RV LIFE Podcast
The RV LIFE Podcast, created by one of the premier companies in the RV industry, is for the RV Community with a mission to Educate, Entertain and Explore the RV Lifestyle. The Podcast will explore all things RV Life: living, working, exploring, learning. With hosts Dan & Patti Hunt, full time RVers, content creators, educators and explorers.
RV LIFE Podcast
Top Tips for RVers to Reflect, Reset, and Plan for Success in 2025
Join host Patti Hunt on this inspiring episode of the RV Life Podcast as she sits down with Joe Fier, renowned content marketer and podcast host of the globally recognized "Hustle and Flowchart Podcast." In this first part of a two-episode series, Patti and Joe discuss how to reflect on 2024 with clarity and purpose. They delve into challenges faced, lessons learned, and the moments of gratitude that define the year, offering practical tips and insights to close the year on a high note and step boldly into 2025.
Discover actionable strategies for embracing change, practicing gratitude, and celebrating wins, no matter how small. Gain valuable insights from Joe Fier’s entrepreneurial journey, including his approach to balancing family and business, the power of reflection, and the importance of surrendering to life’s unpredictabilities. Whether you’re an RVer, entrepreneur, or someone seeking a purposeful year-end reset, this episode offers the guidance you need.
Joe Fier Host of Hustle and Flowchart Podcast
Email: joe@hustleandflowchart.com Socials: @JoeFier on all major platforms
Joe's previous episode: Success Strategies For RV LIFE
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Are you ready to close out 2024 with clarity and purpose so you can step boldly into 2025? I'm Patti Hunt and you're listening to the RV Life Podcast. Today's expert guest will help us reflect on the highs and lows of 2024. We'll dive into the challenges faced, the lessons learned and the moments of gratitude that shape the year, helping us close out 2024 with clarity and purpose. The RV Life podcast was created to educate, entertain and explore the RV lifestyle. It is my mission to inspire you to live life to the fullest.
Patti Hunt :This week, on what you Need to Know, brought to you by Open Road Resorts they have amazing locations in Montana, idaho, nebraska, new Mexico and two great locations in Texas. If you're looking for a place to winter for a couple of days or several months, their two locations in Texas is the place to go. And they are offering you, my listeners, 25% off stays of two nights or more. This is good for the 2025 season at any of their parks. 25 percent off is valid until January 31st 2025. Use code RVLIFE25. This is case sensitive. Now, if you want to give them a call, also mention the RV Life podcast to get that discount. And, of course, there are certain blackout dates that apply what you need to know.
Patti Hunt :One of the largest RV shows, the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa is just three weeks away. It is from January 15th to the 19th and I will be there all week. It is for people who are looking at RVs. So if you're looking to buy an RV, you want to check out manufacturers, you want to check out dealerships. This is the place to go. But if you're not looking for an RV, there's going to be hundreds of vendors with products and services, campgrounds. Everybody who has products or services will be in Tampa, including RV Life. Rv Life will have a booth. They are downstairs and we'll have a booth to go check them out. If you're not looking for an RV, you can also check out the seminars. My favorite part of these events is community, so there will be a lot of meet and greets. There will be lots of RVers to meet and hang out with, so I highly recommend this event. They are offering this year free tram service and shuttle service. You could check all that out on their website. This, what you need to know, is brought to you by Open Road Resorts. You could go to the link in the show notes or go to openroadresortscom.
Patti Hunt :My guest today. Joe Feer is a successful content marketer and podcast host of Hustle and Flowchart Podcasts. It is in the top 1% of podcasts globally where he provides advice to entrepreneurs on how to work smarter and live better. He has hosted over 600 podcast episodes where he interviews top experts and authors in various fields, such as business and personal development. In his podcasts and talks, joe consistently connects with an approach to helping others, advocating for actionable steps that inspire transformation. He views these small wins as a ripple effect, impacting not only individuals but the communities they engage with, fostering a fuller and more joyful way of life. Joe Feer, welcome to the RV Life Podcast.
Joe Fier:Thank you, patti, it's good to be back.
Patti Hunt :Yes, you're back for a second time. We have had so many amazing conversations, things that we've talked about that have been helpful to me, and I knew I had to have you back on to talk again to my listeners. This is a two-part series. So today, which is just days before actual Christmas, the holiday season so we're going to talk about how we're going to end 2024 on the right foot, so to speak, and part two, which will be next week, the first day of January, we're going to talk about setting up for 2025, january. We're going to talk about setting up for 2025 with great intention. So I am so excited. I want my listeners to hear more about you. What's your story?
