Hello, luvs. 🙂 I’m writing to you this evening surrounded by library books and back issues of Victoria magazine and Christmas cds and flickering candles. A hot cup of sweet orange tea is brewing as I huddle under a quilt and heating pad to keep warm. It’s a wonderfully cozy night. The sort of night I hope to have many of in the months and years to come.
I’ve been doing a lot of thinking since I got home from my travels. I learned a lot of things on these trips, not the least of which was that somehow I had well and truly become a workaholic. In my attempts to get out of debt, pay mounting medical bills, and meet unnecessarily lofty expectations I had for myself, I had taken on one full-time job and four part-time jobs. To do it all I was getting 4-5 hours sleep a night and working myself silly.
R.I.D.I.C.U.L.O.U.S.
Needless to say, when my brother Ryan sent me a ticket to fly to Amsterdam to spend Christmas and New Year’s with my family, I cried. 🙂 I was so happy, but also exhausted, worn out, utterly done in. All I wanted to do was sleep, stare out the window and wander aimlessly doing anything but work. So I did.
I enjoyed every bloomin’ moment of that trip: blizzards, long walks in the icy dunes, eating my siblings’ delish homemade food, visits over foamy coffee, playing Settlers of Catan, watching old movies, meeting new and old friends for good ol’ chats, and wandering the streets of the Netherlands and Germany. It was wonderful.
When a dear friend gave me a plane ticket for Australia the day after I got home, I cried again. 🙂 I could hardly believe such kindness.
By then I was starting to perk up. After a couple of weeks on my Aussie friends’ farms eating fresh eggs and fruit, going for walks and getting lots of sleep, I could think about work again without cringing, and felt my creativity and enthusiasm coming back. Instead of plotting out jobs, assignments and goals, I realized how much I missed reading good stories, listening to new music, watch great movies, just sitting and watching the sunset, going to bed early, taking walks, spending leisurely time with dear ones. I wanted to live beautifully again.
Instead of a To-Do List, I started writing a Dream List – the one I told you about here earlier this week. It wasn’t so much about what I want to accomplish, but more how I want my life to look, feel, and be. I don’t want to be a workaholic. I don’t want to be constantly worrying about finances and debt. I DO want to live a happy, peaceful life with people I love and who love me back, with enough to meet my needs and share with others.
Now I’m back home in Washington, learning how to live what’s in my heart. I’ve thought long and hard through my priorities and responsibilities, and a lot of things have been shifted into the “Not Now” and “Maybe Never But That’s OK” piles. I’ve looked at my budget and figured out ways to cut costs so I don’t have to work so much.
And I’m happy because the things in the Important Pile, really are. 🙂
What is one thing you do each day that makes you happy?
Very well said Krista. It helps if we love out jobs so that when wew work hard as we both do we can afford to take long, well deserved vacations…bella vita.
I drink tea, cook, watch my favorite programs, blog, etc…
Cheers,
Rosa
I think we all sometimes have these experiences that we work ourselves so hard that we forget what we are working for or that we need to take a break sometimes. I’m so glad you stopped and smelled the roses and hope that you’ll be all the happier for it! I run and cook to let myself slow down a bit!
Travel can really open up your heart and mind to some deep insight! I’m a bit of a workaholic too when I’m not traveling. I’m trying to change that. Life is too short to be consumed by work!!!
Your title made my heart sigh and made me remember that I do love life, I just get bogged down now and again. And there are little things I can do each day even if my life isn’t what I wish it to be. Thank-you for the reminder and inspiration.
Getting away always gives such great perspective. I cannot believe you were working so many jobs!
I understand that kind of crying! WOnderful transition in your life, Krista. Such an exciting time for you! I canno wait to see you accomplish your dreams as I know you will.
🙂
You have already started.
Valeire
I make sure I laugh at least once every day. Like Charlie Chaplin said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
bravo!!!! ya know? ya live and you learn!
and i am so with you. it’s about working to live and not vice versa. although how you’ve managed so far AND done such a good blog i don’t know! but it just shows what you can achieve when you want to.
so yes reallocate and come back to us fresher and stronger! i do believe it is all about priorities. xoxo! have a good wkend K.!
It’s all about balance…whether it’s work or too much time spent away from what really matters. Good luck in finding that and doing what is right for you. 🙂
I can relate to this post. So often we work harder than we should and aspire for much more than we need. We end up being exhausted physically and emotionally.
Take care of yourself and remember to listen to your body and pause when you need to.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Wow – good for you Krista. Its a funny old road we travel as we get where we want to go & sort out all the things we want to do versus the things we need to do isn’t it. Getting 2 plane tickets to visit people you love must have been an awesome feeling of being loved & looked after, I’m happy for you 🙂
I think I would be unhappy if I could not cook every day, something! when I get sick and this is not an option, it really bothers me.
I love this post!……It’s so important for us all to remember that we should work to live not live to work.
You sound delightfully tranquil. I’m so glad you’ve been able to reassess and find some inner peace. Have a wonderful day. Blessings…Mary
Im so glad that you got the chance to get away, renew your self, and return to that gorgeous sunset, completely refreshed. 🙂 First time here, and I definitely want to read more!
Sounds like these were badly needed vacations. I’m so glad you got a break and a chance to enjoy yourself. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t gone through the digging out of debt phenomenon but so long as you plug away there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The hard worth is worth your financial freedom. You go girl!
What a moving post, we all go through ups and downs like this and hopefully come out the other side happier. Take Care. I think as I have got older and have spent more time looking around me I am grateful everyday for nature and for the love of my husband.
Take Care. Buon San Valentino.
Victoria magazine! I did PR for them for years, editor Nancy Lindemeyer and team. It was Hearst produced-then, and has been revived as a license deal now so not really the same as the glory years. Thanks for the happy flash-back.
wow u got to travel alot. how awesome. just remember to relax and take things easy. im too much of a workaholc myself.
awwww…victoria. i remember them fondly ~ pouring over pages; carefully tearing out the fragrance strips of perfume and tucking them away; lingering dreamily in paris or milan through the pages.
thank you for a reverie. 🙂
Oh Rambling. I’m so glad you’re back in a happy place. And I too, LOVED Victoria Magazine! God I miss it!
Thanks so much for sharing that with us Krista. I know we are all searching for balance in our lives & it’s so hard not to feel like “doing it all”…all the time! I’m still so happy for you that you were able to get away for a bit on those wonderful trips – what lovely people to have in your life! Love your idea of a dream list..something I’d like to work on for myself 🙂