Tonya Denmark shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Hi Tonya, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
When I wake up, I love to take 30 minutes to read. I find if I read at night, I get sleepy. Spending a quiet 30 minutes is a great way to ease into my day. After that, I’m ready to get going. I usually start with a walk or a strength training workout, followed by breakfast and a green juice. All of this helps me feel energized to tackle my never-ending to-do list.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I publish Detail Oriented Traveler and USA Road Tripping. I started Detail Oriented Traveler when my daughter was 9, as I realized that she already lived half the amount of time she would live with me. I inspire families to travel more with their kids before they grow up and move out at 18. Once my kids hit their teenage years, our schedules became hectic with sports, dance, choir, school, jobs, and friends. Travel was one of the few times we slowed down and connected with each other. DOT morphed into how you could fit more travel with teens into your busy life.
Recently, as my teens have become young adults, I wanted another creative outlet to talk about why I love road tripping. My dad always said you should see your own country before exploring abroad. We have such a vast and diverse country and USA Road Tripping will showcase how, where, and what to do on a road trip in the US.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship with my kids changed me the most. Because of them, I’ve learned more about letting go of my ideas of myself, what I should be doing, what I should look like, and more. When they were younger, I’ve learned to be more flexible in how I spend my time. As they’ve grown, they’ve shown me more about what it’s like to be a a person their age. I owe that to the fact that I always wanted to foster open lines of communication with them.
They’ve taught me how important it is to slow down and enjoy the moments I have with them. I take these lessons and build my day around what brings me joy.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Life doesn’t have to be a series of steps to get to the end. It can be pathways and forks in the road that lead to surprises and joys you didn’t know possible. Give up the idea that there’s only one right path.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The biggest lie in my industry, that focuses on travel with teenagers, is that teenagers don’t want to spend time with their family. Or that they won’t have any fun on a trip.
When I talk to and include my kids in the travel planning, they have fun. They get to do something that they helped plan.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Travel writing was not a career I would have considered in my 20s. I did what I was told to do. I went to school, got a degree, started working in the tech field.
It wasn’t until after I had changed jobs a few times that I started writing for a travel agency. I realized that I could and should be doing this for myself.
Working on my website gives me joy every day and helping people create quality time with their family is what I was born to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.detailorientedtraveler.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dotraveler/
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