In nearly 30 years of living, I still feel like a child, but I have picked up some wisdom. Here’s what I know, mixed in with some promises to myself for this year. Why the heck not?
Everything’s a trade-off
In the past couple of years, we
-left our jobs in NYC and our apartment in JC
-followed the big sky across the Midwest and moved to South Dakota
-swam the blue waters of South Florida for over half a year
-pounded the pavement working/living full-time in Manhattan for 6 mos
-semi-retired to this farm for the winter.
We are technically newbies when it comes to traveling the US, but I have learned this: There are pros and con$ to all of the “lives” we’ve lived.
What’s important is the ability to adapt. There are those who are perfectly content with where they are, and that’s great. However, it’s one thing to love where you are, and it’s another to be stuck in a routine. There is no one place I’ve visited that “has it all”, but each place has something unique and awesome to offer! I will welcome the opportunity to try something new, especially new places!
Who cares what other people think, really?
I care about what people think, more often than I’d like to admit. In trying to live this life where I’ve prioritized life and not work, I’ve come across a gamut of reactions that I’ve learned to take with a grain of salt. Some hear a romantic tale of adventure and start to daydream about quitting their jobs. Others snear and dismiss us, saying we’re crazy hippies. Basically, I’ve come to the conclusion that no one knows anything about anyone else’s situation. It’s not possible! I will not spend so much time discerning between people who truly care about my happiness (which I already know is not as often as I’d like) and people who are just, well… projecting their issues onto me.
Eyes on the prize, Violet…
Working part time has been a goal of mine for over a year, and I’ve finally reached that point. As soon as I hit part-time, my blog started taking off. I won’t list all of my current goals here (a lot of them are mini goals for my blog), but my point is, if you have a goal, eventually you reach it. It may come slowly or quickly. It may take some sacrifice (ehemm), but you get there. You just have to keep those eyes on that prize!
What really matters
I’m not trying to wax poetic, and I’m certainly not going to say “all you need is love”. When I really think about what keeps me truly happy, I think about spending the day under the shining sun, and having my best friend (Anthony) to share it with me. My best days are when we laugh together, hang out with friends, eat homemade food with family, record songs, and take photos. That’s the best there is! I am promising myself to make a life where I do these things as much as possible!
It’s 2012, BABY!
cheers to 2012 binketh