I skirt around what my professional work is in this blog, but do talk about it frequently. Those of you who have read me my blog for a while know that a little over three years ago I hit a wall in my work that was threatening every ounce of my well being. I made a pretty dramatic change, reduced my hours, took a voluntary salary reduction, and focused on being a small fish in a really big pond. All jobs have their stress, but for a while, I was so used to being on the go all the time, I was hitting a different wall. This wall was boredom, stagnation, and lack of motivation. Things changed about 9 months ago, and now I have a much healthier balance from where I was three years and a year ago. While I can't go 180 miles per hour all the time and be healthy, I've decided I'm not one for the cruising lane either.
I take on way too many volunteer commitments. I recognize this. But, I have a kid, had kids that were involved in lots of things. DH does not have the kind of free time from work (but I think he could give up a few hours of television if he was of a mind too) for much of the kids volunteering. Not wanting to be one of those parents that does the drop off and bale, I've always felt a need to carry both DH and my weight in the volunteering department.
I have ideas and ambitions outside of work and family too. This blog is for fun, but there's ideas in my head that I think if done right, could be a nice blog that could be an actual revenue generator. I like the idea of little side hustles, buy and resell items, shopping thrift stores and garage sales for profit. These are all things in my head, but I hope when the void is created in my volunteer schedule, when DD2 goes off to college,I'll swap the time for these things.
No, I have not created a simple life. I don't know if I really want one. Still, I'd like more time to call my own, and not use an extra hour to do housework, or fall asleep on the couch. I'm not looking to have a calendar full of parties and drinks with friends and vacations. I'd like though, to have meaningful time with the friends and family members that I genuinely like to see. I want to travel more, but not necessarily vacation, find those places that locals go to and absorb a different pace, a different kind of life. I don't need nor want a closet full of clothes, but would like to get dressed each morning, or when going out for the night, and look effortlessly pulled together. I need to learn that capsule wardrobe thing. My life, far from simple right now, but, I'd like to simplify the complexities.
Thursday, March 29, 2018
9 comments:
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My son in law gave me a magnet the first year he was married to my eldest daughter (11 years ago) It said STOP me before I volunteer again. I have it on the fridge.:) You will slow down on this once the kids all go to college.
ReplyDeleteI hope so in some ways, bu tin other ways, I hope I just stay busy but for myself!
DeleteHaving freedom and time is my idea of wealth it means more to me than money. I do appreciate healthy finances but I’ve come to realise that most of us without constant monitoring just spend on stuff we don’t need. Our household finances were reduced by more than half when we retired but the loveliness of having more freedom and time more than makes up for having less money. To be honest I’ve not noticed much of a difference in my lifestyle in terms of purchases but the joy of travel and spending time with my grandkids is worth every penny I don’t have lol.
ReplyDeleteI woudl be of the same mind, but unfortunately to have good health insurance in the US good employment goes with it.With both DH and my history, we need good coverage. We do have a sort of plan that puts him retiring many years before me, but I will be accruing more and more time off. So, if he can keep life organized at home, we will be positioned to take 2-3 vacations a year, plus long weekends every other week. That might be my ease into retirement.
DeleteI like to be busy too, although obviously since the kids (and the husband) moved out I have more free time. Your other commenter is right, I think you do slow down when you are empty nesters, although not necessarily come to a full stop. That's one thing I'm thinking about as retirement edges ever nearer. I know I will want/need to have a routine and keep active or I will go nuts. Anna
ReplyDeleteI want to stay busy, but not the endless card clubs women's circles, coffees and lunches my MIL does. She stays super busy, but I personally woudl not feel fulfilled living like that.
DeleteI like the fact you are considering your preferences in activities when kids don't take up all your time. As for being pulled together, in the past I have had people who said they wished they were pulled together like I am/was. I was appalled at what they said because they spent lots of money on clothes. I wore simple clothing without cuffs on shirts, decoration on shirts, placket or pockets with patches on shirts, coats, sweaters. I usually only wore two colors at a time. AND, I made all my clothing from one pattern, one I drafted. I used the same pattern for ten years. Now, I wish I dressed now like I did then. But, I don't.
ReplyDeleteYep-being a minimalist might mean being more stylish. No weird clothing combinations because everything goes together. I can throw a scarf or a pin, or par of earings for color.
DeleteI just can't believe that everything we concern ourselves with in our lives makes a difference.
ReplyDeleteOn a regular basis put in taking into consideration the several things that we experience every single and every day has
become really important, as no other man will probably deal
with existence for us. I feel that citizens must be a whole lot
more grounded. Knowledge is splendid, nevertheless a lot of what we
should think about is indeed abstract. Having a cup of kava is a zen process that takes
one back to the present point in time. We must become
more in the here and today, without being stressed by life and the
theatre we deal with every day.