The holiday I needed was in my mind

in #life7 years ago (edited)


The day before a holiday is usually crazy for me. I am the sort of person that likes to have my entire to-do list ticked off, all work up to date (and even ahead of schedule), the house spotless, new sheets on the beds and my car packed with efficiency and order.

I plan the whole departure process like a perfectly oiled machine but it never happens.

 Not even close. It is chaotic, I stay up late the night before trying to jam a weeks work into the wee hours. I pack first thing in the morning with ridiculously excited toddlers chasing my heels. I am tired, brain fogged and cranky by the time I hit the highway. I then spend the next few hours as a passenger re-scheduling my to-do list on my phone and trying to respond to a few more emails before promising to 'switch off.' 



For a recent mid-winter getaway I wanted things to be different. 

This was a birthday holiday that I was going to share with my childhood girlfriend (we are birthday twins). We have not shared a birthday together for 20 years.  As I started my usual list writing, determined for once to nail the perfect departure, I realised that this was not going to happen. Not because I am not capable of achieving this perfection but because that perfection is not the solution. 



I realised that the holiday I needed was in my mind. 

A change in my thinking, my expectations and definitions of success. I get to choose. A few months ago I was lamenting about the loss of the endless summers of my childhood. Weeks, months and years seemed so long back then. So much happened but time felt grounded. 

These days I feel like I get caught up in endless pursuits, a drive to achieve. Like I am always working towards some final goal that once achieved will solve all problems. I decided that I wanted the rest of my thirties to be long like my childhood. Filled with savoured moments that are enjoyed and not frittered away in the busyness of life.




Perfection drains time.

There is always going to be work and chores to do. As a creative business owner, work is intertwined with life. Ideas, inspiration, projects, tasks and improvements never end. It is an ocean. Sometimes I float with the flow and energy, other times I steer with the wind and every so often I throw out an anchor.



So there I am leaving for a holiday with a work backlog, emails in my inbox, messy house, weeds in the garden, laundry in the basket and a car filled to the roof  but I was happy. This stuff can wait. It never ends anyway. 

The holiday was meant to be for 4 nights but we ended up spontaneously extending it to 9 nights. I put down my phone, shut my laptop and savoured every minute. 


 

I returned home to a desk full of grossly overdue jobs and a house to run but the truth is, even if I had done all of this before leaving, it would have only taken a day or two for it all to be back.


Until next time, 

xx Isabella 



Sort:  

A shift in mindset is a powerful thing! We are hard on ourselves when it comes to being the best, but you are right: Perfection is not the goal. The journey, the memories, the imperfections and the love shared along the way are what makes life such a beautiful thing.

Thank you for your beautiful words, images and story <3

Alain
x

Aww that is such a lovely comment @alainite. Thanks you for stopping by.

Très bon article et vous avez de très belles photos.

Merci

Cordialement

@bridgetbunchy
So inspiring!
You look like so enthusiastic and successful person, but everyone needs a rest and It looks that you've got the right time for it. And is there a better holiday than that with the family, like the good old days, as you said like ''childhood'', because we maybe don't realise it on time but childhood is the best part of our life. Calm, caring, free!
Continue improving yourself and making such kind of articles, but never forget to take a rest!

Thank you for this post bridgetbunch, firstly can I say you have stunning images and I have always admired the way you are so creative with how you compose them!

Secondly, I have to applaud you for writing about the reality of that "perfect holiday". It's so true that we can only be disappointed if we expect too much. Thus I really agree that moments should be savoured the way children do. I noticed that as I've grown a little older, time seems to go faster and faster, and instead of feeling like something is so far away, it all feels so quick now and life might be moving too fast.

I'm going to aim to live life the same way as you, and try to savour moments that I enjoy, not letting the busyness of life get in the way.

Thanks so much for this!

Hey @sweetsssj :D Awesome to see you in the commetns section of someone else post. :D I'm fairly new to Steemit from South Africa.

But I have a passion! So much so that Jerry Banfield followed me after a bit of banter on one of his recent posts. I aim to provide content going forward to inspire and uplift the community. If you could follow me i'll put in 300% effort as to not dissapoint you OR jerry :D

I want to help, inspire, uplift and engage with all of the users on Steemit :)

It'd change my world <3

Have the best day :) I wish you all the positivity and happiness!

All the love.

Alain
<3

I hope that you would put in 300% regardless of me or jerry following you. It's not about me or him at the end of the day. It's about the platform as a whole, which neither of us can carry on our shoulders. Least not mine!

The best way to inspire, uplift and engage with Steemit users is to go ahead and do just that! Me following you or not shouldn't stop you from being able to achieve your goal.

That said, I will follow to see if you live up to your promise. Don't disappoint me now!

I can't even believe it :D I will do everything i can to inspire, uplift and add value! You've made my day, week and year! <3 Now to work on my future posts! Thank you @sweetsssj

Hi @sweetsssj - What a gorgeous comment. Thank you. I love photography but the thing I love the most about photography is putting together the final composition. My raw images are vastly different. Composition changes everything - thank you for noticing :) Cheers to savouring our moments and slowing life down.

Great read and a much needed reminder for me tonight as I begin to pack our family of five for camping this weekend. I like and prefer everything to be complete before departure, but realistically it won't all get done and I'll be the only one upset....and it will all be OK. Thanks!

Hi @yogattitude - I hope your holiday is filled with the best of memories. I love camping and hats off to you to do it with children.

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