Image from Pinterest.
So....I've always been one with a heart toward minimalism. Some of this derives from my environmental tendencies that is based on the belief that we don't need all.the.things that marketing tries to convince us to need. Some of this is based on the health outcomes of just living more simply, with less to muddle our minds, our houses, our bodies, our relationships etc. Some of this is based on the various reading and research I did in my early 20s regarding simpler and more natural living.
Yet, while I rarely have issues with downsizing my THINGS or simplifying ITEMS, anyone who knows me would probably report that I am consistently known for STRIVING toward MORE in my life via ACHIEVEMENT. This usually means day dreams, research, or planning about the type of house I'd like to eventually own, the next degree I'd like to obtain, the next stage my child will be in, the next trip I'd like us to take, and generally where I'd like life to be in the next 1-5 years. While this doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, as it means I'm constantly trying to push myself toward a better version of myself and I like to be moving life forward in some form..... it does become exhausting, it can be a waste of time, and it does usually lead toward some level of dissatisfaction with the present. When I'm consistently focusing on where I want life to be rather than where life is, then I'm not really being fully present, nor am I practicing gratitude for what I already have, nor am I fully trusting that the right doors will open as they should in the future.
Dissatisfaction is one of my biggest personal struggles, even when I have so incredibly much to be grateful for in my life. I am incredibly privileged both within the US and from a global scale. I have more than enough food to eat, a loving home that we share with my parents, a large loving family and an incredible social network. We have numerous opportunities to spend quality time together, to engage in the hobbies we love, to appreciate the days we're growing old in. Yet how often have I found myself wishing we were back in our own home or living on property, or that I'd done x, y or z faster or sooner (even when I know the time wasn't right). Even though where we are RIGHT NOW is the absolute best setting for everyone.
Thus when I saw the second to last line in this meme shared above (LET GO OF ATTACHMENT TO DOING, HAVING MORE) it truly hit home for me. My son and I, we have enough. We're quite content and while our current situation may not fit the norm of society, it's what's best for both of us RIGHT NOW.
It also pushed me to truly reflect upon the life that I've lived and how much is left to live. Why am I striving when there might be so many years left to accomplish that which weighs on my heart? Why not trust that each of those doors will open in their own right time and location? Why not truly trust that we really are where we are to be for right now?
Based on my family history, unless some fluke occurs or the world ends :), more than likely I'm just a few years into my second third or second fourth of my life. The first quarter was spent doing all the things I was "supposed to do" and yet even then I felt that I hadn't accomplished enough. I spent my 25th birthday feeling like I hadn't arrived to where I wanted to be, even though by 26 I had two masters degrees, had completed my undergrad in three years, and had traveled or lived in several countries. The next decade brought a failed and short marriage, much domestic and international travel, an immense amount of self-taught outdoor skills and experiences, intense self-awareness and growth, finding my professional niche, and the arrival of an adorable baby boy who seems to take after his always striving mother :) To say that there has been an overwhelming amount of life lived in this first 1/3ish of life, leaves me being okay with again trying to slow down and appreciate this middle third of life.
With so much under my belt and so much left to live, it's truly time for me to embrace a new level of minimalism (and to set the example for my son) that while it's important to push yourself forward, it's equally important to BE PRESENT and FULLY ENJOY the journey. There (hopefully) is plenty of time to enjoy the items on the "to do" list that remain, and for now, it's most important to just delight in the journey, trusting that the doors we need for now will remain open, and enjoying the opportunity to appreciate these important years together.
Minimalism....to a whole new level. :)
