Life is though... 😉

The biggest life change since I stopped blogging almost two years ago is that I retired!

You read this right.... at the young age of 45, my last day of work was February 7th, 2018! My husband and I had been planning this for 4 years! I had been all my life...

Despite what I made myself believe for years I never was much into work... that is work traded in for money! I am not lazy... I am always busy, doing something! I just don't like rules, being told what to do when and dress codes! I loved most job I had but the most rewarding ones were the least well paid ones... and despite me being quite a feminist (but that is not the subject of this blog), I am happiest at home taking care of my loved ones! Confusing? For sure...  but I am a walking paparadoxe.

It took hard work as a couple to get to that point. Anyone who read me before knows that my husband and I had quite a few problems in our lives... and that I was a shopaholic! We had debts... went through many layoffs... and had a challenging financial situation for a very long time. But we worked on it... the psychological issues and the finances. Over the years we  decreased our family income almost three fold. We went from not making enough to having extra! Yes, you read that right - with almost 3x less money, we now have more then enough... are happier less stress and I could afford to retire!

Now, don't get me wrong... it hasn't been easy.  We had choices to make, decisions to take, healing to do... we had ups and down... and some fights... but we always had the same goal in mind! This is what made us succeed!

Now, you may wander why in 2018, we decided to live like it is 1918? Well for values mostly.  Call us old fashioned but I love to cook, clean and do laundry for my husband and son. They don't value me any less for it... they appreciate it. I am less tired and in a much better mood all the time... I laugh more!  We all have more time to sit down with each other and enjoy ourselves... it puts less strain on each one of us! We all are better people for it.

The decisions we made were to live in a smaller and older apartment but in the end, it feels more like home because I have time to take care of it and make it better... we also lowered the groceries budget (we still eat healthy food no worries), but having more time to cook and shop for food we have less waste and that is great in do many ways! Also by addressing my menu, I have chosen a few healthy and cheaper recipes that we eat over and over again - for someone's who's favorite hobby/chores is NOT cooking, that is perfect! We cut home internet (that was the subject of a previous blog) and that is one of the most freeing thing we have ever done - along with going back to flip phone! And last but not least, our "coffee" budget was decrease by half! We go as often except we've let go of the fancy, too high in sugar, drinks in favor or simpler coffees and teas! Less expensive and healthier!

As a result, we both have more energy, time, money to be out and about on week ends... I can still shop enough to satisfy my fashion sense... and I am no longer a shopaholic ( although well aware that once an addict always an addict)

I have all the time I need (or should I say want?), to read,  write, knit, sow,  do some art, crafts, practice my yoga/meditation, walk, enjoy nature, do my bird watching, sky observation, plant identification... I have time to fill myself up so that I can be of help to people around me. Isn't that what life is all about? What fun is it to always be tired and stress out?

It works very well for us... after 6 months, we all are happier... so why not? Who cares what people say or think?

Everyone has to find their winning combination!
It rarely is the obvious one.
Dig deep... meditate... listen to your inner self and then DARE TO BE YOU!!!

THE REAL YOU

THE YOU YOU WERE BEFORE THEY TOLD YOU WHO YOU SHOULD BE.

UNFUCK YOURSELF.

Chloe 💜&✌