Learning to back up an RV into any spot is no easy task. The anxiety of maneuvering into a situation where I might need to reverse is nerve-wracking. Driving an RV and pulling a trailer on major highways and through city traffic is intimidating enough. So, like most people faced with these types of anxiety-inducing moments, I initially tried to avoid them. It’s natural for our brains to feel better if we can just sidestep uncomfortable situations altogether.

HipCamp App site - Great location just outside of Atlanta

However, avoiding challenges isn't the way to overcome them or master new skills. For years, I've taught my students to embrace discomfort. Understanding that the feeling of unease can transform into confidence once you master a new skill is vital. Not only can you master it, but you can also experience the dopamine effect that results when you overcome your fears and accomplish something that once seemed very hard, or even impossible.

That's exactly how I felt the first few times I was behind the wheel of the truck pulling the RV. Even the setup process—hooking up the RV to the trailer, running through my checklist—was fraught with anxiety. Questions raced through my mind: Did I hook everything up correctly? Did I stow everything properly? Facing anything challenging for the first time is expected to be difficult, but it does get easier over time. That’s the reassurance your brain needs to hear, not doubts like, "I can’t do this," or "I will never learn to do this." Such thoughts serve no purpose in the learning process and only hinder your progress.

HipCamp Site - Just outside of Atlanta GA

I often think about our bootcamp students, and how many times my team and I have had to help a student push past their fear so that they don't quit the program. Quitting is easy; it temporarily relieves the brain of all that anxiety. But that relief is short-lived, and a better path forward is to push just a little further to experience that rush of accomplishment. Recognizing that feeling and telling your brain that you want more of it is what drives momentum and pushes you forward. It’s thrilling to achieve something you once thought was not possible. Taking a moment to acknowledge that feeling and celebrating it can help create the momentum necessary to keep learning, keep feeling uncomfortable, and keep moving towards goals that can positively change you forever.

Harvest Host site - Winery in Southern GA

One of my first small victories was getting the trailer hooked up to the truck and driving it down the road without incident. The brain can be your worst enemy if you let it hold you back. My next significant challenge was being forced to back up the RV into a campsite without a pull-through option. As I approached the site, I stopped the truck, got out, and assessed the situation. Having watched numerous YouTube videos and understood the concepts, it was now time to put them into practice. Fortunately, a couple noticed me hesitating and offered to help. The man asked if I needed assistance and, acknowledging my novice status, I admitted, "Well, this is my first time ever backing up the RV, so yes, I do need help, but I really need to figure this out because I have to learn to do this myself." His wife assured me with a smile, "Oh, my husband will help you, but you are going to do all the work." Relieved, I smiled back and said, "I am all in, thank you!" He was an amazing coach, and true to his wife’s words, I did all the work; he just guided me through it. It was an incredible learning experience.

I love the big open rest area truck stops that allow you to park and just pull straight through.

Reflecting on that moment, I think about how we teach our instructors to support our students. “Coach, don’t show” is our policy. Our students have to do the driving, or they won’t be able to apply the new skills on their own. Some people just want someone else to do it for them; those individuals will never be able to move forward with their goals. Being brave enough to acknowledge when you don’t know something is important in the learning process. But if your goal is to travel across the US in an RV successfully, or learn new skills to enter a career path in the tech industry, you had better get used to feeling uncomfortable and dive in to push yourself past that feeling, noticing when that emotion is present and what you do to push past it again and again.

I continue to gain confidence in my skills with the RV, and my ability to back up keeps improving each time I am pushed into situations that require that skill. Next time you find yourself in a situation where you are learning something new or want to take a leap to change your career path, remember that anything is possible if you are open to being okay with being uncomfortable.

Stay tuned for more stories from the road as we explore what it means to work remotely, live minimally, and embrace the vastness of the country with open arms and an open heart. This journey is as much about the destinations we'll discover as it is about the discoveries we'll find within ourselves along the way. Join us as we venture into the unknown, powered by technology, driven by wanderlust, and guided by the spirit of adventure.

To learn more and perhaps invite us to your community, explore our America Tour site here: https://www.nebulaacademy.com/america-tour or email us at tour@wctd.org

Interested in being a sponsor to support scholarships for workforce development reach out to us at sponsor@wctd.org

Thank you to our National Sponsor Apex Systems

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