Monday again. Sigh. Why oh why do the weekends have to go by so quickly?!?! At least it was a good one (‘specially toward the end when Nate got home), right? OH, and I have to say I was glad to hear that so many of you sleep with the lights and/or TV on when your significant other is gone…makes me feel a little more normal 😉
Breakfast yesterday was from Nate: pancakes!!! They were seriously so good…I had two, each with a little butter and drizzle of syrup. YUM!
After church we went out to lunch with our Michael, Cherise, and their 4 kiddos. We decided to eat at 3 Margaritas, which is one of the only decent (in my opinion) Mexican places in the area. I got the Champignon burrito: mushrooms, black beans, spinach, oh my!
Nate and Michael split some plates of food…I don’t really know what was on them…chicken, steak, beans…?
They also split this guy that had shrimp and mushrooms:
And Cherise got the Loco burrito. I don’t know what was on it, but I do know that she and I only ate half of our burritos and had to take the other half home. They were huge!
Nate and I went shopping for some new skillets and pots before heading home. Some of the things we got from our wedding were starting to wear out, and we were able to find the exact same things at HomeGoods for a lot less! Upon getting home we pretty much instantly fell asleep…for 4 hours. No big deal.
Dinner was the last of my In A Jiffy Spelt Burger Pockets…but I de-veganized it by adding a pinch of cheese. It was delicious!
The rest of the night was spent editing photos, reading blogs, and more sleep. Because there are some things I can live without, but sleep is just not one of them! 🙂
I just have to say that Angela’s post yesterday really spoke to me a lot. It’s basically about how she purchased Eat Pray Love and included a part from the book about doing things you really want to do:
“For years, I’d wished I could speak Italian- a language I find more beautiful than roses- but I could never make the practical justification for studying it…What was I going to do with Italian? It’s not like I was going to move there. It would be more practical to learn how to play the accordion.
But why must everything have a practical application? I’d been such a diligent soldier for years- working, producing, never missing a deadline, etc. Is this lifetime supposed to be only about duty?…It’s not like I was saying at age 32, ‘I want to become the principal ballerina for the NYC ballet.” Studying a language is something you can actually do. So I signed up for classes at one of those continuing education places. My friends thought this was hilarious…But I loved it.”
I love this excerpt. I love it a lot. Because not only does it speak to me in the sense that I always have wanted to learn Italian, but it speaks to me in the sense that I am just now realizing that a lot of things I do because they seem “safe” or “practical.” But really, who wants to look back at their life and think, “Wow, I am really glad I played it safe all of those years. I’m really glad I only did practical things my entire life.” No one. No one wants to look back and say that.
I want to look back at my life and say, “Wow, I really lived a radically different life. I took chances. I failed. I was wildly successful. I made mistakes, but I learned from them. I wouldn’t take a single thing back.”
And so I not only came away from this weekend with plenty of rest (woohoo!!) but I came away with inspiration. I feel challenged to examine my life and realize the things I’ve always wanted to do that might seem wild, crazy, fanatical, and DIFFERENT to most people…and then DO them! Why shouldn’t I?
And so, in the spirit of Angela’s post, I would love to know the things that you’ve put off or haven’t done because it seems a little too daring. Here’s my top 5:
- Learn to speak Italian. I have a DVD set that I can use to start and then hopefully can sign up for classes!
- Go to culinary school. I have wanted to go to culinary school for the longest time, but have been constantly turned away by lack of money. But it’s something I want to do: study something I love. I don’t know when this will happen, but it will. Because I want it.
- Write a book. Big shocker here, everyone who blogs wants to write a book, right? Well, I wanted to write long before I ever started blogging. This has been my first step towards that and finding my voice again!
- Own a business. Nate and I have consistently pursuing being able to work for ourselves in photography, design, and business for some time now. It’s taken a lot of baby steps, and a lot of times the ‘real world’ has gotten in our way, but we love it.
- Live by the ocean. I don’t remember if I’ve mentioned this before, but even though I’ve lived far from the ocean my entire life, I’ve always felt an incredibly strong connection to it. It’s one of those things that brings me to tears every time I smell the salt air, hear the waves crashing, and can bury my feet in the sand. I love it.
It’s time to live your life now!
Dude. With the exception of the italian thing, we have the exact same dreams. Like, exactly.
xxoo
I love those food pics… they inspire me to cook better and take better photo.
I love the quote “it’s time to live your life now!”
I really need to wake myself up and try to follow my dream.
Thanks for sharing,
Tes
i would LOVE to live near the ocean! oh my goodness! I love the ocean. i cant look at it and not think about our Lord!!! i really need to read eat, pray, love!
This was a great post and I love that the title was “Live your life now.” My husband and I actually talk about this a lot and use those exact words …”we want to live our life now.. verse waiting for our life to happen.”
