Living Life By Design

On Friday mornings, I clean my house.

I know, you’re already riveted by this opening line. Stick with me.

For most of my early life, I played by the rules. I won all the awards, made the friends, played safe, rarely fell short of expectations.

Until I didn’t.

As an early adult, I did what many people do, start to rebel against expectations. There are a few chapters of my story that only a select group of people even know about. Suffice to say, I started to take the road less traveled.

• I moved out of my parent’s house a month into 12th grade (highly do NOT recommend)

• I started my own business with my mom at the age of 19 (planting the seeds of my entrepreneurial path)

• I moved to a new country knowing exactly one person (definitely a story for another time)

• I accepted a job across the country and moved within 2 weeks (#GSD)

• I home-birthed my kids

• I nursed each of my kids for 2 years

• I home schooled for a few years

• I delayed vaccinations

• I started my own business

As I cleaned my house this morning, reveling in the ease of doing so when no one is around (it’s much easier to toss goodie bag crap when the kids are gone - IYKYK), I realized that I’ve never stopped living my life by design.

We’re taught from a young age what things should look like. Where to go to school, what kind of job to get, to pursue a relationship and family, climb the ladder, volunteer at the school, save for retirement. We chase the dream and rarely stop to ask if it’s even the one we want.

Yes, there is an immense amount of privilege in even asking. And all-too-often it’s the big, bold moves that get the press about living a life you love. But I’m here to tell you that for me, it’s in the very little things.

• It’s getting groceries on a Monday morning because no one else goes then and the shelves are fully restocked from the weekend.

• It’s blocking my calendar first to family commitments, then opening it up to clients and customers.

• It’s walking every single morning, listening to something educational, to wake up my body and mind before the demands of the world take over.

• It’s eating my lunch outside on my deck as a small mid-day gift to myself.

Perhaps you’re considering a big, bold move. I applaud these whole-heartedly.

And, I invite you to explore one or two small things you can do to start living life by design.

Not theirs, yours.