed over us.

But I can’t help but think - what if it had been worse?

This is not the first time I’ve found myself mentally scanning the area for safe havens in the middle of the night. In Mobile, Alabama a few months ago we’d gone so far as to ask the campground staff about where we needed to head in case of tornado. We were told, with a shrug, “I don’t know, maybe the library?” I made a note to myself to start looking possible shelters as soon as we arrived at a new location. I’ve yet to follow through on that.

It never occurred to me I’d have to think about a tornado shelter in January. Where I grew up, tornado season didn’t start until spring, and January isn’t consider spring anywhere in the United States - even Texas. Apparently I need to get myself a little more familiar with the weather patterns in the places I visit, especially with my kids. I also need to get serious about creating a habit of having emergency plans whenever we set up a new home base.

This is one part of the mobile lifestyle that I never considered.

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I made it five days in a row.

I don’t even know what happened. I have continued to go to bed at a decent time and get up early, but instead of doing a bit of stretching, I opened my computer and went to work right away one morning. By the time I realized what I’d done, I was pretty solidly into the flow and couldn’t tear myself away for 30 minutes of deep breathing and stretching. Before I knew it, a week and had gone by and I hadn’t so much as touched my toes.

I have all the data. I know why I need to exercise. I made a plan. The only thing standing in my way is me.

Me and my lack of self discipline, it seems.

It’s so frustrating to not be able to stick to the commitments I make to myself, especially because I pride myself on being able to meet my obligations professionally. I never miss a deadline. I may push it to the last minute, but I always do what I’ve told others I’d do. It ticks me off to know I’m not showing myself the same respect.

I know I’m worthy; I’ve read all the mantras and even written articles for clients about how exercise and self care is a reflection of self love. And still I struggle with making the tiny daily sacrifice in order to have the long term results of better health and more energy.

I’m getting stuck somewhere and I can’t figure out where. I need a pill that improves self discipline; I suppose that would defeat the point.

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Oh, and it won’t cost me a dime.

The tab for this trip is being picked up by the PR company representing the resort. As a travel writer, I am invited to go on press trips like this (OK, not like this, this is definitely one of the best so far!) several times a year. I also receive free hotel rooms, admission to world-class attractions, and meals at fabulous restaurants.

I don’t get health insurance, but there’s no doubt that the benefits of my “job” are fabulous.

In addition to a great job, I also have a husband whom I adore and who treats me like a princess. My two kids are brilliant and healthy. I’m seven months into a year-long road trip around the country with my family. I have amazing friends and a supportive family.

In other words, my life is really, really good.

I’m lucky. I’m grateful. And sometimes I feel guilty for all the good that has come my way, especially in the last few years. I watch the news and see people who are struggling with poverty, hunger, death, and tragedy. The Internet is teaming with stories of heartbreak and misfortune. At 32 years old, it doesn’t seem fair for one woman to have been given so much.

And yet I have. I don’t know why or for how long the good will last. I know that life is constantly changing (which scares the crap out of me, to be honest.) I want to hug every inch of goodness while it’s close enough for me to do so, burning it into my memory for darker days. I want to remember to give thanks always.

And I want to believe that there is enough good to go around, and that you’ll get more than your fair share, too.

Do you feel guilty when life is good?

I made a vision board that focused on health as a pathway to happiness.

I wrote about embracing the end of the year as a time to step back and relax, to regroup instead of moving forward.

So really, it’s my own fault that I spent about three weeks battling a combination of viruses I now refer to as the Iowa Plague. I basically asked to be knocked on my proverbial butt, forced to let work and my usual end-of-month organizing slide. My colon, I assure you, is cleansed.

Now that I’m feeling like myself again, I’ve gotten a bit philosophical about my latest bout with germs. (Seriously, you’d think no one had ever had a cold and stomach virus before as much as I’ve gone on about it. And still, I’m going on about it again here. You can imagine how fun I was when I was pregnant!)

