Oh the thinks you think

It’s funny where life leads you sometimes.  As I have stated before, I lead my life in a careful unison of no risks and safe outcomes….

Only recently that changed and I didn’t really realize just HOW that had changed for me…until I realized HOW that changed for me!

I live my life in a bubble.  Most of what I do is within a 10 mile radius, because I have kids and everything revolves around them.  It’s the natural progression of life!  ….

…right?…. does someone have me on this one???

Well…..recently, I realized that the bubble I have lead….didn’t have to be…..

When I was a kid, life was awesome.  It was all about being selfish and living life on my terms… within my means… which really wasn’t much, but at the time it was all that I realized I needed…. or ummm…thought I needed….

I had a car and a job and gas money and all was right with the world…..

But fast forward a few decades, and a marriage and a few kids…and dang it, if you don’t have control anymore.

All of a sudden, one day you look around, and you have settled into the ‘soccer mom’ status of here’s what you get and have fun dealing with it!

The only thing is, as you get older and way more tired, you start to question your happiness and what it means to you!  …and as you get older…it changes…..

Recently our family was on a vacation in Hawaii.  My ONLY request (besides coffee) was a JEEP as a rental.  Over the course of the week we had SUCH a great time driving around.  I decided I was hell bent on getting a jeep to extend the fun.

But that was a fantasy.  Reality has a different agenda.

……. or does it…..

For me to get a jeep, I would have to give up my luxury car that I was OH so proud of!

For me to get a jeep means I would let go of my 7 seater and bring it down to 5.

For me to get a jeep meant to readjust my lifestyle a bit…

For me to get a jeep was to let go of my BOSE sound system…(this one is REALLY hard…. on SO many levels…. we listen to music….we sing..LOUD…..this is a BIG DEAL)….

I’d have to take a hit on my car.

There was so much to consider…..

But WHAT do I get in RETURN???

Is it a CAR?

or

Is it a LIFESTYLE?

In my mid life crisis years, all I have realized is, I’m tired.  I’m used.  I’m ready to turn in my chips.

But when I road in ‘said’ car… I felt new, and energized and alive.

(some call this mid life crisis…and it very well may be….)

When you get to a certain point in your life, you just look around and ask…. “What the HELL am I DOING?”

Well,  I have gone back and forth and pondered a lot.  But what I found along my travels are some people to help me make an informed decision.  And along the way I found some people to help me make a decision.

So…get in, sit down, hold on and SHUT UP as you take a ride on the wild side!!!

Tonight I did just that!  I took a ride like no other, and I was scared out of my mind. At some points, I thought I would die.  But I didn’t.  What happened instead was….

I LIVED!!!!

Hear me loud and clear people…LIFE IS SHORT!  We get ONE SHOT!  If you hold yourself back then YOU HOLD YOURSELF BACK!

But if you let yourself go…..You can be FREEEEEEE!!!!!!!

My friends found out that I was considering a Jeep.  They offered to take me on a “quick” off road ride.  I very quickly said YES!!!  And off we went.

In this short 90 minutes, I held my breath, held the JC (Jesus Christ) bar in the car, prayed for my safety, dried my sweaty palms, breathed a sigh (or many) of relief, and in the end, thanked GOD for my opportunity.

I hold myself back WAY TOO MUCH in life.  And it’s ALWAYS because of FEAR.

Tonight I watched Bear Grylls with Courtney Cox (from Friends).  And I saw so much of myself in her.  She’s clearly lived a pampered life.  But not only that….she was full of self conscious doubt…  Doubt about who she was, what she can do, why she made certain decisions… It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.

She is SO many of US.  We define ourselves by the perception of others.  When we should be defining ourselves by the goals we set upon ourselves based on our desires and hopes in our lives.

Only, so many of us restrict ourselves from the desires in our lives based on our fears.

I’m first in line for this.

But thanks to my (potential) mid life crisis, I have realized that I’d rather be happy than to define myself by the ideals that society has set upon me.

There’s a saying, “happy wife, happy life”…..

But I defer to my own….

Happy life,

Happy LIFE!

Stealing from Nike… JUST DO IT!

BE YOU

BE HAPPY

Let go of the ideals and go with your heart!

As for the jeep…. it’s on my list….

You will have to stay posted to see if  I can make it happen….

Everyone’s journey ….. is different….

…..stay true to you!