Living small doesn't mean going without. Many know, the more money you make, oftentimes, the more you owe. Balancing is always key , no matter what lifestyle you choose. The stresses will always be there but our choices make all the difference.
Shiny new things lose their shine so it's important not to owe a monthly payment on anything that loses its luster. A car, home, ring, purse, tractor, barn, credit card lifestyle. Yes, most of us need a mortgage or car payment at some point in our lives but smaller is always better for long term mental health, relationships & lifetime experiences. Nobody needs the extra square footage or fancy rims & upgraded leather seats.
We work hard. We make time to "play hard". Family, time & health is your most valuable items in this world. We don't get redos of relationships, time with loved ones, so we need our health put first.
Normally, this is when I discuss food choices & yes that's huge, even much more important than exercise. Also, though, health is mental time outs, rest, relaxation & making family time to go outside your bubble. We all know how important it is to build a life you don't need to escape from but everyone needs a break, even in a life you love.
Take the time & budget, big or small, to get away. That rest & recovery only makes your return home, even more special. I always come home with such huge appreciation & new energy, invigorated, motivation.
Every year we sit down as a family & map out ideas, plans, sometimes up to 3 years in advance. These ideas don't have to be set in stone but a way to start setting aside the CASH funds to make it happen. I will make it happen because it's that important. Even in our poorest times we've been able to save the change, ditch the extra weekly coffee or treat, enough for a camping trip or the cash for a day or two at the beach.
Nobody will ever say "I wish I had worked more & had less real world experiences". I love that my kids got to see me build a thriving business. I also love that they spent years on our Homestead raising food & cuddling livestock. I love that I've exposed them to many worlds in between, different countries and lifestyle's. I've taught them via travel that no "way" is the specific right "way", no religion, no political stance, no way of living. From city apartment in San Francisco to a hut built from scraps after hurricane Katrina wiped out homes in so many countries. City people aren't all wrong & Country Folk aren't either. We are all human beings just looking for more smiles than tears, & more life experiences than work on our planetary circles around the sun.
Staying in a bubble sure makes you think that most people are just like you. How sad if that were the case? I know farmers who could farm better & city people who could care more about their food. On the flip side, I know people who get more done via legislation & farmers preaching slow food movements & real sustainable change. I've been to counties where we experienced wild pigs on beaches & poultry, feeding themselves naturally in a rain forest.. seriously, they didn't die without crumble and heat lamps! 2 young boys, probably under 10 years, caught our fish dinner from the ocean right in front of our eyes, their parents hapily presented it to us to eat. Some may feel sorry for this family, but I saw it as them smiling & living a simple life on the beach that many dream of. A humbling experience for my privileged girls & ourselves to witness. This, while we have people throwing fits about the inflation on the price of eggs, gas & all the fast foods we slowly kill ourselves with while blaming it on red or blue politics while they themselves are voting with their dollars and not looking inward about the role they have in it all.
If something is important to us, we will make it happen. If it isn't, we will always find excuses. Which person are you? We have had the hardest 15 months of our lives & I will continue to prioritize family memories now, more than ever. Health, more than ever. That is true wealth.
Now it's time to take the breaks we need & make memories before time runs out. Yes, those memories can be day to day moments but viewing the world from other perspectives brings so much more to the table. Rest, when your body asks it to, read a book you'd never dare read, see the sides of opinions you find uncomfortable & travel to places that live differently than you do. Never stop the exploration of life lessons. Our whole world will be better for it. Take the leap... Just go before you can't because life can always get in the way & give you the easy excuse not to, if you allow it to. It's totally your choice. The farm will still be there when you return.
