Leveling Up
No Vacation Required
The world feels like a runaway ferris wheel lately – breaking down and speeding up at the same time. It’s scary.
Structures we once thought were solid are crumbling.
Freedoms we thought were secure are slipping away.
And there’s an unrelenting push to be happy and “live your best life,” all while the supports we relied on break down.
If you’ve been asking yourself, “What do I need to do to keep up amidst the chaos?”, you’re not alone. But you are asking the wrong question.
We’re, of course, living through this bizarre timeline too. And we’re grappling with all the feelings that come with it. But instead of letting the chaos overwhelm us, the No Vacation Required philosophy we live by (and created) has us asking different questions. Questions like:
What do we actually need NOW?
What feels true?
What does success look like right now?
Laguna de los Tres, Patagonia. Photo Credit: Us
We’ve asked these questions before
This moment in time brings us back to a period of our life we’ve dubbed “Chapter 2.” We’d built a thriving HR consulting business. We were traveling so much that we could have called ourselves digital nomads, except we had two homes. Most critically, we had a strong sense of purpose and, unlike now, the external world felt significantly more solid. But we – our business, our world, our life – were ready for a shift. We were experiencing too much of a good thing and our life was feeling too similar to the one we’d left behind in Chapter 1, so we decided a change was in order.
And that’s the funny thing about change – or rather the need to change; it doesn’t just show up in troubled times.
Our transition from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2 was all about building something new. Our transition from Chapter 2 to what became Chapter 3 was about leveling up by scaling down. The point is that the precursor to change is different each time. Our job, as people navigating this glitchy simulation called life, is to be armed with the tools to help us know when to change, what to change, and how to change.
Most everything good in our lives has happened because we committed to knowing ourselves
When things are tough – when we feel off purpose, when we feel unmotivated, when we feel like we are failing – the need for change is clear. “Things are not going well, I don’t feel good about it, and I want to feel better,” is a straightforward impetuous for change. But what about when the narrative is “everything is going well, I’m really happy about that, but I don’t like how I feel?” Like, how do you even get to that place?
Self-inquiry and self-knowledge.
Most everything good in our lives has happened because we committed to knowing ourselves – consistently and deliberately. Doing the work to figure out what really mattered to us was what drove the big changes – leaving our corporate jobs, building our business, choosing to travel the world – that marked our Chapter 2. And that same commitment to self knowledge is how we recognized that our success in Chapter 2 wasn’t quite right for us. It’s how, in one of our biggest shifts, we stopped chasing what looked good – no, great – and started building what actually felt good. It’s how we created (over and over again) a life that feels like ours, in both certain and uncertain times.
Fitz Roy Range, Patagonia. Photo Credit: Us
What we’re doing now.
Over the last years – since Chapter 2, actually – we’ve been developing and leaning into Personal Development services. If you know us or if you’ve been around here for a bit, you know we made a name for ourselves in the world of Career / Business Development. During that time, though, we saw a great need for more holistic help because (and we’ve said this a million times, and we’ll say it again million times more):
You have many roles, but there is only one you.
Individuals need help in more than their Career role.
Although individuals in workgroups are there to work, their work is impacted by all the roles they play.
Real, enduring fulfillment isn’t just valid for a single role you play; it enriches all the roles that make up you. It’s built — week by week, choice by choice — through honest self-awareness and steady, self-aligned action.
That’s what No Vacation Required is all about.
That’s what our upgraded services and new tools are all about.
And that’s why we’ve created more than one way in.
We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all advice or single-path journeys. We believe in multiple entry points, practical support, and real tools that help you create something meaningful, starting from wherever you are.
Here’s what we offer and how it might help you know yourself better and live a little more like you.
Looking for Inspiration?
This blog is the place to start if you're craving new ideas, encouragement, or just a different way of looking at things. in it, we offer stories, strategies, and thought starters that meet you in the middle of real life – not from a mountaintop, but from the mess and momentum of actual life ready for actual change. Similarly, our podcast goes deep on the stuff we’re told not to question, asking “Why are we still doing that?” to tired traditions and habits. It’s a space for untangling old narratives and finding better ways forward. And if you want to follow along on Substack, we’ve made all of it available to free subscribers.
Looking for a Daily Practice?
If you want more than inspiration — if you're craving rhythm, structure, and traction, this is for you. Everyday Fulfillment is a free weekly guide rooted in our Pause, Prioritize, Practice framework — with an option to access (via a paid subscription) Personality insights based on your Type. Here to, it’s not about overhauling your life. It’s about creating a rhythm that supports it.
Looking for Guidance?
Some seasons call for more than reflection, they call for support. Our services are designed for individuals and teams who are ready to make aligned decisions, define new goals, and stop guessing about what might be best for what’s next. Whether you're navigating change or seeking clarity, we’ll help you figure out what fulfillment actually looks like for you.
Looking for Specifics?
If you want the full backstory – how we did this, what we learned, and how you can apply it — it’s all in our new book. No Vacation Required is part autobiography, part client success stories, part building-a-good-life framework, and fully practical. It’s packed with tools, tips, and real-life examples to help you build your own version of a life you don’t need a break from.
Looking for a Prompt (literally)?
If you don’t know what you want but you know you like a good prompt for reflection, we’ve got you. We created a simple, thoughtful prompt sheet to help you begin reconnecting with yourself. No pressure. No overhaul. Just a handful of honest questions to help you start seeing what you need right now – and what might be next. The best part, when you sign up for the NVR Newsletter (in the footer of this post), we’ll send you link to download them for free.
It’s all about you.
We’re proud that our tools help people to move forward with intention and a path that makes room for the whole of who they are — messy, wise, curious, evolving. We hope they help you too.
We built this for people like us. For people like you. For right now.
So if something here sparks a Yes – even a small one – follow it. That’s how fulfillment begins.
Onward & Upward,
