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Lately, Mr Cool and I have been reading a lot of books. We have had a kind of shift of thinking and we are in a time of working out what we want to be when we grow up. This has been exciting and challenging, but also intimidating and daunting. Afterall, we are in our mid-thirties and now have three children, four chickens, two fish and a whole lotta stuff.
I have been reading a book about making decisions. It has been really enlightening. I am able to make decisions. I can make snap decisions on the spot like what is for dinner, who started the argument, which cereal to buy, which shoes my children will need. My stumbling block is the plethora of choices that lie before me. We live in a time where we have more choices about EVERYTHING than ever before. Think of the choices our grandparents had – no viable contraception, no major supermarkets, no technological distractions etc. So it was expected that women stayed home, had babies and raised them. That was what they did, there just weren’t as many choices for them. Whereas I am faced with so many choices it spins me out: Do I continue to teach or do I study? Do we suck it up financially so that I can sit and write the books I am desperate to write? Do I get a job in retail that does not require the same emotional drain that teaching can? Do I homeschool my children and grow all our own food? Do we pack up, head to New York and live in an apartment and raise exotic cats? I know some of these are ridiculous {retail is so NOT for me!}, but do you get where I am coming from?
We in Australia, in my demographic, are so blessed. We have opportunities that other countries would dream about. Our baseline of acceptable living is sky high compared to war torn areas of our world, or those affected by famine, or those in areas where drug lords rule the roost. Honestly, in my tree lined suburban street in a major country town, it doesn’t get more peaches and cream than right here. I actually KNOW how good I have it {before my mum tells me to go and live in Ethiopia for a while}, I really really know.
But, all these factors do not help me decide what it is that is making me search for answers to my questions. I want to follow my dreams. I want to start living a more vibrant and fulfilling life. I want … I want….
See? I don’t know what I want. I have so many choices that is hard to pinpoint where to focus all this kinetic energy.
Mr Cool and I have been talking about these kinds of things a lot lately… remember that we do the dishes together every night and we pick some pretty in depth topics {last night was whether I should have purchased the red or the mustard tights}. We have both come to the conclusion that any change in direction for our lives involves us keeping up the momentum of things that we are doing. It is really hard move a car once it has stopped, it is even harder to TURN that car once it has stopped. Much easier to turn the car once it has built up momentum. See what I am saying?
So… as I begin to wrap up this post, I am no closer to a decision about where I want to go with my life. But, I am challenged to just keep moving, keep doing things for others, keep searching for what it is I am meant to do, keep saying yes to opportunities and keep making the most of those opportunities. And when things seem so boring and dull and monotonous {like cleaning blah blah blah} realise that this just something that has to be done and make the most of the chance to think and pray.
It is weird that the older I get, the more dreams I have…
Anyone else feel this?
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I read a great quote the other day that has stuck in my head…”A year from now you will wished that you had started today.” I find it applies to so many things, and had helped me make at least one big decision. To stop and think- what will happen if I do/don’t go ahead with this…will I regret it? Helps put things in perspective sometimes.
Angela recently posted..Bubbles, books, and birds at the Newtown State Rose Garden
Oh yes, that is a FABULOUS quote! Love it!
Great to put things into perspective. My husband thanks you also, he was very appreciative {kinda}… He needs to be working out some stuff too at the mo…. Exciting times!
Love this one, B! You inspire me to keep looking for the opportunities instead of sitting back and coasting, you know. I’m really good at sitting back and doing nothing…
Thanks for the shout out too ;o)
CraftyMummy recently posted..How to: Blog Makeover
Hmmm, you may one of the most ‘go-getter’ types I know, ‘sitting and doing nothing’ is soooooo not you!
Yes I so agree with you on this one. So much choices and you just don’t know if its the right one until you actually do something about it.
Salz recently posted..Recognition of the Bogan
Yeah… it is tough to work that out. But, when you make the wrong decision, you know about it!
Thanks for stopping by!
B
I loved reading this post. I certainly could relate. At times I lament that I’m not more like my parents and follow one set plan in life but my life has been open to more experiences than my parents regardless so it’s silly of me to lament and honestly I love the fact that there are always choices open to me. Its the choices that keep me sane.
