Look Up

Survey your surroundings.

If you've been consulting your compass for long enough, your surroundings will look vastly different than they used to. 

Don't forget to peer at the path behind you. Don't forget to see how far you've come, see where you've tripped, see where you've detoured, see where you reoriented back onto your path. Peer at the panoramic...

Call it beautiful. 

Boundaries

We are a culture of more.

When we see a roadblock, the temptation is to throw more stuff at the problem ---

Distract, distract, distract. 

And yet, often times, the solution is to offer less. I felt buried by dish duty, but instead of adding more dishes, I simply offered less dishes: One plate/glass/utensil per day, per boy. If they wanted to eat their next meal, I'd simply say, please bring your dish cleaned and ready. Boundaries bring clarity, creativity and perspective. Insist on them. 

Put On Your Boots

Listen. 

I know what it's like to have a crippling mortgage. 

I know the stress of mounting medical bills. 

Of mouths to feed. Of requesting overtime hours under fluorescent lights. There is much of this in my blog and so I will simply cut to the chase: after much consideration of my financial crisis, I am fighting hard to carve out a life with little-to-no overhead. I budgeted only for needs, not wants. I've spent weekends and evenings building portfolios. I've eaten peanut butter sandwiches for dinner and called it lovely. I have decided to move to an area where I can sale my house on Homie and it will be possible to get the cash out, even probable, where I could live a flexible life that isn't dedicated or constrained by finances. I quit shopping for sport. I gave generously to each of my sons from the proceeds. I simplified in every area possible, and yes, there was a trade-off (there is always a trade-off). It was ever worth it.