keep on keepin on
When life gives you lemons.... F*ck Life! LoL.. Things don't always work out as planned, unfortunately that is life... It really sucks but at the same time it is what keeps things interesting. There is a popular saying "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" and I have come to learn that applies to most of life. People have this belief that changing scenery will make life better, but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I know, I tried. I was so excited to leave the things I hated that I forgot to take into consideration the new issues I would come across in my new life.
To be honest my life has been pretty messed up lately and I have no one to blame but myself. I made a plan to leave america and start a new life in a different country and it completely fell apart. It wasn't that I didn't plan good enough, it just was not the right plan. We could of made it in Costa Rica, we just hated it and didn't want to force something that didn't feel right. Sometimes you have to actually try something before you realize whether it is right or wrong. I don't regret trying it, I needed a change in life and this has definitely challenged me and reminded me about the truly important things in life. I really needed a reset to make me appreciate life. I was so wrapped up in leaving my old life behind that I forgot to think of the things that I did love about my life.
As a veteran with severe PTSD I sometimes struggle with reality. I see how the world is and it really bothers me. I have done my best to deal with this disability but sometimes it gets the best of me. I have received treatment in the form of medication and/or counseling for years but it is like everything else in life, ups and downs. Before I got my life on track I was just another statistic, a disabled veteran with a drug and alcohol problem struggling to keep my head above water. I thought I beat that, I thought my struggle was finally over because it had been years since my last big down fall but it has since hit and I have been struggling with depression and anxiety daily. I gained 20lbs in a month and stopped working out completely. I know eating and exercise is extremely important for mental health but its hard to get out of bed when you don't know when/if you will find a place to call home.
I knew I was in a bad place and that life wouldn't get better if I didn't do things to make it better, so a few weeks ago I started exercising, eating healthy and fasting regularly again. As soon as I started taking control of my life again good things started happening, funny how that works. I forgot how important it is to take care of my physical health if I wanted to take care of my mental health.
We (my fiance and our two pitbulls) have been on the road for over a month and a half now, living in hotels all across america. We have been traveling around trying to find the right place to settle down and start our new lives. We have literally traveled across america from California all the way to North Carolina to look for the perfect home just to end up back in the mid west only 6 hours from where we originally lived. We realized what we wanted was close all along, the midwest was the right place for us just not the exact location where we were. Funny how we had to travel and live in so many other places just to figure out that we already had what we wanted, it was just not in the exact spot we wanted it.
There were many times we wanted to give up and just go back home but we always pushed through, that is the most important lesson in life... Whenever you fall never give up! Pick yourself up, brush yourself off and keep moving forward. If you Keep on keepin on it will always work out. As hard as the last few months have been it has really been a great life lesson and I have learned a what really matters in life and it is definitely not scenery, money or material things, it is only family and love.
P.S. Now that we have finally found a new home I have decided the time is right to come back to steemit. ;)
Welcome back. This was such an inspiring and honest story. I love that you were so open and honest about your experience. Many people would never have written about it like you have here. You have acknowledged that you made a mistake and instead of harping on it you made it work and in the process have found what you were searching for. Well done and thank you for sharing such a personal part of yourself.
Thanks. It was really hard to swallow my pride and write an article about my failures but my steemit family has always been extremely supportive and my profile has always been about honesty. Everyone falls in life at some point or another, its the actions we take after we fall that determine the type of people we are. We can either give up and go back to our old ways or we can get up and become a new stronger person. I believe we fail so we can learn, so it is important to always get up and keep moving forward! Great comment, you have a new follower ;)
Welcome back! This is such an inspiring lesson of picking yourself up and doing for yourself what few others will do for you. I am sincerely glad you are back on steemit and look forward to getting to read your posts again!
Thanks for all the support @papacrusher. Its people like you that really made me miss steemit and decide to return :)
Glad you guys were able to find a place to settle down! I've been checking in on your blog recently to see how things are going, so I'm glad you're back! I hope that life can continue to keep looking up for you guys!
Hey thanks :) i really appreciate the support. Its nice to hear from everyone and be back on steemit.
The midwest is pretty great! This was a great post by the way. I made a big move a while ago and it's interesting what I have taken away from it. I think a lot of times we move from one thing to another thinking the other is better. Many times you get to that new situation and you realize it wasn't really better, it was just different. Different isn't always bad, sometimes you can find the most wonderful things in the different, but if you go in thinking it is better, you could be disappointed. Welcome back to Steemit and I am glad you guys have found a new home!
