This past week we traveled to Florida, the Sunshine state, where my only goals were to get a tan and finish some books I’ve been reading. I can successfully say I accomplished both.
Of course, the always implied goal of vacation and travel is also to r e l a x.
We were fortunate enough to be able to stay with my in-laws, in good company and comfort. Staying with family and friends is a huge part of how we are able to travel so much and actually afford it. My advice is to always accept offers of free housing whenever and wherever you can, without taking advantage, of course! A very grateful thank you to them for making our trip memorable.
I was excited for this trip because I have been feeling a bit off lately. The typical confusion of a mid-20’s millennial trying to make a difference in the world whilst still being happy.
Other than that, my diet has been pretty good, exercise basically non-existent (working on it), and stress has been under control. But I’ve still been feeling like I could do better, like I could be better. I’ve been reading tons of books, hoping to inherit all their wisdom and find some sort of answers- mainly through getting rid of the majority of my belongings and learning about Feng-Shui. It weirdly seems to be helping.
But this trip I decided I would detach from it all.
This trip was also milestone-ish for another reason. It would be the first time I would say no to almost everything my family and friends cooked or offered me in regards to food. Now this, this made me anxious. Telling people no, seeming like I am ungrateful for what they have to offer, and wondering what they would say or think of me.
But I am here to report that I, in fact, survived. And I learned some valuable lessons in doing so.
LESSONS
#1- People don’t actually care as much as you think they do.
I was so worried about telling other people that I would abstain from animal products, that I worked myself up for no reason. No one cared that I was ordering salad. Literally, no one.
But this fear stood to teach me that I needed to accept my own differences instead of provide justification. That I needed to learn why I cared so much what others thought. It wasn’t about fixing people’s reactions to me, it was about being okay with my decision in the first place.
#2- Not using mirrors is liberating. I feel so much better when I take a step away from them.
This is just the truth.
It’s not like I stare in the mirror all day every day, but it’s just such a part of my routine. Wash my face, get dressed, put makeup on, make sure my outfit looks ok, do my hair (or throw it in a bun?)
This past week I spent probably no more than 10 minutes in front of a mirror all day, and it felt good. Less contemplation and self-criticism? Yes, please.
I’m aiming to be more aware of how often I use mirrors at home and on a day-to-day basis and plan to set up boundaries that limit these interactions.
#3- Health is a journey that is constantly changing, it is not a destination.
You’d think being a health coach, I would know this already. But there’s a difference between knowing something and believing something to be true. Sometimes it takes a while for an belief to be fully integrated, but this has finally clicked.
I always thought that I should be in perfect health to share my experiences with readers. That I would share after I figured it out. More often than not though, your situation goes up and down and all around before you can finally figure it out. If I only shared my progress after the fact, I would not be sharing the truth- that there is so much trial and error, pain, confusion, frustration and celebration that goes into tackling any health challenges, big or small.
I realized I needed to be honest with myself about where I am today, not where I was yesterday or where I should be tomorrow.
#4- I wear about 5% of the clothes I own.
I only brought a carry-on this trip, but even still, I wore about 1/2 to 3/4 of the clothes I had packed.
This got me thinking about everything else that I owned. How much ‘extra’ do I have and how many of my things are going unappreciated and unused?
I have cleared out so many things over the past year or two, but I think another round is approaching. Be prepared for some ‘decluttering’ posts coming your way soon…
#5- Finishing something feels really freakin’ good.
If you are honest with yourself, how many things in your home and life have you left unfinished? I would run out of fingers to count on pretty quickly if evaluating my own life.
I have countless unfinished books and projects. Things I purchased that I have never used. Items to be repaired, clothes unworn and abandoned home decor. I never realized how much this actually drained me. Each item was a constant reminder of my half-assed behavior, which would bring up feelings of guilt, wastefulness and inconsistency.
Not completing things is a recurring theme in my life and it’s a habit I really want to break. I know I will not be able to break it if I keep things around for “when I get to them” or “just in case”.
Finishing things I said I would finish feels ah-mazing! But it’s also okay to get rid of those that you won’t. Donate books to the library, toss your incomplete projects and invest your energy somewhere that matters. I’m still deep in the process of figuring out what I want to finish or keep and what I want to donate, but progress is progress.
PS… Two of the books I finished this trip were Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui and The Year of Less. They were both really good and I would totally recommend them! Also, if you haven’t, get yourself a digital library card. I rented both of these e-books, instead of buying a copy of my own, which saves a lot of money overtime.
This trip gave me new perspective and clarity, for which I am grateful.
I would like to give credit to the sun and salt water, but maybe it was just the ability to be outside and away from the distractions of home.
As fall and winter approach, I am trying to brainstorm ways to soak up sunshine and make my home feel like an oasis. Winter is tough, guys. Any ideas and suggestions would be greatly appreciated
XO