Joe Fier:Oh, my story. I definitely I forgot even what I said in the last episode. To be honest, that's okay for somebody who hasn't heard you. Yeah, it's a perfect opportunity. So I now have some 39 years old gray hairs, deceiving a little bit, thank you genetics and yeah. But I felt like I've had many lives within my life. I've been an entrepreneur doing my own thing online I guess I'll start there for like 17 17-ish years, basically, right after I completed university, got married pretty much at the same time within a month or two, quit my corporate job and said I don't trust the big company thing and I want more freedom for myself and my family. I had a bigger vision than going to an office every day and feeling like a zombie. I saw the people around me there at their desk. I was like not for me. So, which was nice because it was two months later, the company folded. It was actually a big corporation in the construction industry.
Joe Fier:My mom and all these other people thought I was crazy, but I was like, no, I'm a psychic. I was just like you know, I see a different course for myself, and it was before it was super trendy to. I was just like you know what I see a different course for myself, and it was before it was super trendy to work at home or to do the side hustle thing and all that. But I figured it out and still have a good friend, my buddy, matt Wolf, who still to this day he's doing some other stuff. We've been partners but essentially it was nice because I had a little support staff there in him to learn online and we both jumped in around the same time together, fast forwarding.
Joe Fier:I've just had so many different businesses or focuses. I see things as projects, I'll just say that. So that's led me down to meeting interesting people working with all sorts of companies on kind of now shaped into advising them into how to leverage things like content marketing, podcast, media, ai now and how to essentially get more time back for everyone involved. It doesn't mean like, hey, ai is going to replace everybody, so get rid of everybody, because it's like, no, we're empowering everybody. I see it as that frame, you know, and how we're living in really crazy, interesting times in a bunch of ways. But I feel like my background of it's like a mix of people, a lot of relationship. I've always seen things that way, at least in the business side, and then media and marketing and sales. I guess on the personal side I have two daughters, I have one wife. I just specify one wife, you know.
Patti Hunt :Yes.
Joe Fier:First time I've said it that way. I have a five-year-old and a one-year-old daughter, so life is full and I'm not getting much sleep these days. But, I still get up early in the morning to do my jujitsu and workouts and it's all these things that keep me kind of sane and here and present.
Patti Hunt :So I can go further.
Patti Hunt :And I want people to get a feel for who you are. When I have a guest on, we talk about their background, their profession, but I want people to get a feel for who you are. You're trying to manage a business, your life, your wife, kids, no sleep. I can relate to that totally. That's a lot of what this episode is about. You touched on AI, which we're going to talk about in next week's episode, so people should stay with us because we can go down that road, whether AI scares people to death or they're embracing it, having fun with it, enjoying it or anything in between. We're going to talk a lot about that in the next episode of 2025. What's coming? How do I prepare for it? What do I do to make it a great year?
Joe Fier:That's right.
Patti Hunt :So let's look at 2024, because for so many people at this time of year, I hear people say I wanted done with, as if magically, 2025 is going to just all of a sudden, magically be different. And you know, as you're talking, you're talking mostly about the things you've been through and successes. Your podcast is in the top 1% globally. That's amazing, but I'm sure there's the challenges, right, and we have to be able to talk about that. So you and I have done a lot of conversation. I swear if we didn't have limits, we'd be on the phone or communicating. There's so much there. So I decided that having my listeners be able to hear some of the stuff that we talk about would be beneficial. So let's talk about coming to the end of 2024. This episode is being recorded just days before it actually airs, which is unusual, but it is, and so you and I are both thinking about 2024 and ending the ending.
Joe Fier:What is the big thing that you do at this time of year? For me it's well, you kind of spurred it on a little earlier, which is reflecting, which is great. So I'm happy that you invited me in, because it got me to really sit back and think about yeah, what are the lessons learned, the things that worked that didn't, and then what should I do next? I feel like those three questions. That's how I like to cycle through it, and it's simple.
Joe Fier:And you know, I just for me it's going outside, it's getting out of my office, out of the house, and usually shoving my feet in some dirt. That's what I, when I did this morning, did some breath work and and sat in the sun and then literally rambled my thoughts out into my phone. So, yeah, for for me it's, I want to say it's a slow down period, but I feel like I don't know, I can't really get the slow down completely because of the life I have around me, which is fine. I, I find these little pockets of time to slow down, you know. But it's definitely, you know, even though, yeah, sure you know, come January 1st it's another day, let's not sugarcoat it, but it's a label, you know. Yes, it's a new year, a new month, new you.
Patti Hunt :I don't know about that.
Joe Fier:But you sure, as heck, it's an opportunity. And how I see it? As like, okay, you know, we, we do have this common thing that we all say, okay, it's, it's a fresh year, you know it's a new beginning. Sure, it is, so let's lean into it, you know. So, um, I try to be a realist about like cool. Yeah, I've experienced a lot of, you know know, negative let's. Let's label them, but I try to not frame it and keep it there. I want to be like, okay, what can I learn from any of this stuff this year, years past? And let's quickly build past it, cause I'm not one to dwell on things. I've never really done that, um, certain things might be a hiccup here and there, but I'm like I got to figure out a solution at least, like move past or ask for help.
