How a Gratitude Journal Sparked Our Dream to Travel the World as a Family

The idea started when I was about 35. Life was busy—toddler tantrums, preschool drop-offs, and a daily to-do list that never seemed to end. That’s when I discovered a motivational speaker who encouraged people to dream big.

So I started journaling.

Every evening, I wrote down five things I was grateful for, followed by a short list of goals and dreams I wanted to achieve over the next five years.

That simple routine changed everything.

Finding Gratitude in the Chaos

Gratitude helped me focus on the good—even in the messiest of moments. It shifted my mindset from overwhelmed to grounded. The dreams list? That’s where the magic began.

At the time, travel felt like a fantasy. We were deep in the little kid phase, and money was tight. Still, one of my recurring dreams was:

I want to travel often.

Preschool Points and a Free Flight

Back then, our version of “travel hacking” was using our Southwest credit card to pay for preschool tuition. It earned us a free ticket each year, and we were thrilled. That tiny win sparked a curiosity: What else was possible?

From Dreaming to Planning

My husband and I started asking each other, “Where would you go if you could go anywhere?” We made a pact: for our 40th birthdays, we’d each plan a dream trip.

For his 40th, he chose Italy—and in the summer of 2023, our family of five fell in love with traveling together. That trip sparked something big.

The 7-Continent Goal

During that trip, we dreamed bigger:

What if we visited every continent as a family before our youngest graduates high school?

A wild idea, maybe—but we said it out loud. And suddenly, it started to feel real.

Why We Chose Thailand

For my 40th, we chose Thailand for continent #3. It wasn’t just a pin on a map. We’ve been blessed to have Thai friends who’ve shared their language, food, and love for their home with us over the years. This trip felt personal and purposeful—a chance to experience their culture firsthand and share that with our kids.

What I’ve Learned

• Start small.
• Dream big.
• Write it down.