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When we first hit the road, we treated van life like a never-ending vacation - up for every sunrise, chasing every sunset, squeezing every ounce out of every day. But eventually, my body hit a wall. What started as a dream road trip turned into two months of running on empty… until a sharp pain in my chest forced everything to stop.

In this episode, I’m talking about the burnout no one prepares you for, how costochondritis became my very blunt wake-up call, and what slowing down has taught me about rest, presence, and letting go of FOMO, even when it feels like you’re missing out on everything. From van life realities to cultural whiplash in Baja, I’m unpacking the not-so-glamorous side of full-time travel and learning how to take care of myself along the way.

If you’ve ever struggled to rest, felt guilty for slowing down, or tried to outrun burnout, this one’s for you.

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This one isn’t from a beach or a scenic overlook—it’s from the backseat of my brain.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about the mental baggage that somehow snuck into the van: the overthinking, the spiraling, and that inner critic who never shuts up. I share what it’s like to chase a dream life but still feel like you’re messing it up, how overthinking affects your body, and the quiet voice I’m learning to listen to instead.

We’ll get into:
•How your inner critic thrives on exhaustion and self-doubt
•The connection between anxiety, overthinking, and your gut health
•Why “just enjoying the moment” is sometimes the hardest thing to do
•The one daily habit that’s actually helping me turn the volume down

If your brain has ever sabotaged a perfectly good day with a spiral of “you’re not doing enough,” this one’s for you.

Support the show

✨ Want to Support My Adventures?✨

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kristascompass

⬇️ One-time donations ⬇️

https://buymeacoffee.com/kristahameq

✨Follow The Podcast!✨

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postcardsineversentpod

Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@postcardsineversent

Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postcardsineversent/

Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postcardsineversent/

✨Follow Krista's Adventures!✨

Where to Listen to my Podcast: https://postcardsineversent.buzzsprout.com/

Main Travel Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristascompass

Travel YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kristascompass

Blog: https://www.kristascompass.com

Travel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristascompass

Travel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristascompass

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What do burning lady bits, Instagram expectations, and a slightly delusional travel itinerary have in common? Apparently… me.

In this episode, I share the story of floating in a natural salt pool in Mexico—something that sounded like the perfect slow-travel dream but ended up being one of those “why am I doing this?” moments. We’ll talk about:
    •    The gap between travel expectations and reality
    •    Why some experiences are better in theory than in practice
    •    Performing for social media vs. actually being present
    •    Letting yourself be disappointed (and still grateful)

This is a salty, slightly uncomfortable postcard about letting go of the perfect aesthetic and embracing the awkward, itchy, real stuff instead.

This is Postcards I Never Sent. Thanks for floating through this one with me.

Support the show

✨ Want to Support My Adventures?✨

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kristascompass

⬇️ One-time donations ⬇️

https://buymeacoffee.com/kristahameq

✨Follow The Podcast!✨

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postcardsineversentpod

Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@postcardsineversent

Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postcardsineversent/

Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postcardsineversent/

✨Follow Krista's Adventures!✨

Where to Listen to my Podcast: https://postcardsineversent.buzzsprout.com/

Main Travel Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristascompass

Travel YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kristascompass

Blog: https://www.kristascompass.com

Travel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristascompass

Travel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristascompass

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I always thought once I got the dream life—traveling full-time in a van, chasing the Pan-American Highway, waking up in epic places—I’d finally be happy. But here’s the plot twist: I got everything I wanted… and still felt like a mess inside.

In this episode, I talk about the emotional side of van life that rarely makes it into the Instagram captions. The quiet pressure to “make the most of it,” the guilt of not feeling grateful enough, and the realization that external freedom doesn’t fix your internal stuff.

It’s part travel diary, part emotional spiral, and a reminder that healing doesn’t stop just because your surroundings are beautiful.

We’ll talk about:
    •    What happens when the dream life still feels heavy
    •    Travel burnout and mental health on the road
    •    Learning how to slow down, reconnect, and actually enjoy the life you worked so hard to build

If you’ve ever chased something big and still felt stuck or unfulfilled, you’re not alone. This one’s for the overthinkers, the travelers, and the humans trying to figure it all out.

This is Postcards I Never Sent. Thanks for being here

Support the show

✨ Want to Support My Adventures?✨

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kristascompass

⬇️ One-time donations ⬇️

https://buymeacoffee.com/kristahameq

✨Follow The Podcast!✨

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postcardsineversentpod

Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@postcardsineversent

Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postcardsineversent/

Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postcardsineversent/

✨Follow Krista's Adventures!✨

Where to Listen to my Podcast: https://postcardsineversent.buzzsprout.com/

Main Travel Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristascompass

Travel YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kristascompass

Blog: https://www.kristascompass.com

Travel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristascompass

Travel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristascompass

Sign up for my Newsletter - https://kristascompass.com/insta/

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Postcards I Never Sent is a voice memo from the road—raw, reflective, and occasionally unhinged. Hosted by Krista, a full-time vanlifer driving from Alaska to Argentina, this storytelling podcast shares the quiet moments that never made it to Instagram.

These are the postcards I didn’t send—because I was too overwhelmed, too cracked open, or just emotionally distracted by bad Wi-Fi and a soggy burrito.

Recorded somewhere between signal and stillness, each episode is part storytime, part therapy, part “please send snacks.” It’s for the overthinkers, the wanderers, and anyone still figuring it out.

This isn’t a motivational “you’ve got this!” podcast. It’s not about pretending I have the answers. This is going to be more like a collection of voice notes I’d send a close friend. Just real-time reflections, quiet realizations, and stories I probably should’ve kept to myself—but didn’t.

Come for the travel. Stay for the existential spiral.

Support the show

✨ Want to Support My Adventures?✨

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/kristascompass

⬇️ One-time donations ⬇️

https://buymeacoffee.com/kristahameq

✨Follow The Podcast!✨

Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postcardsineversentpod

Podcast YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@postcardsineversent

Podcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@postcardsineversent/

Podcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/postcardsineversent/

✨Follow Krista's Adventures!✨

Where to Listen to my Podcast: https://postcardsineversent.buzzsprout.com/

Main Travel Instagram: https://instagram.com/kristascompass

Travel YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@kristascompass

Blog: https://www.kristascompass.com

Travel Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristascompass

Travel TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristascompass

Sign up for my Newsletter - https://kristascompass.com/insta/