Joe Fier:You know that's that's kind of what I do.
Patti Hunt :I'd say you kind of glossed over some of the things that you do that, and so the teacher me, some of my listeners know I was a teacher for 20 years, so there were people that you know, kids in the class that you've just said something quickly they got it. I like to break things down, so I want to give actual things. You put a lot out there that I want to break down For me as I end the year reflection. So, looking back, looking back, we could think of well, I used to look back and think of all the bad things that happened. I don't see them as bad anymore, I see them as challenges and my belief is every challenge that I've had to go through that I was able to get up from, look at and learn from has made me stronger. It's brought me to where I am today and so you know, like you alluded to, there is no going out in the sun because I am in Pennsylvania, true.
Joe Fier:I'm in San Diego, so there you go, right, a little different.
Patti Hunt :So it's been a little. It's been in the 30s but it's cold. Yeah, today it's rainy, but to your point, taking that time getting quiet. So for me, getting quiet, I, like you, I'm busy, I have family, I have business relationships, all these things going on, and so my brain is always working and there is that learning to get quiet, to quiet that in your brain, and sometimes, for me, journaling, and we've talked about this a lot.
Joe Fier:Yeah, you have a good practice, yeah. Go back to the previous episode to hear that, though.
Patti Hunt :Yes yes, I'll put that in the show notes. I and just to let people know, I've had a journal since I'm about 14. I try to. I used to really put a lot of pressure on myself like, oh, I have to journal today and do it every single day. No, no pressure on yourself. I was away last week. Journaling didn't happen. I got back, I needed to just calm my mind, calm myself, settle and I journaled. And that could be different things, different days, but I like what you're talking about. It's quieting yourself, journaling to reflect on 2024. And for me that is there have been a lot of challenges, but what did I learn from that? So it is looking at those challenges. It's looking at the wins and talk a little bit. You said something about small wins. Talk a little bit about that, because I think they get overlooked. So let's go back, talk about what your practice looks like, break it down a little more for people, because I think the biggest thing is reflecting on 2024 so we could move clean with a clean slate into 2025.
Joe Fier:practices that I try to stay consistent with and I feel like when I'm in that slower mind and body headspace then I can get to the point of like, oh yeah, journaling or brain dumping. Sometimes I see journaling as opening the otterai app on my phone and just talking and then it's more of a brain dump. My whole thing is I need to capture my thoughts because if I'm staying in the busy mode then they're going to just keep swirling around and I'm not unloading those to make space for this kind of like this flash moment. Something will pop, you know, and that's where I feel like the magic is. We all have it in us, but we need to create that space. So to slow down.
Joe Fier:I mentioned jujitsu earlier. That's where I feel like the magic is. We all have it in us, but we need to create that space. So to slow down. I mentioned jujitsu earlier. That's a new thing this year for me. Just the last six months I started that and that is a practice of slowing down. I started it because of chilling out my nervous system and literally I've never done any kind of combat or mma or whatever this you know, wrestling type sport. In my life. Ever I've been a runner and like non-contact kind of guy, but when I'm getting literally choked out, you know before 7 am multiple times um per day before I have my coffee.
Patti Hunt :Nothing happened before coffee.
Joe Fier:Yeah, seriously, but that does.
Joe Fier:Okay, wow, but it's a wake up call, but it's, I don't know, in a weird way, and any of you who have done any kind of wrestling type activity or physical contact, you really feel different. It's this calming, this grounding, but we have it in us. I have a training dummy full of pillows and towels and I get that similar feeling. So I think it's like it's in us, you know. Um, so we just got to find whatever that is that chills us out. Running I mentioned that I do weightlifting things that just kind of like, okay, exert energy. And then going on a walk is also good. That's more slow, but that gets me to slow down enough to then, you know, reflect, and I do that almost nightly. I also hop in the hot tub. It's nice Now that's functional again. I built these things, patty. I'm like these things bring me happiness. I need them.
Patti Hunt :But that's the whole point here and I want to talk a little bit about jiu-jitsu, because my daughter's boyfriend has a studio he owns now and I've learned about it and just for people to understand, it's in my world it is a full physical contact sport, absolutely that. You the way he described it you do not let go of the hold you have on that person until they tap out surrender right. That's what they do, or submit, Submit if I'm misquoting the word.
Joe Fier:No, you got it.
Patti Hunt :And to me that's extreme and I guess the point I want to make. My listeners don't all have to go sign up for jiu-jitsu. There are so many different ways. I'm more of a calmer, you know, non-violent I thought I was too yes yes, okay, we'll talk again in a year from now and I'll let you know if I try. You know what it is actually class you know what it is actually Class.
Joe Fier:You know what it is. It's we all have a layer of it started to cut you off, but this is actually why I did is because I had someone else that I get massages. That's another way to slow down every now and then I love that one.
