These rocks are from a beach in Cinque Terre, a region in Italy that’s normally flooded with tourists, but nonetheless contains many hidden gems, like the all-day hike we did through coastal towns built into cliffs above the ocean. Living in a van allowed us to explore towns and communities completely off the beaten path, and these rocks are a reminder to look around the next corner, to walk a little bit further for that perfect vantage point away from the crowds.

These beach stones are slippery and smooth, worn down by thousands of waves on rocky shores. Many of the beaches in Italy are stone beaches, but because the stones are so small and smooth, they are actually wonderful places to walk and bathe. The Italian sun can be relentless in the summer, but the ocean is almost always cold, and that’s the kind of contrast we live for. In Italy, we rediscovered our love of walking, hour after hour, down country roads and narrows paths notched into steep hills. I hope these rocks can serve as a reminder to slow down but stay focused, to always keep searching for the places, people, and things that excite you, and to live creatively.

Here’s a Playlist with all our videos from Italy to see what inspired this collection.

What’s in the box: Each Grit Rock purchase comes with 1 sterling silver chain (18 inches), 2 Ody stickers, 2 Wild We Roam flag stickers, 1 handwritten thank you note, and 3 affirmations.