Lost and Found in the Land of Mañana

It’s potent daydream fuel: embrace a radical change and happiness will follow. Whether we’re fantasizing about a new job, a new city or country, getting married, or having kids, we devote so much of our lives trying to plan a happy life. But the truth is, these major changes may not provide lasting joy at all -- and all the planning in the world can’t guarantee happiness.


Chrissy Gruninger knows these fantasies well. From her 400-square foot jungle casita in Costa Rica, she should have been loving life in paradise. But she soon learned that even in the land of “pura vida”, life wasn’t perfect. When living the reality falls short of the dream, how do you find authentic and lasting contentment?


Lost and Found in the Land of Mañana shares Chrissy’s most laugh-out-loud moments and crazy tales of life after relocating to Costa Rica from California. There, she came to realize that the carefully crafted “perfect” life doesn’t promise happiness, that a bit of duct tape and super glue goes a long way, and that usually the best answers aren’t “out there” but “in here.” Thousands of miles away from everything she’d ever known, Chrissy rediscovered herself, finally finding love, harmony, and contentment within.


Through Chrissy’s missteps and adventures, we see the new ways she found to celebrate her wild spirit without being reckless or sacrificing her sanity. Through her experiences, we learn to thrive within our own lives, no matter where we are.


Come along on this soulful adventure that will lead you to right where you belong -- deeply rooted in the center of your own wildhearted life.


"Lost and Found in the Land of Mañana reveals the ups and downs of what it really takes be fully alive. Chrissy’s stories about moving to Costa Rica and finding herself in a very different world from what she had always known shows us that with a little effort, courage and an open mind, we can choose happiness, even amongst all the difficulties we face in the day to day.  While her story is about living in Costa Rica, what she shares, the lessons she learns, can be applied to anyone, anywhere.  Chrissy reminds us that adversity, failure and mishaps are all just stepping stones to a purposeful, beautiful life." 

Colin Beavan, AKA No Impact Man, Author, How to Be Alive


"Chrissy reflects the reality for all of us: that life is what we make of it. Her stories of feeling lost and confused remind us that even if we’re “living the dream life”, not everything will go as planned and result in the perfect happily-ever-after ending. Lost and Found in the Land of Mañana is a genuine, vulnerable book that will have you laughing, crying and even contemplating how you can do more, in your own life and out in the world. Without a doubt, Chrissy is a SavvyChick, who not only has learned how to live a good life on her own terms but wants to share those lessons with others."

Rosalie Nelson, Founder, SavvyChick.com


"Lost and Found in the Land of Mañana is an eye-opening book on what it’s really like to live abroad. While we may dream of what living in paradise is like…the superficial, sitting on the beach, drinking a cocktail and soaking up the sunshine…is really just a fantasy.  The substance of actually living a wholehearted life in the everyday chaos is what, through her stories and actions, Chrissy shows us how to do.  No matter where we are, we all face challenges and it’s how we show up and turn them into meaningful moments that make all the difference."

Charlotte Watts, Author, The De-Stress Effect