Patti Hunt :Yeah, yeah, that works for me, that kind of context, for it works.
Joe Fier:That's cool. But she's like she's special. She's like this intuitive kind of picks up on these, like little micro movements, and she was actually the one that told me hey, you have like every time you move in this way or you know, like I feel it in your back that you like spasm, you almost like tense up. She's like a lot of, and a lot of men have this, but like there's this aggression actually that's kind of somewhere in our bodies, like we're holding on to it. Maybe it's anger, we all. It kind of shows up in different forms for us. But she was like there are healthy ways to get it out. That actually like gets it out rather than just stirs it around or leaves it. So, um, it's to get whatever that is out. However it comes out could be sadness too. Like that's a form. You know, like it's okay, yeah.
Patti Hunt :I mean, and I think the big point here that we want the listeners to know, find those systems, those processes that work. And so maybe I'll try jujitsu, I'll go to my daughter.
Joe Fier:Let you roll around.
Patti Hunt :Yeah, let's see how that goes. I will report back on the show.
Patti Hunt :I'm not sure I'm hesitant to say this, but maybe I'll go try a class. And again, it is about being open to trying different things. I love the hot tub, I love the masseuse, but there are times I just need a good cry are times I just need a good cry. I use my journal to think things through, work things through, to vent, to brain dump all of those things. And so the point that I think we're getting at here is for the listener find what works. They should not try all of these things at once. Pick one thing, because what we're talking about is taking small steps. One of the things I know that happens, and we'll talk about this more in the next episode.
Patti Hunt :When we look at making setting goals, intentions, new Year's resolutions, we think of this big picture and I think of it like look up at a set of stairs and you're carrying something heavy and you're thinking how am I getting this to the top of the step? Well, you could only do one step at a time. Focus on the step in front of you, one step at a time, and I use that for an analogy for everything in life. I just had somebody say I said I was feeling overwhelmed, I was away all week. I have a lot of catch up to do. Feeling overwhelmed, and he said how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time? And so those are good analogies for people that look at 2024.
Patti Hunt :You know, here it is the holidays. A lot of people are already overwhelmed. They're. You know, there's a lot of stress involved in this happy time of the year, and so I think some of these are ways to get ourselves refocused, you know, reflect on the past refocus. So let's talk about how you so you're looking at your past. We both have challenges this past year. How do you suggest handling those and I'm calling it challenges. Some people call it crappy situation, whatever words they use for it. Some people look at those horrible situations health challenges, whatever it is, whatever they call it, I choose to call it challenges. What are some ways to get through them?
Joe Fier:yeah, I, I think you gotta. You gotta slow down first, because if we keep in this, uh, frantic, or if we're trying to keep up with the pace that we feel like maybe we should be doing, at least, at least give ourselves five, ten minutes to sit down wherever that could be, but find a place that seems just slower. And because we all adapt to our environments in a way that we might not be controlling but we kind of just like, oh, or if it's hug your dog, pet your cat, hug someone else, literally, these are times where it's okay to just take time for yourself, take a nap. I do that. I mean not a lot, but I'll just throw another technique Yoga Nidra. I know your producer Jacob, our producer Jacob, has tried that and it's like a nice reset that you could go to YouTube. It takes 20 minutes and we all deserve that. We should be doing that unapologetically.
Joe Fier:Almost didn't say it, right, but you're like we're humans, we don't need to. You know, feel like a lion's chasing us 24-7, even though that's what the world kind of is geared to do with. You know our phones sending us notifications all the time, emails, feeling like we got to be on it because we're working at home so we have access to email and everybody pinging us. It's like you know what I turn that stuff off, you know, at certain times of the days or completely, sometimes on my phone. So yeah, I, you got to start with that. Just slow down, just can't harp that enough. And then it just kind of comes up with the, with the natural, you know, like the journaling and talking things through, asking for help.
Patti Hunt :I mean they're all things in the moment, yes, and asking for help and challenges. I want to dive a little more into that. I I'm let me mention, uh, one of my great sponsors that I want to take a minute mention, and that is clear0,. Safe drinking water is vital. I think my Philadelphia accent is coming out. I was born and raised in Philadelphia and I left and I kind of let go of the accent, but it came back up there.
Joe Fier:You always got it yeah.
Patti Hunt :I am so happy to find Clear 2.0 because they have the ultimate water filtration system. They have inline water filters, single water filter, the dual water filter, triple canister For my RVers. They have something for everyone and that's what I'd like is there are all different types of systems. What I love best about this company is they take it to the next level of water filtration. Now they will be at the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa in January. As I mentioned, they are offering 15% off when you use code RVLIFEPODCAST at checkout. So absolutely check into Clear2 at Clear20.com and all of this will be in the show notes. So let's you know challenges.