I feel, oddly, like this prolonged and disruptive illness has helped me clarify a few thoughts for myself:

• Being sick sucks. Obviously.
• Being sick is expensive. I lose far more money by being unable to work for a week than I would by taking the time to care for health daily.
• Everything that matters to me is easier when I’m healthy - happiness, success, peace.

Thoughts of general good health have been percolating in my head for months, and now it seems it is time to make it a priority in my life. Of course, I already have priorities in my life, and so this will be one more rock around which I’ll have to move the others.

Again.

Oh yes, I’ve tried to get healthier in the past. Haven’t we all?

But as a wise friend recently pointed out to me, what we’ve done in the past can’t dictate what we do now. My life was different six months ago, as were my priorities. Now I need to focus on finding solutions that fit into a mobile lifestyle, which means I won’t be eliminating restaurants, I can’t join a gym, and I’m not going to be purchasing any workout equipment. I have to create health habits that are just as flexible as my work habits have become, while still keeping my personal preferences in mind (like the fact that I hate running.)

I haven’t come up with all the answers yet, but I have a feeling that improving my health may be the best thing I can do for my business this year.

Do you find that your health impacts your bottom line? What are your best tips for keeping good health a priority?

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You’ll have to excuse me if this sounds like bragging; I’m still a little mystified that I’ve managed to maintain an efficient filing system for several months in a row.

I made the decision to go digital last spring in anticipation of my family’s move into a 24-foot travel trailer. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to haul a filing cabinet with me and, quite frankly, a majority of my papers and receipts never made it into that filing cabinet in the first place. My first goal was to convert the records I had into digital storage; since then I’ve moved practically my entire life over to digital storage. Nearly everything I need to live, work, and play can be accessed by my iPhone or a computer (except, you know, for the people.)

My digital filing system has changed much since it’s hasty creation in April of 2011, but there have been a few tweaks and additions along the way. Here’s a list of the tools that keep me organized on the road, at home, now and (hopefully) at tax time.

Smartphone - I have an iPhone 4. I can’t imagine living without access to my computer and the web in my pocket.

Genius Scan+- anything that comes into my life as paper goes through this handy iPhone app on its way to the digital world. I’ve scanned everything from gift receipts to multi-page documents. After scanning, I can email the PDF to myself or someone else, send it directly to my computer via DropBox, or store it in online via Evernote. Genius Scan can also send documents to Google Docs, box.net, or a wireless printer.

Dropbox - this file sharing program has changed my marriage. For the first time in 11 years, my husband has been able to actively participate in budgeting and other accounting tasks because we both have constant access to our planning documents. We can access documents from our phones or the web and make changes from our own computers.

Evernote - I don’t need copies of thousands of receipts on my computer. This is where Evernote comes in handy. I also use it to keep track of posting ideas and organize business contacts.

Google Docs - If you haven’t yet discovered the magic of collaboration through Google Docs, check it out today. I don’t do all of my record keeping through Google Docs (my personal budget stays on my own computer, for example), but anything I need to share with someone other than my husband is created in this easy to access, easy to share system. My family also relies on Google Calendar, which lets you share calendar items with others, to keep organized without a paper calendar.

Trip It - I’m traveling for a year with my family and I travel a lot for work; going paperless requires a very good digital system for organizing travel plans and records. Trip It keeps track of all travel dates, ticket information, reservations, directions, contact info, meetings, and anything else I might need on the road. I don’t even have to print out a boarding pass anymore on many airlines.

Getting rid of the paper in my life is probably the single most productive thing I’ve ever done. If you’ve still got one foot in the paper world and the other in the digital one, I highly recommend making the leap to go 100% paperless in 2012. I hope these tools will help!

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My children have been on break from their virtual school since last Friday. Fortunately, we’re visiting relatives in Iowa right now and the kids have been able to focus on spending time with loved ones instead of homework. Of course, I still have projects to finish up and deadlines to meet. Am I freaking out about my lack of routine?