I do love the midwest, I guess I didn't realize it until I left it for a while. You are right about moving, I thought it would make my life better, I thought it was going to solve some of my problems but life is what it is and moving doesn't change that. I needed a change, I just thought I needed a huge change when it turned out all I needed was a small change. It may have taken traveling around most of north america to figure it out but better late than never right!? :) I appreciated the thoughtful comment, so I'm following you and looking forward to reading some of your posts.
Thanks I appreciate it. Yes for sure better late than never!
I ran away from life 2 years ago. Went by myself from SoCal to Oregon. I realized during that time that it isn't where you are, it's who you're with and how you look at life in general... I came back just recently, because I was lonely and it was more important to be with people that cared, even more so than the pretty scenery Oregon had to offer. I hope you are able to find balance in your life- balance is key- PEACE!
I too have learned that same lesson, its not where you are it is who you are with, and luckily enough I have been with my best friend throughout all of this. We realized that no matter where we go we will always run into the same types of people and the same problems, it just took 5 months of searching to realize that lol. balance is key :) you are full of great advice! You got a new follower, thanks for the great comment!
Welcome Back, Brother. Beautiful post.
I too, have experienced much of the same shit y'all have been through. But I keep remembering this quote:
"We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time. T. S. Eliot"
Namaste, JaiChai
Thanks @jaichai, Its been nice hearing from other people who have had similar experiences in life. It keeps me motivated to keep moving forward instead of giving up. I really like the quote, its very inspiring. thank you brother!
excellent news a have been thinking on ur journey. a was happy to see u on one of my post a few days back so I knew you were here.
am one my journey to. is nice to see it can work out in the end.
Hey @norwegianbikeman, thanks for leaving a comment. Things have been turning around for me but it has been a long few months. I was sad to see you were struggling when I saw your post on steemit. I know before I took a break on steemit we were both really excited about our future journeys in life and i had hoped yours turned out better than mine. I want you to know that if you just keep pushing forward that it will all work out in the end, just don't give up.... Keep on keepin on my friend! ;)
I am so glad to see this post and the good feeling I get from reading it, welcome home friend.
thanks @sultnpapper! I always appreciate your comments and enjoy chatting with you. I appologize for leaving you (and my followers) in the dark so long. Thank you for warm welcome back. :)
I gave you a shout out in today's daily dose and just after I posted it I found this post of yours in my feed bucket. It made my night last night to read your words, I rank this post above finishing second in the poker tournament, and I won some SBD for that, so that should tell you something. Now we need to figure out a way to put those cages to work.
Great post hippie
I always think it strange that american's say it's only 6 hours away like it's a drive up the road. I could drive the length of Northern Ireland in 2 hours, anything more then that, an airplane makes my sense.
Im glad that things are filling into place for you guys and your dog's. I remember reading your just sold the house post a while back now and you have done what you said you were going to do so if you are ever feeling down, at least you can be happy with the knowledge that your full of shit :)
Here in America 6 hours is just a drive up the road! LoL.. The problem with airports in a country as big as america is the airports aren't always close to where you want to go so you would have to drive a few more hours even if you flew somewhere and its just a big hassle when you have to deal with airports.
Im glad things are working out now too. Its obviously not what we were planning but life is what happens when your busy making plans right!? haha. We are excited to have a new home and a new take on life. We are not at all upset we tried chasing our dreams and it didnt work out, thats more that most people can say. We are just ready to have some where to call home again. Thanks for the comment my friend.
Glad you finally found a new home! We always tend to think the grass is greener on the other side but all the time it's just changing ourselves that makes the difference. Vital to take care of our physical well being in order for a healthy state of mind! Look forward to more awesome posts from you @ moderndayhippie :)
Wow, you are absolutely right! Now that I think about it the only thing that has changed is me and my views on life, and because of that I appreciate everything around me so much more now. I am normally a health nut but depression really kicked my butt this time and I gave in, not to worry though, I am back on the right track of being healthy once again. I am glad you enjoyed my post :) Thanks for the awesome comment!
Great to hear that.
I also went through a bad depression after my brother's suicide many moons ago and a while back wrote about how I overcame this horrid illness, this is the post if you wish to read it, but what helped me tremendously, was regular meditation.
The author @ericvancewalton has written a book on meditation but mentioned that he's planning a steemit blog on teaching meditation, worthwhile looking out for that.
Go well!
I love meditation but i havent done it since we have been on the road because i need a quiet place with no distractions and its basically impossible for me to get that right now.. However i will start again once i get in to my new home..