Patti Hunt :As a lot of my listeners know, it has been an incredibly challenging year for me, and I think people look at those of us you and I. You have a podcast that's in the top 1% globally. They look at us and think things look great, things look perfect, everything's perfect, and I'd like to share that. There's not perfect because you and I have had to get through challenges, and so I I. I like what you said about come up with what works for you. I also tried yoga. Uh, how do you say it? Okay, um, I think it's a great way to just take a break in the middle of the day. I am not one to take naps, I just I don't like it.
Patti Hunt :I tried it, I enjoy it and it's great. I've done other meditations and these are all things. When people can find systems, try different things. I think that's a big thing of. What we're here to share is different things that could work for different people. Don't try and do it.
Patti Hunt :All my RV listeners they're either full-time, they're part-time, they're some time. Some of my listeners right now, I know, are looking to go RVing and thinking about how do I overcome the challenges, and I have people that unfortunately, have had to put their RV in storage and they spend the winters, you know, at their home base. So there's a different type of challenges sometimes. What I want to also look at is, by focusing on the past, we could set up for what we want. The future, you know the year to look at and we'll dive more into that for next year. But let's talk about a lot of this is about personal development, mindset, call it what you want. Talk about some of those things that have helped you to. You know that helped you with building your relationships, your business. Yeah, everything that you've done is I mean, that's probably where it starts right business.
Joe Fier:Yeah, everything that you've done is, I mean, that's probably where it starts, right it is. And you know, as I was reflecting on our call here, like what we're doing now is, you know, this year I so I have a one-year-old now and a five-year-old, but she just turned one. So it's, you know, technically born 2023. But this was the year where I was like, wow, okay, now I have two daughters and running my business. My wife's also an entrepreneur, so she has her own. She also works alongside me in mine.
Joe Fier:So talk about challenges, love them, but very challenging. But I told, we told ourselves and I told myself, like 10 plus years ago, when I first tried to start having kids, we had a whole journey infertility, ivf, the whole nine. So that's a whole bag of challenges in itself. It fostering as well. So it's like a lot of things that led me up to this point where I realized, when I have both of my daughters because we wanted two, I'm going to be a present husband and father and I want to be there and be deliberately there, not just like flying in here and there. Okay, I got to go, you know, and go to work, or daddy's here just for dinner and then you're going to sleep and then bye, and then we're going to start tomorrow again and not be around, so like, so that doesn't sound like a good life to me.
Joe Fier:So I chose very specifically and that was a big thing this year that I put into practice is being deliberate with how I structure my days, knowing that I have these windows of time that I need to be very deliberate with and time block and put constraints on myself. You know some of these, like Fridays, for instance, I have no calls at all that day. No one can book on my calendar. Usually Thursdays I can't either, because it's podcast recording day, but I'm not recording every Thursday, so it turns into new call Thursdays too.
Joe Fier:A lot of times I love, but I just know, and then I have, you know, I constrain it. So when my five-year-old's out of school, I'm usually done or at least I'm pretty done with work and still getting better. This is a 2025 thing, but at the same time, like it's having that knowing mentally, okay, I want to be present, my goals from, like years and years past, but now, now that it's here, I'm putting it into practice and sleep or no sleep, I got to do it. I got to show up and be my best, and you know people rely on me, but it starts with my family here. So yeah, that was the mindset, plus tactical kind of thing.
Patti Hunt :Right, and that's. I'm glad you mentioned that, because as entrepreneurs, it's at the end of the day and I think a lot of entrepreneurs can relate at the end of the day, you have a list of things that you need to do and there's never going to be a time where it's all checked off.
Patti Hunt :So, many years ago it was like, oh gosh, I didn't get this done or that done or that done. There is never going to be a day where it's like I got everything done. It's not. It doesn't happen. And there was something on social media where it showed that the person checked things off their list but they sent an email to somebody, so that's checked off their list, but 10 seconds later the person responds. So now they have to respond to them. And it's putting all of that into perspective. It's. It's like you said you're done. Your daughter, you know when she's five, if she's done, you're done for the day. Yeah, it's.
Patti Hunt :It's really setting ourselves up for and and again with the r RVers. They're traveling. A lot of them are entrepreneurs, but even if they're not, you know how do you look at the year and say, okay, what can I do to be more present, to be you know? All of those things that well, so I want, I want to make sure I'm more present. I was when I first started RVing. We had a plan of where we wanted to go. And I'm looking at this plan and we're getting to the location and I'm thinking about the next location, the next plan, the next place, and what am I going to do? Three months after that and after a little while I went wait a minute, I'm not here present enjoying, like you got to enjoy, the journey, especially as an RVer.
Joe Fier:Are you a natural planner, Patty?
Patti Hunt :I am.
Joe Fier:Yeah.
Patti Hunt :So much so.
Joe Fier:Like so much so my wife's the same yeah.
