In 2019, Ashley Kaye took a scuba diving trip to Honduras that changed the course of her life.

On that trip, Kaye met someone who travels full-time, and the conversation they had helped her realize she wanted to leave her career and life in Wisconsin behind and continue traveling.

“He told me he wished he had done it sooner because it’s so much easier and cheaper than you think. That changed everything for me,” Kaye tells CNBC Make It. “I went home and worked more and more until I quit the next year.”

When Kaye quit her job in 2020, she says she had about $37,000 in savings, but what she struggled with the most was not having a job to fill her time.

“I didn’t know how to just do nothing. The first few months were really hard and I wasn’t sure if I was making the right decision,” she says.

“Once I got into my rhythm of traveling and growing my confidence through that experience, I’ve never looked back and don’t have a single regret about leaving.”

Kaye spent the next three years traveling the world, including to South Africa. In 2022, a couple reached out to Kaye on Instagram to ask about her time there and shared their own experience overlanding in a Toyota truck with a camper.

Overlanding is a form of self-reliant travel that involves adventuring to remote destinations, typically in a vehicle of some type.

After doing a bit of her own research, Kaye was all-in and purchased a Toyota Tacoma truck for $42,934, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.

Kaye picked up the truck in South Dakota and drove it back to Wisconsin, where she had just sold her childhood home for $320,000.

In March 2023, Kaye drove to Baja California, Mexico, where she spent time arranging the necessary renovations to make the truck more livable.

“My life is kind of like ‘the plan is there is no plan.’ Most people plan this type of adventure for years. I didn’t even have a truck when I accepted the offer on my house,” she says.

“It was very spur of the moment, so I needed to take a pause and figure things out.”

She estimates she spent over $50,000 on the renovations. The costs included purchasing a camper, adding solar power, replacing the truck bed, upgrading the suspension, new tires, customizing a bumper, and installing an electric cooler.

When the truck was ready, Kaye decided to journey the Pan-American highway, starting in Denver. The highway stretches from Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushuaia, Argentina.

“It’s really an incredible way to travel because you get to set your own pace and if you find somewhere that’s beautiful and peaceful you can stay as long as you want,” Kaye says.

“But there’s pros and cons to every mode of travel and a lot of red tape and logistics crossing borders. It can be exhausting, especially when you’re alone. You have to find a balance that works for you, but overall, it’s definitely one of the coolest adventures of my lifetime.”

Kaye’s time on the road is split between travel days and leisure days. On a travel day, she gets up early to break everything down and secure it all in the camper before embarking on a five- to seven-hour drive. On average, Kaye estimates that she spends $556 a month on gas and $453 a month on food.

“The easiest part for me is being comfortable in very small spaces and I’m totally content. I can spend all day inside the camper and not feel suffocated or claustrophobic,” Kaye says. “I’m constantly seeing so many vast spaces within nature that I’m really content.”

Once she reaches her destination, Kaye likes to stay for two to three nights before moving on to the next one. Since Kaye’s truck doesn’t have a bathroom, she uses a box toilet and a portable shower bag.

“I try to organize everything in the truck and camper so that it’s just the way that it’s supposed to be. Powering down is the kind of goal on the second day,” Kaye says.

Kaye’s other expenses include $96 a month for her cellphone bill and $200 a month for her Starlink internet. She’s also spent upwards of $6,000 for unique experiences like a week-long scuba diving trip in the Galápagos Islands.

Kaye has been living in the truck for years now, but says the most challenging part is still setting up and breaking down the camper.

“Even though it is very simple, it’s one of those things you have to do every time,” she says. “If you are somebody who makes your bed every time, it’s no problem, but if you’re somebody who doesn’t, it feels like a burden.”

While Kaye still hasn’t finished journeying the Pan-American Highway, she is considering selling the truck at the beginning of next year.

“Part of me wants to just get rid of it and move on and enter the next chapter of my life but then the larger part of me is like ‘no, maybe just wait because I want to see some other places and just chill,’” she says. “I just want to finish my adventure. I’m not tired of living in the camper and I’m not tired of that lifestyle, but I am tired of driving.”

Kaye doesn’t know where she’ll settle if she ever sells the truck, but returning to the U.S. full-time is unlikely. If she ever does buy another house in the States, Kaye says it will be an investment and a source of income if she decides to rent it out.

She’s currently considering a life in the South of France, Spain or Italy.

“Each one of them has their challenges. For me, it’s about finding somewhere that I want to be and then I can deal with whatever the challenges and hoops are that come with that,” she says.