The field my husband is currently working in, there are a lot of other students/employees who are continually working toward something “else” and not taking a minute to appreciation what life is bringing them “now.” Anyway, we discuss how we are different than a lot of his “friends” and keep encouraging each other to live our life to the best of our ability NOW. 🙂
I’m with you, girl! You have recognized your PERSONAL LEGEND (finished The Alchemist and want to read it again!), and you’re on your way to achieving it. Awwwesome. There are a lot of things I want to do, but more generally, I’d say I’d like to have my own business. Not sure WHAT kind exactly though. Eh, details details 😉
I live by the Gulf of Mexico and it’s amazing. I’ve lived here my entire life. Nothing beats living at the beach. Here are some things I want to accomplish:
1. Move away-hubby and I always talk about moving to a big city, but I’m not sure we’d actually do it.
2. Run a half-marathon. I know I can do it. I know I can.
3. Pursue my Masters in Education
4. Devote more time to my blog…this is attainable…I just need to get down to it.
5. Fly to Australia! I hate flying, so this would be really tough for me, but it would be the trip of a lifetime.
I find myself saying ..”i’ll do this when” or I’ll do this after..” someday I hope to say–eff it, I’m doin it now.
and one of those things I want to do is move to Colorado! Where in CO do you live again?
i think you should go for it! it’s really amazing here 🙂 I’m in the north denver area…kind of between boulder and denver!
Very inspirational Heather. For the most part, I try to live with gusto and travel has been top of my list….hence the reason I have so little tangibles to show for it. I have lots of pictures though and memorable experiences. Love, Eat, Pray is a wonderful book…a good read for anyone!
My list is so similar! crazy…AND, I’ve been very blessed to have the ability to cross some of my list off already!
1. Learn another language (I have Spanish under my belt, and I can now speak Italian!) CHECK!
2. Live overseas (I lived in Italy for part of my college years) CHECK!
3. Live on the beach. (someday….)
4. Own my own boutique (the plans are there, I just need the money!)
5. Travel to 5 continents (already have Europe down)
my bucket list could go on and on….too much to do!! And life is way to short to not go after them!
Wonderful post Heather 🙂
I really do feel I’m living my life now… with a few exceptions… I just keep chipping away at my list 🙂
I would love to live on the other side of the US. I’ve never even been there before. The burritos look great!
I love your list! And Billy and I are in the same mindset – this is your life – right now – so do something awesome everyday and don’t be afraid to take risks. 🙂
I love that excerpt too. Eat Pray Love is one of my favorite books of all time, and I can’t wait to watch the movie! Good luck on your top 5 🙂
That book is really fun – reading about someone just packing up to go Explore definitely makes yo think about what you “want” to do vs what you DO. 🙂
We wanted to move to CO, and took a huge risk by just Setting a date w/o knowing whether or not we’d by employed by the time we got there! Aug 1 is quickly approaching, and jobs have been secured and we’re SO excited. Wouldn’t take back a thing… 🙂
Great post Heather!!! This gave me a lot to think about…I am not sure I can answer it right now. But I will definitely think on this for a while! 🙂
Great post! I think that so often we put off pursuing our dreams out of fear – we say it’s because of time or this getting in the way or that coming up or whatever, but there’s actually a deeper reason we don’t just go for it. It’s time to challenge that fear and begin truly living life to the fullest! 🙂
Great post Heather!
Those are all awesome things to put on your list!! You are a great photographer, so I’m sure you could do that easily!! And there is nothing like living by the ocean, I promise! 🙂
Have a great day,
Jess
Beautiful post. I love how the bloggers are constantly challenging me to be the very best version of myself. My list:
1. Travel, travel, travel
2. Live someplace unexpected, like Montana
3. Be my own boss
you gotta try Efrain’s Mexican restaurant: https://www.efrainsrestaurant.com/!
That spelt burger patty looks very good.
you should check out project 101 (in 1001). its a pretty cool concept. i’m actually wrapping up the end of my first 1001 days and i’m about to start a new list and start over! i wasn’t as successful with the first list as i would have liked but the point is to not get all those things you want to do get away from you. make the “some day” today [:)]
https://www.dayzeroproject.com/
That post really was so inspiring. I really hope that I can live life to the fullest and not be afraid to be different. I want to fill my life with things I am passionate about. I am working towards doing that right now with a couple of things. Sure, it’s nothing serious yet, but I have to remember that it could lead anywhere and THAT is exciting.
I want to read the book again now before seeing the movie. I have always wanted to live by the ocean too!
Great post….really inspirational and made me stop and think about things I want to do in my life!!! All bloggers really do want to write a book, don’t they?!?! 🙂
These things are a little difficult for me because I am just generally not that daring of a person. I mean I make sacrifices, heck I just moved states and states away from my family for my man, but having a list is hard.
I just want to find a job I like, then have a family, and be happy with my life, like REALLY happy. I want to wake up with joy in my heart as many mornings as I can and never feel like a wasted a day with unnecessary unhappiness.
By the way, daring is expensive. I’ve lived in Hawaii twice. When it was time to leave the time, our check book was tapped. Ryan and I had to move in with my parents for 10 months. We’ve learned valuable lessons from all the things we’ve been through.
That is one of the reasons for letting Ryan go to Norman & Houston. He wants to work in geology and oil. Sadly, he couldn’t finish the education here. I want to be bilingual, see the world, be an artist, play piano, and write a book. So now I need to get focused.
Wow-great post, Heather. It’s also like a confirmation of my “changes” theme in life right now.
I agree-that comment by angela is pretty profound, too. why does everything have to be practical? It may NOT be practical now, but who knows, someday it might be!
Things I’ve put off (or just haven’t done):
1- going back to school and getting a degree in nutrition
2-learned the Japanese and/or Hebrew language
3-gone on a mission trip
I guess the reason they haven’t happened is financial. Other things take priority right now and I’m too practical to put “daring” things ahead of needs.