Patti Hunt :I'm always saying so. If there's an event or something that's happening, it's like okay, what does that look like? I need to know what the whole story is with the whole planet.
Joe Fier:No mysteries, no surprises.
Patti Hunt :Well, but so I think when we so for me, being a planner, I went to college, became a teacher, was a teacher for 20 years. I knew when I had to work, when I didn't Like it. Was a teacher for 20 years, I knew when I had to work, when I didn't, it was a scheduled thing, and so if it wasn't something in the plan, it really threw me. Well, there's something like COVID hitting plans are out the window, deciding on going down the RV, life plans out the window, and so I've learned to embrace it. And now when somebody says, hey, do you want to come to a party? Yes, I have questions, but there is this letting go, so let me go back. I want to go back and tell the story of what happened this year. Before I do that, let me get one of my great sponsors. This show is able to continue because of my incredible sponsors, and all of my sponsors are products or services that I truly believe in. It is cold. We were just talking about the weather. It's been in the 20s here in the Philadelphia area, which is unusually cold, and people like to you know, rv in the winter. I don't understand it, but for my RV listeners that want to be in the winter.
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Patti Hunt :And so I have learned to embrace it because I've had a lot of stuff kind of thrown at me and for some of my listeners. Back in April, dan became ill. He was in the hospital for a week and within that week I was told that he was not going to get better. So he is cognitively impaired and in a care facility and so you know that really doesn't work well with the planner in me and when I'm looking to reflect on 2024, I'm looking to reflect on the future and having something so challenging and so difficult that happened I'm not going to minimize it and there were days I just wanted to quit, roll into a hole, give up. There was a lot of crying, a lot of just.
Patti Hunt :You know, whatever you could imagine, it happened. And how do you get through those? How do I reflect on 2024 and still say I could see the good in the year, I could have gratitude for the things that have happened, I could get learn lessons out of what happened. I mean, I you know, can you share, I'm putting you on the spot but I know that I can look back at the stuff that has happened and still say 2024 was a darn good year and I'm grateful for so much of what happened, in spite of.
Joe Fier:Before you put the spotlight on me. I mean, I want to learn from you Like is there something new out of your years and going through this situation and of course it's one of many you've experienced out of your lifetime, but it's a different flavor. Of course I don't have the perfect question, but is there some big aha that's come out of your reflections and experiences here that you can take in the next year and beyond?
Patti Hunt :I think the biggest thing for me that I've learned over the last several years and the word is surrender, and just to explain what I mean by that I think there are things in life that I can control. I think there are things in anybody's life that we have some control over. I think those things are a lot smaller in the amount of what we have control over than we believe, and so the things that I could change control can affect great, but the things that I can't. I had no control over what happens to another human being, what they do, how they respond, whether or not they become disabled, whatever that is, and to be able to surrender and let go of that. And for some people, what I'm saying is going to land in very different ways, and I'm going to invite any of my listeners that are like what the heck are you talking about? Like whatever reactions people are having right now, reach out. They could comment on the podcast platform, go to my social media RV Life Podcast at Instagram and Facebook, because I want to hear this from people, because I have had a lot of challenges in life and I have learned how to let go.
Patti Hunt :The bottom line is letting go of the things I can't change, I don't have control over, and that's the word surrender, and there's a lot of great books I've read about that. I want to say that's probably the biggest thing. It doesn't mean you're not sad, it doesn't mean there wasn't crying. It doesn't mean there wasn't a ton of emotion all over the place and I am incredibly. I could look at that part. Or look at the part where I'm so grateful for the friends and family, the RV community, that came together and showed support in a way that I never would have known expected thought could happen.
Joe Fier:Cool, that's beautiful, it's perfect, thank you, it is, and that's. I fully agree with the whole surrender thing. I mean I lost my father-in-law about almost this time last year, a little earlier, but there's been after effects of that and changes and not being around for my granddaughter and before my five-year-old. I lost my dad literally two weeks before. So it's a weird second thing happening.
Joe Fier:I don't know if we talked about that before, but yeah, this surrendering is huge and realizing, like you mentioned, a key point is you can only control so much and it's a lot less than you think, and that's how I think. My perfect scenario is like okay, great, it's a whole different metaphor, but it's like you get in a car accident, for instance, or someone else does. Well, you technically chose to drive down that street, so you controlled that and you got in the car for whatever reason you know, but things happen. You can't control it, and but that's like you could take that whole concept anywhere in life, you know, and, um, so do the best you can slow things down and exactly and and what I believe we do have control over, and what I look at this past year and I have so much, in spite of what happened, to be grateful for.