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As parents, we spend so much time helping our kids succeed on the outside — teaching them words, setting routines, and encouraging good behavior.

But there’s one skill that quietly shapes whether they’ll be successful in life: self-connection, or the ability to tune into one’s own emotions, needs, and inner voice. When kids feel safe in who they are, they carry that sense of worth into every relationship, challenge, and decision. When they don’t, it can unravel their self-esteem from the inside out.

I’ve spent years studying over 200 parent-child relationships, and I’m a mother myself. The No. 1 thing I tell other parents is that if they teach their kid just one skill in life, it needs to be self-connection.

The loss of self-connection happens in small, well-meaning interactions that send the wrong message. A toddler cries after a toy is taken away. A parent says, “You’re okay. It’s not a big deal.” What the child hears is: “My feelings don’t matter.”

Or they might say they’re scared at bedtime. The parent responds, “There’s nothing to be scared of.” To the child, it can feel like: “I shouldn’t feel this way, so I guess I shouldn’t trust my feelings.”

Subtle messages like this, repeated over time, chip away at a child’s ability to connect with themselves. They then become more anxious, reactive, insecure, or they’ll shut down entirely. Even worse, they can carry those patterns into adulthood.

But here’s how self-connection adds value to their lives:

• It builds emotional resilience: Kids who are in touch with their feelings can navigate stress, rejection, and big emotions without losing their sense of self.
• It supports healthy boundaries: Self-connected kids trust their instincts. They’re more likely to speak up when something feels off, and less likely to be manipulated or peer-pressured.
• It fosters authentic confidence: Confidence doesn’t come from praise or achievements. It comes from knowing who you are and feeling safe to be that person, even when things get hard.
• It protects mental health: A strong sense of self helps kids resist the urge to seek validation in harmful places. It can be a powerful buffer against anxiety and self-doubt.

The good news? You don’t need to overhaul your parenting style to help your kids stay self-connected. Small shifts make a big difference.

1. Validate their emotions

Resist the urge to say, “You’re fine.” Instead, try: “That was upsetting, wasn’t it? I’m here.”

Validation doesn’t mean agreement. It means showing your child that their emotional world is real and safe to express. This helps them develop trust in their feelings, which is a key component of self-connection.

2. Welcome their full selves

Give spaces for messy emotions, hard questions, and quirky traits. When kids feel seen and accepted, even when they’re angry or scared, they learn: “All of me is welcome.”

This sense of belonging strengthens self-worth and emotional confidence well into adulthood.

3. Step back, don’t micromanage

Micromanaging chips away at self-trust. Give your child age-appropriate choices, whether it’s picking their outfit, managing sibling dynamics, or deciding how to spend their afternoon.

Letting them experiment and recover in a safe space helps them build their inner voice and resilience.

4. Model self-connection

Say things like: “I’m feeling overwhelmed. I need to take a deep breath.”

When you name and regulate your own emotions, your child learns that feelings aren’t something to fear or suppress — they’re signals that can be acknowledged and handled.

5. Use language that builds awareness, not shame

Swap “Why did you do that?” for: “What were you feeling when that happened?”

A curious, compassionate tone invites introspection. And over time, your words become their internal dialogue.

6. Look beneath the behavior

When a child lashes out, it’s easy to focus on the yelling or refusal. But behavior is often a message: Are they feeling disconnected? Powerless? Unheard?

Meeting the need behind the behavior helps your child understand they’re not “bad,” they’re just human.

7. Celebrate who they are, not just what they do

Yes, achievements matter. But also notice and name the qualities that often go unseen: “You’re so thoughtful with your friends,” or, “I love how curious you are.”

These reminders reinforce the idea that they’re loved for who they are, not just what they achieve.

Reem Raouda is a leading voice in conscious parenting and the creator of two transformative journals — FOUNDATIONS, the step-by-step healing guide that transforms overwhelmed parents into emotionally safe ones, and BOUND, the connection journal that builds lifelong trust and strengthens the parent-child bond in just minutes a day. She is widely recognized for her expertise in children’s emotional safety and for redefining what it means to raise emotionally healthy kids. Follow her on Instagram.

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Sometimes, 24 hours just doesn’t feel like enough. Between work, commutes, and a growing to-do list, it’s easy to get through an entire weekday without really connecting with your partner. But staying close doesn’t require extra time — just intention.

As a psychologist who studies couples (and as a husband), I’ve seen firsthand how small daily rituals can help people feel more connected, especially when life is busy. Even better news: Intimacy isn’t something that has to wait until the weekend.

