Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Crystal. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Crystal , appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Living full-time on the road has been one of the best creative decisions we’ve ever made—and honestly, we didn’t plan it that way at first. We thought we were choosing freedom, adventure, and a break from the routine when we sold everything and hit the road in our RV. But what we didn’t realize was just how much that freedom would fuel our creativity.
Caleb’s a metalsmith, and you can often see the influence of a place in his jewelry—mountain silhouettes, natural textures, the feeling of a landscape captured in metal. I’ve found my creativity sparked through storytelling—capturing the emotion of a place through video, photos, and the little moments we share on the road. Whether it’s the glow of sunrise over a lake or the chaos of a travel day, I love documenting those experiences in a way that pulls people into the journey with us.
We’ve both found that when we slow down and actually experience a place—whether that’s hiking to a summit, paddleboarding on glassy water, or just watching the sky shift from the door of our RV—creativity happens naturally. It’s not forced. It just shows up when we’re present.
And when you live in 160 square feet, you have to be intentional. We’ve learned how to carve out space for our creative work, even if that sometimes means turning a picnic table into a temporary jewelry bench or editing videos in the passenger seat.
The key for us is staying connected to why we chose this life in the first place: to live fully, create freely, and build something of our own. That’s what keeps the creativity alive—choosing a life that inspires it every single day.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
We’re Crystal and Caleb, the travel-loving couple behind The Renegade Ramblers—a full-time RV lifestyle brand that blends adventure, creativity, and storytelling. For the past 7+ years, we’ve been living, working, and wandering across the U.S. in our 160-square-foot home on wheels.
What started as a desire to break away from the traditional 9–5 quickly turned into a way of life—and a career. Along the way, we’ve built multiple small businesses from the road. Caleb runs a handmade jewelry brand, @caleb_barnaby_designs, where he crafts each piece from our RV with inspiration drawn directly from the landscapes we explore. His designs blend raw natural textures with timeless minimalism, and it’s been incredible to see how deeply his work resonates with people looking for something meaningful and made by hand.
We also run a content creation business focused on RV and outdoor travel, sharing our journey through @the_renegade_ramblers. We’ve partnered with some amazing brands and campgrounds, and we love documenting everything from campsite reviews and DIY upgrades to hiking adventures and paddleboarding spots. Our goal is to tell real, relatable stories from the road—and inspire others to embrace freedom, creativity, and the unconventional path.
We’re always evolving, but our mission stays the same: to live big in a small space, chase inspiration wherever it leads, and help others find the courage to carve their own path.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Looking back, the three most important things that helped us thrive on this journey were adaptability, self-motivation, and storytelling.
Adaptability is everything when you live on the road. Things rarely go exactly as planned—weather changes, breakdowns happen, businesses evolve. Being able to pivot, stay calm, and find creative solutions has helped us keep going, even when things get hard. For anyone starting out, lean into flexibility instead of control. The road teaches you to loosen your grip—and that’s where growth happens.
Self-motivation is crucial when you’re working for yourself and building something from scratch. There’s no boss, no time clock. You have to learn how to keep showing up for your own goals, even when no one’s watching. The best way to build this muscle is by starting small: set daily or weekly goals, celebrate progress, and don’t wait for the perfect moment to begin.
And finally, storytelling—whether it’s through jewelry, photos, or video—has been at the heart of our connection with others. People want to feel something. They want to see themselves in your story. Learning how to communicate your “why” in an authentic way helps build real relationships, both with customers and community. You don’t need fancy gear to start—just start sharing honestly and let your voice develop naturally.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When we feel overwhelmed, our first instinct is to step outside and reconnect with the world around us. Sometimes that looks like paddleboarding on a quiet lake, going for a hike, or just sitting by the fire and watching the sky shift. Nature has a way of putting things back in perspective—it reminds us why we chose this life in the first place.
We’ve also learned to give ourselves permission to slow down. It’s easy to fall into the trap of hustle culture, especially when you’re building something on your own terms. But over the years, we’ve realized that our best ideas, content, and creative work come from rest, not burnout.
One practical thing that helps is simplifying the to-do list. Instead of trying to do everything at once, we ask: What actually needs to happen today? And then we do that. Even one step forward is still progress.
Lastly, we remind ourselves that overwhelm usually shows up right before growth. That doesn’t make it easier—but it helps us trust the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.therenegaderamblers.com
- Instagram: @the_renegade_ramblers
- Youtube: @TheRenegadeRamblers
Image Credits
Crystal and Caleb Barnaby
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
