#Vanlife, a new viral fad that is leaving millions starry-eyed and scrambling to get their hands on a van to get out and explore.

The new romantic craze is fueled by numerous Instagram user's documenting their lives through photos of cozy vans on wicked cool adventures, preferably with their significant other, traveling the world, all while living out of a van.

A quick glimpse into these nomads’ lives and it’s impossible not to fall in love with their lifestyle. Suddenly you feel inspired to quit your job, sell your possessions, leave it all behind to go travel.

But what makes #Vanlife so intriguing?

The first word that comes to mind is freedom. As adults, we tend to find ourselves caught up in our routines. The rat race has a hold of us, running the same wheel of chaos everyday. The monotony drives us crazy. We want a way out and we seek to be free.

Good news is, we all possess our own collection of passions that create meaning in our life. These activities create true happiness and creates a portal to freedom.

For most of us our ultimate goal is freedom from the daily grind. The difference is, those living the #Vanlife choose to make freedom their life anthem. Suddenly, the van becomes a catalyst that bestows the owners the commodities they desire. Extended time outside, simplicity, genuine experiences, constant movement, adventure, surprise and challenge are the rewards.

About 8 months ago, my boyfriend Tobias was searching to maximize his freedom. Ready to take the next step, he flew to California, bought an old ambulance, and completely converted it into a beautiful space that is now known as “The Vambulance."

Tobias ditched paying rent and is free from paying utilities. He strives to make his Vambluance self sufficient by running his sink, fridge and power from two solar panels installed on his roof. Though his humble abode only gets 13-15 mpg, the absence of utilities helps offset this. Tobias says, "One of the biggest advantages is overall cost. Having one vehicle and no rent saves a decent amount of money and gives me the ability to travel more. Now I have more time to kayak and surf."

When asked what freedom meant to him, Tobias said "When I think of freedom, I think of the means of not being tied down. The van promotes freedom in the most genuine way. Because of this vehicle, I now have the ability to go wherever, whenever I want. I get to change my backyard every night. It generates freedom from material things. It forces me to simplify and the limited room means I buy and keep what I need. No extras."

#Vanlife has taught Tobias some crucial life lessons and helped him create an ideal lifestyle. "It becomes less about the van, and more about one's devotion to the endless ode to explore" Tobias tells me.

Thanks #Vanlife for inspiring us to live our lives boldly. For showing us how to enable incredible access to our passions and help create moments that we live for. Thank you for showing us what sweet freedom looks like.

Follow Tobias’s Journey of Freedom on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobiasexplores/ or @tobiasexplores