Patti Hunt :And when you're in that dark moment, it's hard to see the things you're grateful for. So it was interesting I lived in Las Vegas for three years. They have sunshine something like 287 days of the year, so most of the year is sunny and I'm in a store and it's raining, which is rare, and somebody's like, oh, it's raining. And I thought to myself, the rain is so you could appreciate the sunny days, and so it's really being able to look at those things. It's being able to look past the fact that it is raining here today and and just seeing something you can be grateful for or that is positive. I'm going to say and it's taken me a long time it's, it's, it's.
Patti Hunt :It's been a lot of learning and and again, I think that's what we're looking to do. So this whole idea of mindset call it what you want personal growth is a big part of what I look at for 2024. What do I look at? How did I grow? What did I learn? And here's the other big thing In spite of everything that went on celebrating the wins. I mean, you do things, you're shaking your head.
Joe Fier:Yeah, I do, but I don't always remember and this is where my wife, heather, I, got to give her a ton of credit because she recalibrates me when I'm feeling like I'm not doing enough or I don't feel like I don't have enough for whatever reason. Whatever form that comes in, she'll remind me of. You realize, all the things that you've done just today alone, but this week, this year, the last decade, you know, uh, and and I think about that and when I slow myself down and celebrate those things which, again, I don't do often enough, but we need to celebrate those things, like tim ferris, if you ever follow him and stuff.
Joe Fier:yeah, he, he was pretty sure it was him. He has like a gratitude, or at least used to like this this bucket, basically, or this jar, where every time you celebrate something positive, you write it on a little, on a little piece of paper, and you throw it in the jar, and we used to do that. I'm gonna bring it back now because we still have the jar, but my wife and I don't actively do that. I'm going to bring it back now because we still have the jar, but my wife and I don't actively do that, and I thought it was the coolest thing because anytime you're in the dumps, shove your hand down in there and you look at it and that was something you celebrated at one point in your life and I love that idea.
Patti Hunt :And how great you could do that now with your five-year-old.
Joe Fier:Absolutely. Actually, that's a great idea. Let's do an activity together.
Patti Hunt :Because I think it's these things that people are starting to teach kids. I have a lot of RV listeners that are traveling with kids and ways to sort of teach kids the things that we're talking about. That I certainly didn't learn as a kid, but without just sitting down and trying to teach it, I think you teach kids by doing yeah you show them and playful, right, right.
Patti Hunt :And celebrating wins for me used to be oh, we'd open a bottle of champagne and it'd be the big things. First of all, I really don't care for champagne.
Joe Fier:I don't think many people do.
Patti Hunt :I think you're right. I did find one that's a little sweeter.
Joe Fier:You put some strawberries in it it makes it so much better. There's some good ones, but yeah, you're right, it's usually flavored up.
Patti Hunt :But I've learned that celebrating the wins what does that look like for me, you know? And taking time out, and it doesn't have to be these huge successes. I believe my suggestion is that we do it the little wins. Sometimes look at the thick of what I was going through. Sometimes just getting through the day without breaking down and being able to go out and enjoy the day was a win. So yay, me own it.
Patti Hunt :Yeah, exactly, Wow, A lot here, and I know, know, there's a lot. We still have time in this episode. I know there's a lot we want to give people moving into 2025. Um, and and this is an interesting episode because it is a two-parter so, um, we are going to talk about yeah, yeah, I'm loving this and I hope it's helping my listeners and I'm going to suggest they reach out to you and or me. Where can people reach you while we're talking about it?
Joe Fier:You can find me on the socials. Pretty much every platform is just my name, first name, last name, j-o-e-f-i-e-r. Joe Fear, and feel free to email me directly. If you heard me here, I will just give you my email. It's joe at hustle and flowchartcom, and hustle and flowchart is my podcast that you've referenced. That you know it's. It's pretty easy to find me and stalk me down if you need to. You know, I would love to hear from you.
Patti Hunt :It's not need to exactly, and I'll put that in the show notes and I think that's a that's a good thing too. I think people look at the influencers, the podcast hosts, the they're you know above I, and I don't feel that way. I've had people say, oh, I saw you in an event but I didn't want to come up and bother you. No, come, say hi that is the moment.
Patti Hunt :Yeah, I'd love that, so we're going to talk a little more. We still have more to talk about in this episode. Let me talk about an event that I will be at in May. I know that's a little ways away. May is my birthday month, so it's a special one. I've started celebrating that too. Talk about celebrating Good For my birthday. I used to pretend it's a special one. I've started celebrating that too. Talk about celebrating.
Joe Fier:Good.
Patti Hunt :For my birthday. I used to pretend it's not important, it didn't exist. Conversation probably for another time.
Joe Fier:Maybe we'll talk about it, so many people write it off, though it's like you're writing yourself off.
Patti Hunt :Yes, it's true, and there's a lot around that Like, oh, I'm not important enough, you know. So my birthday's not. No, no, I'm already thinking this year what I want to do for my birthday. So that's another intention plan for 2025. So we'll talk about that.
