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So, I shared on Facebook a few days ago that I just booked a last minute vacation for the kids and I. We are heading to St Petersburg, FL on Saturday for a nice weekend with friends and then boarding a Carnival cruise ship Monday morning for 5 nights at sea. That is right. I will be spending Black Friday at seas with no Internet and two kids and yet all is good. The past few Thanksgivings and Black Fridays I have spent hold up posting deals and buying cheap stuff that I don’t need. I feel so much more free and so balanced at this very moment.
This year has been a big year of change. In latitude. In attitude. In habits. In priorities. In perspective.
I started out 2014 with big dreams. By blog traffic was heavy. Money was rolling in. We were all doing well. But as the first month or two passed I just kept feeling the guilt. I was so distracted. I had been for years. How do you measure success? I thought this was what I wanted. But I was actually ashamed of my blog a lot of the time. The constant impulsive shopping. The greedy energy. I just couldn’t do it anymore.
In March, just after Abby’s 5th birthday and just before Jake’s 3rd birthday, I made one last impulse decision. I quit my own blog. I just left it behind. (read more here). I wanted to start over from scratch and blog the way that I wanted to blog. And live each day the way I wanted too. And enjoy my family. So, I introduced OurLittleLifeStyle.com. (best decision ever)
The next day Matt and I decided to run with that new found energy. We booked a Disney Cruise and family vacation 6 weeks out. Matt gave careful consideration to a new job offer which in turn moved us back home to the St. Louis metro area this June. We bought a house that I love in a wonderful neighborhood. Abby started grade school. We found a great preschool for Jake. I have gotten to know my kids more this year than I ever thought possible. Their little personalities amaze me. They are growing so fast.
This Fall I ran my first half marathon. Matt is rocking his new job and is even going to be teaching a class at SLU this Spring. Dreams are coming true right and left. We found ourselves a balance. The funny thing is that I still buy stuff all of the time. Packages come every day. They go out every day. But it’s with a different perspective. It’s fun this time around. And it’s funny that now most of the things I buy aren’t even on sale.
So, on Saturday we embark on this vacation. Just the kids and I. The kids have 10 day offs. We had no plans. Don’t worry. My marriage is just fine. Matt simply can’t get off work. And he doesn’t like traveling with the kids anyway. And I do. It’s our family. Our balance. It works for us. And while this will be fun for the kids it is more about ME. It just made sense. I hope that 2014 is the year that I can look back and say “Those decisions that year set us on the magnificent course that became our story.”
Write your own story. Find what works for your family. And if you feel some sense of guilt or that something is not right. Stop. Think. Listen. Change direction. Chart your course. Carpe Diem.
PS: Since I will be sipping a Pina Colada in the Caribbean on Black Friday I want to leave you with one thought. Think about what you are buying and where you are spending your money. Give meaningful gifts. Don’t just buy cheap crap just to give a gift. Be creative. Make something yourself. Spend smart. Remember the small businesses. That last package you received. It was wrapped up beautifully by a mom. In her kitchen. With a sweet note. Give them your business. They earned it. Is an hour of Google and price matching at some random site really worth those $2 you save? Shop small when possible. Remember that coffee shop that donated $20 for the school fundraiser? Choose to buy your lattes there. Go into your local shops. Yes, I still love my Amazon Prime. It’s all about moderation. And that Bass. Buy stuff that you want and that you love. That you are proud to give. Don’t just buy to buy. Don’t be greedy. It truly is the thought that counts. And above all, be kind.
Sarah,
This is the best thing I have read in long, long time. I too have been guilty of shopping deals and price matching and putting so much time into it all that it became stressful and took the fun out of everything. My 3 year old daughter probably has everything she’ll ever need and then some because I have bought so much crap in the past that now I am getting rid of it, donating, gifting, hopefully selling some of it. You are so right, so, so right. Support local businesses. Give meaningful gifts. It was recently my birthday and a dear friend made me a beautiful terrarium and a paleo chocolate cheesecake as well. I was teary eyed. How thoughtful. How very thoughtful. Best gifts ever. I have spent so much time trying to find the best deal on things, while my husband will just go and buy what he needs and leave it at that. I’m trying to be more and more like him in that department. I am so happy for you ending your stressful blog and starting your new one, though I must say I was a little saddened at first, since you were the queen of deals. 🙂 I was also relieved. I was relieved that I didn’t have to wake up and see what amazing deal newdaynewdeals had posted that I had to have. In a way, you quitting your blog helped me to quit worrying about what deals I was going to get on items I really didn’t even need, so….thank you. Thank you so much. I hope you enjoy your trip with your children and soak up every minute with them. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much Jamie! And thanks for reading! It’s nice to share my thoughts and feelings and hopefully we can all lift each other up and help each other figure this whole life out!