Stardate 04.30.2026
For years, I’ve been on the outside looking in.
The dream has been there a long time. The seed was planted back in Kindergarten when my dad pulled the seats out of our family Volkswagen Van and replaced them with a simple bed for camping trips. I didn’t know it then, but something about that transformation stuck with me. A vehicle became a place to rest. A mode of transportation became a small home.
Now, decades later, I’m preparing to build a vacation home on wheels of my own.
There’s just one detail that makes this a little unusual.
I don’t own the van yet.
And that’s no longer stopping me.
I’ve started building the van in modules, beginning with the kitchen. I bought a faucet months ago when it was on sale at my day job. At the time, it felt like a small, practical purchase. Now I see it was the first physical step toward something much larger.
I’ve slowly gathered most of the tools I’ll need. I’m learning how to work with extruded aluminum for the first time. And I have a virtual assistant helping me think through the design so I can avoid mistakes before they happen.
What I realized this week is something that changed the way I see the entire project:
I don’t need the van to begin.
I need the courage to start.
Modules first. Van purchase second. Installation last.
That shift has opened the door for me to do something I’ve wanted to do for years but didn’t feel “qualified” to do yet—join the van building community.
For a long time, I felt like I had to wait until I owned a van before I could really belong in those conversations. Now I see that’s not true. I’m building the skills, learning the process, and taking real steps forward. That’s enough to step into the room.
So I’m going to start doing a little cyber mingling with others who are already living this life. Reading. Learning. Asking questions. Sharing what I’m trying.
If you’re a dreamer like me and feel like you don’t have the skills yet to start something big, you may want to follow along.
I’m not an expert builder. I’m learning as I go. I expect to make mistakes. I expect to redo things. I expect to grow.
And honestly, that’s part of what makes this exciting.
Because this isn’t just about building a van anymore.
It’s about discovering that you don’t have to wait until you feel ready to begin moving toward something you care about.
Sometimes, readiness shows up after you start.
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” — Proverbs 16:3
I don’t know exactly how this will unfold yet, but I know this: I’m not stopping until the build is complete.
And if these stories inspire even one person to begin taking small steps toward a dream they’ve been postponing, that will feel like a win to me.
Join me here:
https://substack.com/@michaelmulliganlivelong
🖖 Captain’s Addendum
Spock: “Captain, it appears you are constructing a vessel before acquiring the vessel.”
Bones: “I’ve seen stranger things, Spock. At least this one comes with a kitchen sink.”
Sometimes the first step toward a dream is not ownership, but participation. I’m learning that belonging begins the moment you start acting like the person you hope to become.
Grateful to be learning this one module at a time.
May you live long and prosper.
No comments:
Post a Comment