Agree – choices are cool…
We are very privileged to have them…
Thanks for stopping by, B
I know exactly where you are coming from and feel very much the same.
I have a 15yr old daughter who is worrying about what she wants to be when she grows up and I still struggle with that on a daily basis at 36.
Peta recently posted..Time to do something
Yeah, I thought that being a grown up meant you knew what you wanted out of life, but that isn’t true!!
I also think that teenagers find it hard to make decisions as they have even more choice than we have! Things are a lot more open ended for them as well… they tend to train for a ‘pathway’ rather than a career – which can be really hard to map out ahead of time.
All the best with helping your daughter work things through…
B
I too struggle with the vast amount of choices available, I am slowly narrowing it down by what I don’t want, still not any closer to knowing what I want .. am grateful that we have so much more available to us than previous generations, but there is just sooooo many possibilities
Stacey-Lee recently posted..Nothing to Lose, Everything to Gain: Stepping Out Of The Comfort Zone
Haha! Yes the process of elimination… You will get there if you keep looking!
Thanks for stopping by!
B
I tend to struggle so much with decisions. Most of my problem is fear that I will upset others, or that they will feel that they are not taken into account. I agree though, sometimes we are just offered too many choices. Now we can’t even go to McDonalds without having to choose whether we want a healthy or unhealthy meal. It used to be just “screw the diet, I’m getting Maccas!” Maybe I should read this book!
Chrissie xx
Chrissie at Me and My Munchkin recently posted..The Clean Out
Hmmm, maybe it is the Dutch side of me, but I don’t tend to make decisions based on what others might feel… If people don’t agree with a decision I make, they can talk to me and hear my reasons, or they can just get over it…. I only have one life and I spent quite a few years frozen in indecision thinking that people would disapprove of me and my dreams, that was a very sad time in my life. I am much happier making my own decisions {this sounds selfish, but I do talk everything through with my husband etc etc} and letting people see the real me…
Oh and thanks for the shout-out!
Chrissie at Me and My Munchkin recently posted..The Clean Out
No probs! Sharing the love is what it is all about! It was a great post, had to do it!
At the moment I struggle with the tinyest of decisions.. but I have a clear picture of what I want for my future. Every now and then I take stock to make sure I’m on the right path (sometimes I am and sometimes i’m not)
Catherine Rodie Blagg @CoTaaB recently posted..The poor neglected handbag (short tale tuesday)
I think reflecting is a great thing to do, it gives you a bit of perspective about where you are and what you have learnt…
I like a bit of reflection and getting things back on track…
Thanks for stopping by {and following me in other places too!}.
B
You are one step ahead of me – what’s for dinner & which cereal cripple me. What am I going to do when I grow up? Pah!! I like your theory on momentum. Somedays I feel like I’d come to a complete halt, but I have to remember that I am always moving, growing, changing. It’s all forward motion – even if it’s baby steps x
Née Say recently posted..Demolition Dogs
Yep, baby steps is still technically moving. It is scary though, I have said yes to a few things lately, which means that I can’t actually go back to being a bench warmer – scary and exciting at the same time!
I feel free to dream now that my girls a little older (6 & 8). I have realised that we never have to stop dreaming and that there is no reason we can’t achieve them. When I was younger, I didn’t think I could ever reach them. Rx
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I can see that I will have more ability to do more when my kids are older { we have a 7, 4 and 18mnth old}, right now, I am so busy with getting everyone organised there isn’t a huge amount of time left for other things. Which is fine. Just need to keep the dreams alive and working towards them.
Thanks for commenting, very cool of you!
Hmmm I know a great book you could read to help you in your dilemma – it’s called “Clues to your Calling” by this unreal Aussie author, Janet Camilleri??!!! LOL
Janet recently posted..Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous – now available to everyone!
Sounds like a book right up my alley! How do I get my hot little hands on it?
Yep, I get it. It’s like the world just opens up more and more and the are so many more opportunities for you.
Hope you get some direction soon, and that it works well for all of you. (And did you be the red or mustard tights?)
Jess recently posted..Where Does the Time Go?
Mustard. I have a red bag, did n’t want it to be all ‘matchy matchy’….
Thanks for stopping by Jess, really love it…