A dear friend that reads this account checked in with me today and said that it is definitely time to update. I concur.
I also must apologize for the delay. You see, just after my last entry, my disabled and very sick mother moved in with us. My world turned upside down until March, when we were able to find her a senior apartment, a place to call her own. Then, I began preparations for that trip to Ireland I told you about in November.
We just returned from the most amazing week of our lives in a breathtaking country that brought many $mart thoughts to me. I simply must share these with you.
1. To travel – or, to do anything that you truly love and makes your heart soar – is a treasured gift and should be treated as such. Aligning the way in which we spend our money with those things which sincerely give us joy and a sense of completeness has made all the difference to my family. Being able to take my eight-year-old child to another country will be a gift that will live in him forever. The simple act of dreaming, then planning, then making it come true is a gift in and of itself, not to mention the amazing places we went and people we met. Have you gone through the ‘finding your values’ exercise yet? Don’t put it off any more – it’s not a chore, it’s enlightening and fun!
2. Our preoccupation with “stuff” and, ultimately, status symbols, will only hinder our journey toward financial independence. When we were traveling through the Southwestern part of Ireland, we realized very quickly that the houses were small, charming and quaint, the land seriously expansive and beautiful and the cars small - simply a mode of transportation. No where did we see oversized SUVs, luxurious multi-million dollar homes or fabulous designer clothing. In fact, even the basics (groceries and gas) were pretty pricey. The Irish, as I saw it, put their money in a nice, albeit cozy and comfortable place to live, a sensible car to get from point A to point B and a no frills, but still quite stylish approach to the dress code. It was a welcome change from the ever-growing preoccupation we have with keeping up with the neighbors. It’s OK to just be YOURSELF and in so doing, to grow subsequently RICH.
3. Planning counts. So, in Ireland, there were no 24-hour retail or service establishments open that I saw anywhere. If you needed milk, you had to get to the market before it closed at 9pm. Same thing with gas and dinner. There simply was not a Wal-Mart to be found. At first, this was distressing, but I came to embrace the thought of having to plan a little to allow the town to go to sleep. When we don’t cater to a 24-hour society, people won’t live a 24-hour lifestyle. Think ahead – whether it’s planning your family’s meals for the week, deciding what fun activities you’ll engage in on the weekends or where you’ll travel for the summer. We pay for convenience (whether in money or in sanity). Take a few moments each month, week and day to plan out your life. You’ll thank yourself for the little slice of heaven called control and order this affords you.
These are the top three lessons my trip to Ireland taught me. I challenge you to find your own lessons in the every day, sometimes mundane life that we all live. What gives you joy? What doesn’t? Nurture those things that you love and explore why it is you love them. Contemplate and consider those things that you don’t enjoy or that you fear. Find the reasoning behind your thoughts and incorporate those lessons into your life. You have the blueprint to your happiness. All you have to do is read it.
Until next time, I am proud to be a $mart Girl. I hope you are, too.