Here’s what people in the happiest relationship do during the weekdays — that most neglect.

Most mornings are rushed and chaotic: alarms, deadlines, and the hurry to get out the door. That means the only real moment spent together is waking up in the same bed, and maybe a distracted kiss before they go their separate ways.

But happy couples find small ways to start the day together, even if it’s just for five or 10 minutes. That might mean setting the alarm a little earlier to cuddle before getting out of bed, making the bed together while chatting about your dreams, or sitting side-by-side for your morning coffee — even in silence.

The point isn’t how you do it, but that you actually do it. The best couples remind each other: “Regardless of how cruddy the day ahead might be, we’ve still got each other.”

You don’t need long, drawn-out conversations during the workday to stay connected. A funny meme, a little anecdote about your daily office drama, or a quick “thinking of you” message can be enough to strengthen emotional intimacy.

The happiest couples check in — not to talk logistics, but to remind each other they’re top of mind. It takes just a few seconds (during a lunch break, coffee run, or even a quick bathroom trip) to check in with their other half.

These small notes may seem insignificant, but they’re powerful mood-boosters — and a simple way to make your partner feel seen. Not only does this nurture your sense of intimacy in the midst of a hectic day, but it’ll also bless you with a little hit of midday motivation: a reminder of the person waiting for you at home. 

Stress from the workday has a sneaky way of bleeding into time with your partner, whether it’s through email-checking or a snappy tone.

That’s why the happiest couples take a few minutes to unwind alone after the workday ends. Whether it’s a solo walk, a quick workout, or just zoning out with a snack and your favorite TV show, this “me time” helps clear the mental clutter so you can show up more present and patient for your partner.

It might sound counterintuitive, but sometimes the best way to reconnect is to recharge separately first.

Evenings can be dominated by separate routines — one partner cleans up while the other scrolls on their phone, or both crash on opposite ends of the couch.

But the happiest couples intentionally carve out one shared moment every day. No distractions, no multitasking. Maybe it’s sitting down to dinner together, playing a quick game, or watching your favorite trivia show while shouting answers at the screen. Even five minutes of undivided attention can go a long way.

What it looks like doesn’t matter. It only needs to be shared, and fiercely protected. No kids, no chores, no notifications allowed.

These nightly “audits” aren’t meant to solve problems, but they do help you stay emotionally aligned and prevent little issues from becoming bigger ones. It’s just a matter of simple questions and even simpler answers: “How are you, really?” or “Are we okay?”

Some nights, it might be statement-based: all the thank yous, sorries, or little thoughts you may not have had the time to share during the day.

Quick, nightly audits ensure that nothing goes unsaid throughout the week, only to spill out on the weekends. Most importantly, they’re the best way to tend to your connection, without exhausting yourselves in the process.

Mark Travers, PhD, is a psychologist who specializes in relationships. He holds degrees from Cornell University and the University of Colorado Boulder. He is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, a telehealth company that provides online psychotherapy, counseling, and coaching. He is also the curator of the popular mental health and wellness website, Therapytips.org.

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In early 2020, Indianapolis-based attorney Derrick Morgan Jr. got a call from his cousin, who was launching an architecture firm and needed help filing a trademark.

“I was like, ‘Alright, sure, I’ll help you. I haven’t done it in a while. This will be pro bono, we’ll figure it out,’” the 34-year-old tells CNBC Make It. But once he started doing the work, “it was like riding a bike — got right back into it.”

The timing was fortuitous. The Covid-19 pandemic soon shut down courts, and Morgan’s work at an Indianapolis-based law firm slowed dramatically. As a junior lawyer on contingency cases, fewer court dates meant fewer opportunities to get paid.

“I needed a way to make more money, and this trademark thing came up,” he says. That gave him the idea to list his services on Fiverr, a freelance platform where he could offer affordable trademark help to small business owners.

Morgan’s first month on Fiverr brought in about $180 — enough to cover his phone bill, he says. But it didn’t take long for demand to build. By his third month, he earned around $5,000. In month four, it jumped to $10,000.

Morgan’s approachable style resonated with small business owners and entrepreneurs, many of whom were navigating trademarks for the first time, he says. His strong reviews helped him eventually earn Fiverr’s Top Rated seller designation — the platform’s highest status.

“A lot of these prospective clients, they’re first-time business owners,” Morgan says. “They’ve never dealt with a big fancy attorney who’s going to be charging them hundreds of dollars to confuse them. I get a lot of clients because I’m approachable and I meet them where they are.”

