We've decided to simplify things this summer.
We're downgrading our apartment to one similar in size but much cheaper, just across the street from where we are now. We're decluttering and getting rid of stuff we don't use or just love. We're switching Flanna to a less expensive preschool, but one that we really like, where she'll learn about God and Jesus and fruits of the spirit and wonderful stuff like that. I'm going to be working less, maybe even just mornings like I always intend to! (Somehow the extra $ from extra work hours is always soooo appealing, but I've got to find a balance in which work doesn't constantly push to overtake my precious family time.)
All this, to hopefully get our life to be a bit more manageable on less work with more play. On less stuff and more calm. On less spending and more saving. On less comparing ourselves and more accepting ourselves.
I think the changes will be good. Hard at first. (I hate to make changes to my sweet daughter's life when she's so small and doesn't understand why!) But good in the long run.
How does your current situation compare to the life you pictured for yourself at this stage in the game? Do you think that you judge yourself by your own standards, or by comparing yourself to others? I've found that the times I feel worst about my life are times when I'm judging myself by other people's standards, or looking at myself through other people's eyes. And then I feel best about my place in life when I just look at the life we've made through my own eyes. Does this resonate with you? Or if not, what helps you accept this life as your own?
I sold my Volvo a couple of years ago (it was SO expensive to fix and needed fixing a lot!) I downgraded to a bare-bones small car and I was surprised to realize how much my fancy car meant to me. It made me realize, unfortunately, how much other people's opinions mean to me. For a few weeks, I had to remind myself "What we drive is not who we are." I thought I was above petty things like that, but you don't know until you have to give them up!
ReplyDeleteI know! I remember in college when I drove a rusting, dilapidated old car that was once my grandma's, I had to keep telling myself, "This is building character," over and over. Now I've been telling myself, "Live your priorities," a lot lately, which helps when I think about leaving behind these beautiful hardwood floors and crown molding! Petty, I know! Thanks for sharing, and making me feel better about hard decisions!
ReplyDeleteI doubt you deleted my comment, but it's not here anymore, weird! Anyway, I really like this whole "work less, play more" attitude! VERY healthy for you, I'd say. :-)
ReplyDeleteKelley --What?? How crazy! I appreciate comments so much that I would never ever delete one, ever! Unless maybe you posted some embarrassing photo of me from middle school in which I was all pointy knees and elbows and braces. But even then, comments are special, so I might just leave it up. And thanks for the kudos...you know my workaholic spirit well! Now I'm trying to harness the thriftaholic spirit as a replacement.
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