Not this year. For the first time, I’m not letting the stress of what’s not getting done get to me. I am making a point of meeting my basic obligations, but I’ve purposely kept my workload light for December. More than that, I’m staying off the computer.

I can’t remember the last time I spent this much time away from the Internet. As you might expect, the Internet hasn’t noticed or complained; it hums along just fine without my constant vigilance.

Instead of being frustrated by the extra noise and distraction of having kids not in school during the day, I’m making a point to be focused and productive during my work hours. Then I log off and find ways to participate in the distraction. We’re visiting friends, making gifts, and blowing up hundreds of balloons to keep up with my daughter’s recent obsession with balloon art (true story.)

It’s nice to be able to enjoy this scheduled downtime. Am I looking forward to getting back to a fuller work day? Yes, a little bit. I’ve got a list of things I’m looking forward to getting to work on once the holidays are over. But it’s been nice not to wish this holiday season away.

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I tend to keep that train moving by focusing first on activities that pay me. Specifically, I start my day with the highest paying tasks and move on down the list according to dollar amount and proximity of deadline. This perfectly sounds logical, yes?

Unfortunately, no one pays me to brush my teeth.

Or eat breakfast. Or lunch.

Yoga is also on the freebie list.

Family time can actually cost me money, but not as much as therapy or marriage counseling, and so I’ve learned to make those relationships a priority.

But the job of taking care of myself? It consistently falls to the bottom of the list.

It’s not that I don’t understand the importance of self care or that I don’t think I’m worth it. L’Oreal and experience have taught me that I am worth it, baby. I also know that taking care of myself is the best way to ensure I have the energy to do what I need for both my work and my family.

And yet…

Lately my self care has come in the form of collapsing on a couch at the end of the work day and engaging in a Weeds marathon (the show, not the drug.)

I wake up in the morning with a to-do list in my head and I’m immediately anxious about getting everything done. I have to make the donuts! I can’t concentrate on making breakfast and I’m too distracted to do even a few sun salutations without checking my email (which is inevitably full of more things to do.) I do brush my teeth and pour myself a cup of coffee, but then I hit the laptop running.

I’m pretty sure this isn’t the best routine for me, but I’m at a loss for how to fix it.

Part of the problem is that I’m at my best in the morning. My brain is firing on all cylinders when I first wake up, whereas I’m totally useless after about 3 pm. However, if I wait until 3pm to shower, eat properly, or do any kind of exercise, I’m likely to just skip those things all together. I’m wiped out from all the mental work I’ve already done!

What I need is for morning to be a little longer.

Any idea where I can pick up some extra morning at a discount this holiday season?

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Except for the part where you don’t have a boss.

By that I mean, there’s no one around to make sure I’m on task. Sure, my kids demand to eat regularly, which is a constant reminder that money must come into the household, but by the time they’re clamoring for food it’s too late to worker harder or smarter. I have to rely on my own internal motivation and self discipline like a real grown up.

This would be a heck of a lot easier were it not for the Internet.

Facebook and Twitter are just the tip of the distraction iceberg. YouTube and its plethora of music and comedy can feed my ADD for hours. My Google Reader is always full of blogs waiting to entertain and inspire. My inbox is as much a to-do list as a but don’t do it now! trap.

And now, the world has fallen in love with Pinterest.

Pinterest is an “online pinboard” where you can “organize and share things you love.” Really, it’s like an online magazine/mall/vision board/catalogue/carnival/cornucopia of pretties.

*returns after spending 20 minutes researching Pinterest*

I do not have a Pinterest account. I’m not a crafter or a cooker, so I don’t really have a need for it. I’m also a little afraid of what would happen to my time if I had access to all of that… stuff.

*peeks again*

No. I’m resisting the Pinterest urge in the name of productivity.

Are you?

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