Still, he was cautious. “Obviously, I still thought it was a fluke,” he says. “I didn’t want to quit my job after just four good months.”

For a while, he juggled both his day job and the growing freelance business. By early 2021, he reduced his hours at the law firm. A few months later, he left the role entirely to focus on his trademark business full time.

Morgan’s trademark business is on track to bring in nearly $500,000 this year — or just over $40,000 a month. He pays himself over $350,000 and works remotely with help from a paralegal and an AI assistant. Most of his clients now come through word of mouth and social media, though he still maintains a presence on Fiverr.

In practice, much of the work is procedural, which allows him to serve more clients efficiently and keep costs down, he says. He typically charges between $600 and $800 per filing, depending on the service.

The flexibility of the work fits Morgan’s lifestyle. A longtime traveler who has visited more than 60 countries, he now splits his time between Dallas and Mexico City, where he rents a furnished apartment in a walkable neighborhood known for its cafes and late-night taco spots.

By choosing to base himself in Mexico City, where his living costs are lower than in most U.S. cities, he’s able to invest 40% of his income — with the goal of reaching financial independence by age 45.

For Morgan, it’s less about building wealth and more about “being able to do what I want, when I want,” he says.

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If Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang were a student today, he says he’d focus on the physical sciences.

During a trip to Beijing on Wednesday, Huang was asked by a journalist: “If you are a 22-year-old version of Jensen [who] just graduated today in 2025 but with the same ambition, what would you focus on?”

To that, the Nvidia CEO said: “For the young, 20-year-old Jensen, that’s graduated now, he probably would have chosen … more of the physical sciences than the software sciences,” adding that he actually graduated two years early from college, at age 20.

Physical science, as opposed to life science, is a broad branch that focuses on the study of non-living systems, including physics, chemistry, astronomy and earth sciences.

Huang got his electrical engineering degree from Oregon State University in 1984 before earning his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1992, according to his LinkedIn profile.

About a year later, in April 1993, Huang co-founded Nvidia with fellow engineers Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem over a meal at a Denny’s restaurant in San Jose, California. Under Huang’s leadership as CEO, the chipmaker has now become the world’s most valuable company.

Nvidia also became the world’s first company to hit a $4 trillion market cap last week.

Although Huang didn’t explain why he says he’d study the physical sciences if he were a student again today, the tech founder has been very bullish on “Physical AI” or what he calls the “next wave.”

Over the past decade and a half, the world has moved through multiple phases of artificial intelligence, he explained in April at The Hill & Valley Forum in Washington, D.C.

“Modern AI really came into consciousness about 12 to 14 years ago, when AlexNet came out and computer vision saw its big, giant breakthrough,” Huang said at the forum.

AlexNet was a computer model unveiled during a 2012 competition that demonstrated the ability of machines to recognize images using deep learning, helping spark the modern AI boom.

This first wave is called ‘Perception AI,’ Huang said.

Then, came the second wave called “Generative AI,” “which is where the AI model has learned how to understand the meaning of the information but [also] translate it” into different languages, images, code and more.

“We’re now in this age called ‘Reasoning AI’… where you now have AI that can understand, it can generate, [and] solve problems and recognize conditions that we’ve never seen before,” he said. Artificial intelligence, in its current state, can solve problems using reasoning.

“Reasoning AI allows you to produce a form of digital robots. We call them agentic AI,” said Huang. These AI agents are essentially “digital workforce robots” capable of reasoning, he added. Today, AI agents are a key focus among many tech companies, such as Microsoft and Salesforce.

Looking ahead, the next wave is “Physical AI,” said Huang.

“The next wave requires us to understand things like the laws of physics, friction, inertia, cause and effect,” said Huang in Washington, D.C., in April.

Physical reasoning abilities, such as the concept of object permanence — or the fact that objects continue to exist even if they’re out of sight — will be big in this next phase of artificial intelligence, he said.

Applications of physical reasoning include predicting outcomes, such as where a ball will roll, understanding how much force is needed to grip an object without damaging it and inferring the presence of a pedestrian behind a car.

“And when you take that physical AI and then you put it into a physical object called a robot, you get robotics,” he added. “This is really, really important for us now, because we’re building plants and factories all over the United States.”

“So hopefully, in the next 10 years, as we build out this new generation of plants and factories, they’re highly robotic and they’re helping us deal with the severe labor shortage that we have all over the world,” said Huang.

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