Building your rig can be tough. Social media doesn’t do a great job with showing you that side of it but it really can be taxing, both physically and mentally. Lets talk about what focusing on your mental health looks like and how to make sure you’re staying healthy while building your dream van!
As a bright-eyed eager new van owner, I was so positive I’d be leaving in the summer. Then it was the spring. And now I’ve finally changed it to “eventually”. It’s now been two years since I brought LuLu home, and its hard to keep pushing my departure date back.
In addition to that, I’ve had to learn mechanics, woodworking, and automotive restoration. It can be frustrating to jump into something and know next to nothing about it. Sure, some have the ability to put money into it. Whether its the inability or the desire to DIY it, if you do it yourself, there’s a learning curve. That means things are bound to go wrong sometimes. You’ll need to redo them sometimes. It can take a toll.
Here’s some tips to help you stay sane and healthy during your van build:
Have realistic expectations. Not everyone works at the same pace. Some things take longer times than others and everyone’s skill set varies. Make sure you’re looking at DIY builds, too, when you’re looking for inspiration and guidance. A professional build is a lot different than a DIY build and I want you to set yourself up for success. The best thing you can do to prevent future disappointment is understand that things take time and you can only do so much!
Lean on others. Maybe you’ve had a frustrating day because for whatever reason, you just cannot seem to make whatever it is you’re doing work. Maybe you’re trying to be self-sufficient and independent, but its really hard to finish a project with literally only two hands. Or, maybe you’re just tired. Regardless, invite some friends or family over to lend a hand. Even if they aren’t the handiest, they can keep you company while its just you and your build. Put on some music and have a drink or a snack together.
Make space to do the fun stuff. Building your rig can be a lot of fun, but it can also be horribly mundane. There’s a lot of work that goes into it to. No, painting a mural doesn’t put you any closer to having your rig done, but taking time to imagine and have fun can really do wonders for your mental health! Especially when you’ve been working on a single project for a long time, breaking the monotony up with a fun project in the middle can really help prevent burn out.
Take time away from the project. This can be short breaks or long breaks, minutes or weeks. When something starts to feel like a chore, you’re less likely to want to do it. Making sure you take breaks before you’re burnt out on a project (and taking some time to do #3) can help ensure that you’ll still want to keep working on the project. Breaks are so integral to maintaining good mental health!
Understand things are hard. The most important thing you can do when you’re feeling some type of way is to acknowledge your feelings. No one said a van build is going to be easy so don’t be hard on yourself. Some days you’ll feel amazing and accomplished but other days you might feel like a failure. That couldn’t be further from the truth, so acknowledge that things are hard and that you’re doing it anyway. That, my friend, is really, really cool!
While incredibly rewarding, building out your van for a life on the road can be taxing on your mental health, too. It’s important to take care of yourself so that one day, you’ll have realized your dreams. You’ll be able to look back on your build with pride because you know what? You did it!
Keep up with me and my journey here where I update every Tuesday. Don’t forget to check out Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube! Looking for even more content? Become a Patron and you can get all kinds of goodies!
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