Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina O’Reilly.
Hi Christina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Our story began in Buffalo NY, where Patrick and I met in 2007. From day one, we both shared a passion for travel and the art of mindful living and so made it our mission to create a life that involved a healthy combination of the two.
Years passed and many trips later, Patrick and I were ready to jump into more long-term travel. In 2018 we found the perfect camper trailer for our needs and moved out of our first home in Buffalo and put it up on Airbnb. And the first long-term cross-country trip commenced!
Fast forward to January 2020, we found ourselves on the outskirts of Joshua Tree National Park, camping in a dry lakebed, taking shelter from one crazy windstorm.
As we were sitting there, listening to the howling winds, our trailer rocked back and forth. We consoled our fur babies and flipped through some pictures, reminiscing on all the incredible places we had seen.
Feeling gratitude for everything in our life that led us to that point, an idea was sparked to share our journeys of mindfulness and travel with others and that is how the Mindful Wanderers was born.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I wish we could say it has been a smooth road, but we certainly have had our share of struggles. After a while, you come to realize that struggles are simply one those facts of life that all will encounter and must find a way through. It is what makes humans resilient and strong.
One of the most notable struggles Patrick and I encountered along the way was the onset of Covid, March 2020. We found ourselves in San Diego, CA with plans to drive up the coast, visit friends, and volunteer. As places started shutting down, we quickly had to divert our plans and headed out to the desert to shelter in place for the next two months. It was an experience of a lifetime and one we will never forget. One that involved driving miles to find food and water. Learning different ways to stay cool in the desert sun, creating new habits around the conservation of water and around reducing waste. In the moment, these trials and tribulations did feel like struggles, however as we look back and reflect on those moments in time, we are filled with gratitude, as those moments and experiences added to the foundation of our message and our mission.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Stay Zen Retreats: heart-centered homes for mindful wanderers.
Stay Zen Retreats is our vacation home business and has operated five-star service since 2018. We now have homes in Buffalo, NY and Austin, TX and will be expanding soon! Check us out at stayzenretreats.com
What were you like growing up?
Growing up we both loved creating art, playing outside, and never turned down an adventure – especially a spontaneous one!!!
Contact Info:
- Email: themindfulwanderers@gmail.com
- Website: www.stayzenretreats.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_mindfulwanderers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themindfulwanderers
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=QutwOb8Xeo-1dbho0OiYCQ
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/stayzenretreats
Image Credits
Christina O’Reilly
Patrick O’Reilly
