5 Valuable Life Lessons from Converting a Bus

I spent over 18 months converting a double decker bus into my home and even though this was my dream come true, it was one of the most gruelling and testing experiences of my life.

However, I gained so much from it, from physical skills to mental resilience. I learned so many lessons along the way and not just specifically related to DIY and the conversion. Many of the tools I honed during the process were easily transferable to dealing with life itself.

These are the top 5 valuable things I learned about life from converting my bus.

1. Be Present and Live in the Moment

The conversion was extremely hard work and it took way longer than I anticipated. There were many times I felt totally drained and frustrated so it was important that I reminded myself to stop, and enjoy the actual process; to be present in the moment.

Converting a bus was my dream - and I was doing it!

The end point felt so overwhelmingly far off - it wasn't even guaranteed, nothing was. I wanted to be really present for each actual moment and enjoy all the parts, rather than being preoccupied with future points.

I was creating something for myself and even though each step was rather testing, I was doing the thing I'd always dreamed of.

I didn't want to look back at my time converting the bus and feel I'd spent the whole time miserable and stressed. Or to look back and realise I didn't even remember it because I'd been too busy worrying to make memories.

Living in the moment really is a powerful tool in many scenarios. When it came to my all-or-nothing style processing, I utilised it again.

I'm an ADHD type human and when I have a problem, I'm suddenly presented with every single problem I have got or could possibly have all at once - it's horrible and overwhelming.

During the bus conversion, problems were a regular occurrence and one of the tricks I developed in the times when I felt overwhelmed was to concentrate on only the moment. A good majority of my issues would immediately fall away because maybe a few, if any at all, would matter right in that moment.

It's such a useful frame of mind for shutting down overwhelm and without it, the stress of the bus conversion would have made me sick, if not totally unable to cope with completing it.

Living in the moment has allowed me to look back on a really testing chapter of bus life with true warmth and a deep sense of pride.

2. Celebrate the Wins

In the early days of the conversion, I'd optimistically arrive with an aim like "finish bedframe" and 6 hours later I'd still be working on it, thinking the whole day has been a failure because the job is incomplete.

It was a hard pill to swallow that every simple-in-principle task turned out to be ten times more difficult and long-winded than predicted. I definitely developed a depth of patience I've never had before!

I learned to celebrate each and every task I tackled or completed, because otherwise I'd be focusing on what I hadn't done. An unnecessary, and misinformed, misery that would have only added to how hard the build already was physically.

My ADHD brain regularly misjudges time and it has been common for me to end a day feeling disappointed about the things I haven't done, when I have actually done loads. This switch in attitude, from what has been done rather than what hasn't, has really worked wonders on my wellbeing in all aspects of life.

It's a technique I still have to use to this day. It's simple and so effective at pivoting me away from certain self-critical distress.

3. There is a lesson in everything.

Without the perspective that everything is ultimately a lesson, I wouldn't have got this far into my bus life because things have happened where I could easily have just said, that's enough and given up. There were times I'd fall into a trap of thinking, why? Why did it have to go this way? But then I'd remember there is, in fact, always a reason and it's always supportive, even when it's challenging.

Recognising what I gained from difficult situations changed me from feeling a victim of circumstances to the recipient of guidance and development. This is instantly a more positive role to fulfil.

Think of things as going differently rather than wrong. Get into the habit of looking for what was gained or is to be gained from challenging situations.

There have been so many times when my fear has been rewarded with the exact circumstances I was afraid of and I've navigated them by acknowledging that it's all preparation and experience for the future.

This switch allows me to feel like I'm progressing rather than being delayed. It's helped me to stress less, and therefore things have gone better regardless.

4. Projection is Real

One of my bus videos gained popularity early into the conversion and attracted lots of comments, both positive and negative. The exposure also gained me a couple of trolls on social media. I initially, and for a fair while, found it really difficult to deal with the aggression I encountered and, to begin with, I very much took it personally.

Eventually I really came to terms with the idea of projection - these people didn't even know me, their reactions to my story were purely to do with what it triggered within them.

Something about me, the bus project, an element in my story inspired an angry or spiteful response because of something they needed to face about themselves, their lives and their choices. Maybe they wish they'd followed their own dreams - who knows. It's a shame people lash out because not only are they spreading their toxic energy, they're living life in a heavy, low vibration themselves which is a breeding ground for more hardship.

I actually use my own triggers as opportunities to delve further into my healing journey. Even when the trolling upset me and it was "obvious" why, I used it as a chance to dive deeper - why did it bother me that someone thought I was ugly? The trolls only succeeded in triggering an even deeper healing that will further serve my growth.

But I'd love to see a day when everyone is doing their inner work and bullying ceases to exist.

5. Self-Care is Important

As soon as I realise I'm feeling agitated, I check in with myself asking, when did you last drink, eat, sleep?

There's a lot that can be solved when addressing thirst, hunger and exhaustion.

Forgetting to eat has been a common theme in my life and whilst for some, the task is simple, for me it's always been a little bit problematic.

I often realise it's time to eat purely due to a change in my mood and tolerance levels. My patience thinning is now such a key sign that I'm hungry and this revelation has been so helpful.

Fellow autists and ADHDers may recognise the trait which, for me, results from a combination of hyperfocusing on a task and disrupted interoception.

I also fall out of habit super easy, I go off foods and chase novelty, but my mini smoothie maker was really helpful during the build, and still is.

The bus conversion seemed to take forever and I could easily have spent every waking second working on it, but I soon realised the benefits to taking breaks and time off from the project. Sometimes this just included a trip to the woods, other times an evening out or dinner at a friend's house. I also had a weekly goddess bath for many months and this was deeply nourishing energetically, mentally and physically.

I'm not saying everyone needs a goddess bath in their life, even though that would be sound advice, I'm saying do the things you have to do to replenish your levels.

Without self care, my experience of converting the bus would have been horrid.

The whole experience of "bus life" has really only just begun. This journey, I am sure, will continue to be packed with lessons. I don't really know what is in store for Bus Different and me, but I'll be documenting the ups and downs on my social media.

I hope you join the ride.