Then, after months of shedding burdens off my shoulders, I felt relieved and more focused on creativity. I made room for spending more time with my family and with myself; I de-cluttered to an extent that was acceptable and freeing enough; I was able to walk quietly through the forest and not hurry.
But simplifying continues. In the beginning of the 20th Century, Antoine de Saint-Exupery said:
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
Simplifying has not only increased my appreciation to the small but has also re-installed my ability to listen to my heart, and to hear my thoughts. This is something we all can do as children before the rules of civilized life banish it.
Forget the money, a phrase I read today took me years back, to a childhood of utopias. It was a time when kids asked one another "What do you want to become when you grow up?", instead of "What do you want to work?", as it is now.
We grew up with ideals, morals and motivation well beyond the visible and the obvious. The material world interested us only to the extent of being the arena of our adventures. All else was in our heads. Money was a word that did not concern us because all we needed was around us – friends, books, imagination, the great outdoors.
We were not focused on the money. Instead we developed our creativity and we were happy.
Our parents knew how to make do with what they had because they were taught to live according to their means. Loans, mortgages and credits were just terms.
But let's face it, all is lost today and we need to learn once more the hard way.
Don't focus on the money.
The greatest risk of all is to spend your life not doing what you love hoping that some day you can buy the freedom to do it.
You always have the chance to start doing what you really love. And if you love what you do you will eventually become a master of it. And then you will be able to get a good fee for whatever it is.
Focus on what your heart desires, and you will be self-sufficient and ready to meet any challenge.
So, what do you desire? What have you been postponing to start because you "know" there is no money in it?
Challenging thoughts, thanks.
ReplyDeleteYet another one of your posts, Sonya, that resonates deeply with me. Seeking the quiet spaces in the midst our "loud" world, so we can listen to and hear the wisdom of our hearts is indeed the key to unlocking the best life we can live, filled with simplicity, love, creativity, grace, compassion, fulfillment, a greater sense of purpose and contribution. I think I may have commented about this on a past post of yours, so pardon me if I'm repeating myself, but I've been telling friends that although money is far less abundant in my life right now, I am grateful for the "riches" of love, creativity, a newfound courage to follow my heart & pursue dreams I used to believe were out of reach. May we all be able to listen more intently to our hearts.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteIt is hard to let go and not think in terms of money when that is all you know. I feel very lucky to be able to do what I love everyday, but I still spend a lot of time thinking about money. Letting go of that thought process will take some practice, but to be able to just create would be very rewarding. Thank you for the reminder to listen to your heart, and do what we love.
Valerie
Everyday Inspired