Joe Fier:You are the most important person on this plan. It has to start with you.
Patti Hunt :I love that. So we'll talk about how to do that in the next episode. That's great, because I think a lot of people do that. But if you're looking for a place to shop for 2025 motorhomes the Music City Motorhome Expo it is the second annual event. It takes place May 31st to June 1st. No, may 31st to June 4th, I believe it's five days. I'll get those dates settled and it is the event of the year. This will be my second year I will be attending. There will be all the major manufacturers. You will have time to enjoy test rides. You will get three meals a day, two amazing entertainers. This is an incredible event to go to. It's called Music City Motorhome Expo and you can find out everything at musiccitymotorhomeexpocom or nirvccom. So it's National Indoor RV Centers, which I am a big fan of them. All right. So we are going to wrap this episode up and I want people we're going to start wrapping up. I want people to know that next week's episode we are going to dive into how to set up 2025, but we are not done yet.
Patti Hunt :It's time for the question of the week and it's brought to you by my Open Roads. My Open Roads has OpenRoads fuel card Anybody that needs diesel fuel. This is the card that will save you money every time you go to get diesel fuel. The card is free to sign up for. Get the card in the mail, activate it. You have an app that shows you all of the gas stations that you can fill up with and you will save money every time you fill up. Openroads also has something rather new, and that's the innovative toll solution, and this toll pass covers all 48 states. This is an incredible toll pass for anybody that does any traveling Itvers all 48 states. They have concierge service, so should you have a problem, they are going to help you with it. Open Roads I have the links for both of these in the show notes. Go to the links to get signed up for those two incredible services. My question for you is what is on your bucket list, something that you've done or something that you are looking to do in 2025?
Joe Fier:Oh man.
Patti Hunt :I know, put this spot.
Joe Fier:You totally are and I love it. So the bucket list, oh man, I don't know if we'll do it before my daughter's too, but I really want to spend. I feel like I said this maybe in our last episode too, but at least three months, maybe six months, over in spain actually is specifically where I would love to spend time. And it's this, you know, and this is because my wife and I, like beforehand, we would do a lot of adventuring and traveling. We never actually did. We did a lot of road tripping, but never officially in an rv, but um, and I, I think that's on, it is on the bucket list for us, but maybe, maybe that comes before spain just because of the ages, and I'll explain.
Joe Fier:But you know, I want to have a two-year-old. I think it'd be a lot easier to then adapt to, at least for a good chunk of time in a different culture, a different setting, something that different pace. You know, there's a lot of reasons and I love I've been to spain a couple times and absolutely adore it and uh, there's just things in the american pace that I feel like I'm just like o oof, you need a reset button sometimes, and that that one definitely gave it to me, but I want like three to six months and then take my family over.
Patti Hunt :Yeah, that's incredible. And for again, our next episode we're going to talk about bucket list items, setting intentions and how to make those happen. But it's now time for the feature campground of the week and how to make those happen. But it's now time for the feature campground of the week and it's brought to you by RV Life Pro Journey with confidence with RV Life Pro suite of products. I've had the RV Life Pro suite of products since before I started in an RV, because it is absolutely a must have.
Patti Hunt :This week's feature campground is Oka Chobi and if I'm saying that wrong one of my listeners, I think that's right. Oh, okay, I think it's Okeechobee KOA Resort in Okeechobee, florida, and it's funny to say that this is a Thousand Trails Resort with 750 sites. It is just beautiful, well-manicured, well-maintained RV resort with so much to offer, and it's close to the breathtaking Lake Okeechobee. They do offer full hookups, pull-in sites, pet areas and rentals are available. Okeechobee KOA Resort has a solid 7.6 rating on the RV Life Campgrounds, with 90 reviews, and it is so easy to book your site here because you go to campgroundsrvlifecom, search Okeechobee K-O-A Resort and you will see all the pictures, you'll see all the amenities, you'll see everything this property has to offer. Going to campgroundsrvlifecom, you could see RV parks, campgrounds, resorts, city, state national parks. The campgroundsrvlifecom is the most comprehensive source of all of these types of places. I highly recommend visiting campgroundsrvlifecom.
Patti Hunt :Okay, now I want to make sure my listeners tune in to part two, where Joe will join me again and we'll explore actionable tips and powerful insights to set success for the new year. And that'll be on day one Month one, day one of 2025. Yes, day one. And you guys can reach out to Joe by going to hustleandflowchartcom, his socials. You can go to his socials and ask him questions, his email he even offered up his email so you can reach out to him directly. So anybody listening let me know ideas and thoughts for 2025. I am open to seeing how 2025 can be better. On the RV Life Podcast Now, today, for the first time, people are hearing the new tagline and here it is, and I want people's thoughts on this. Life is a journey. Live each day to the fullest, without regrets. I'm Patty Hunt and you've been listening to the RV Life Podcast.