744 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True
From the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The old man pointed to a baker standing in his shop window. "When he was a child, that man wanted to travel, too. But he decided first to buy his bakery and put some money aside. When he's an old man, he's going to spend a month in Africa. He never realized that people are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of."
According to Webster's dictionary the word 'settle' means: to accept despite complete satisfaction. I hate to say this, but I believe this describes most people's lives. They begin with big dreams and somehow, like the baker in the story of the Alchemist, they get stuck in a rut complaining about what they hate and dreaming of things changing without being willing to do the work.
The more I forge forward on this journey of settling for nothing less than magnificence in my life, the more I see and hear how people settle. I didn't notice before. In fact, many times I was jealous of others lives that seemed more stable. I'm not saying that everyone is settling. You don't have to want to go after 101 dreams in order to be happy. But too many people tell me about their unhappiness and make excuses for why they can't change something.
There's always a way. At any moment you can change your life and go after your dreams. It might not be easy. No one ever said this journey of mine is all peaches and cream. Though I must say it's much easier than what I thought it was going to be. I spent five years afraid and all I had to do was step out of my fear. I was terrified to take that first step. The months after seemed the most painful of my life - yet when I look back I don't see the hurt but the strength that came from the pain and how much I grew.
At any time, your dreams are just a step away. They may take work, risk, a complete change, but they're possible. I'm living proof of that, and I'm no different than you.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
A Mother's Belief
756 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True
After nine hours of sleep last night, I've recovered from the fun this weekend. Friday night was a trip to a 1920's saloon where I did a little swing dancing, made a few friends, and somehow ended up at a truck-stop for pancakes with a strange need to buy a Betty Boop picture frame (I didn't give in to temptation, but at three in the morning it seemed like a great idea). Saturday found me surrounded by friends, music, and art at Sacramento's Art Walk where I won a certificate to a spa. Add in a street festival and a great movie and it was a full weekend.
On Sunday, I had the gift of taking my Sacramento mom to brunch for Mother's day. As we sat eating yummy food and listening to the live performers singing in Spanish, I told my California mom about all the great memories I have of my mother, who I couldn't hug yesterday due to an entire country being between us.
My favorite childhood memory is of my mother wrapping her arms around me and singing, "Me and my baby together are we. Don't know nobody as happy as we. When we're together we're great company. I love my baby, my baby loves me." My mother always sang little ditties and did cute dances to make me smile. Now we talk on the phone once per week for a few hours, and I only see her two to three times per year, yet I don't feel the distance. I carry her in my heart and with every dream come true, I thank her for the gift she gave me.
My mother was the one who taught me to dream. When I was a child, finances were tight and we had very little. My mother worked fifteen years at a job she hated to provide the essentials and the little extras when she could. She wanted more for my brother and I so she taught us meditation, visualization, and creating vision boards for the things we desired. She told us on a regular basis that we could have our dreams.
I think when I sat in the park that day wondering how to change my life, it was my mother's teachings that brought me to make the list. If I could envision what I wanted then I could achieve it. Her early lessons showed me that life could be miraculous. I guess that's why I've decided to make this journey public - I'm trying to give others the gift my mother gave to me.
Thank you mom, for everything you've given me. With all my love, Marci
After nine hours of sleep last night, I've recovered from the fun this weekend. Friday night was a trip to a 1920's saloon where I did a little swing dancing, made a few friends, and somehow ended up at a truck-stop for pancakes with a strange need to buy a Betty Boop picture frame (I didn't give in to temptation, but at three in the morning it seemed like a great idea). Saturday found me surrounded by friends, music, and art at Sacramento's Art Walk where I won a certificate to a spa. Add in a street festival and a great movie and it was a full weekend.
On Sunday, I had the gift of taking my Sacramento mom to brunch for Mother's day. As we sat eating yummy food and listening to the live performers singing in Spanish, I told my California mom about all the great memories I have of my mother, who I couldn't hug yesterday due to an entire country being between us.
My favorite childhood memory is of my mother wrapping her arms around me and singing, "Me and my baby together are we. Don't know nobody as happy as we. When we're together we're great company. I love my baby, my baby loves me." My mother always sang little ditties and did cute dances to make me smile. Now we talk on the phone once per week for a few hours, and I only see her two to three times per year, yet I don't feel the distance. I carry her in my heart and with every dream come true, I thank her for the gift she gave me.
My mother was the one who taught me to dream. When I was a child, finances were tight and we had very little. My mother worked fifteen years at a job she hated to provide the essentials and the little extras when she could. She wanted more for my brother and I so she taught us meditation, visualization, and creating vision boards for the things we desired. She told us on a regular basis that we could have our dreams.
I think when I sat in the park that day wondering how to change my life, it was my mother's teachings that brought me to make the list. If I could envision what I wanted then I could achieve it. Her early lessons showed me that life could be miraculous. I guess that's why I've decided to make this journey public - I'm trying to give others the gift my mother gave to me.
Thank you mom, for everything you've given me. With all my love, Marci
Friday, May 7, 2010
Someday Never Comes
759 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True
A girlfriend asked me if I had faith that she'd change her life. In the past I would've pacified her fears and said how I believed in her strength while keeping my real opinions inside. But before I could stop my mouth I said, "I believe we'll be having this same conversation five years from now just as we've had it for the last two. I think you will continue to make excuses, daydream about the day when you will be free from the pain, and you won't do anything about it."
"Why can't you just have faith in me?" she yelled. "I need you to tell me that I can do this and that everything will be okay. I need you to be my friend."
I realized at this moment that there's a high to believing things will change. The daydream is safe. The motivational conversations addictive. There is a comfort in the word 'someday'. When you live this way you don't have to take responsibility for your own life. You can live in a fantasy that has nothing to do with reality. It's not until you take the step to change what you dislike that you find out what the truth looks like.
Too many people in this world dream of someday. Someday they will travel, be the weight they want, leave their dead marriage, get out of the boring job, be rich, feel safe, etc. Someday doesn't come. Today is the day you have. If there is something you hate about your life no amount of faith from someone else can change it; no amount of talking about what bothers you will make a difference. Motivational seminars and quotes aren't going to bring you to the life you long for.
The only way to live the life of your dreams is to stop talking about it and do it. Fear is always going to walk with you. Failure is going to be a possibility. Both are better than stagnation and living in a dream world that doesn't exist.
A girlfriend asked me if I had faith that she'd change her life. In the past I would've pacified her fears and said how I believed in her strength while keeping my real opinions inside. But before I could stop my mouth I said, "I believe we'll be having this same conversation five years from now just as we've had it for the last two. I think you will continue to make excuses, daydream about the day when you will be free from the pain, and you won't do anything about it."
"Why can't you just have faith in me?" she yelled. "I need you to tell me that I can do this and that everything will be okay. I need you to be my friend."
I realized at this moment that there's a high to believing things will change. The daydream is safe. The motivational conversations addictive. There is a comfort in the word 'someday'. When you live this way you don't have to take responsibility for your own life. You can live in a fantasy that has nothing to do with reality. It's not until you take the step to change what you dislike that you find out what the truth looks like.
Too many people in this world dream of someday. Someday they will travel, be the weight they want, leave their dead marriage, get out of the boring job, be rich, feel safe, etc. Someday doesn't come. Today is the day you have. If there is something you hate about your life no amount of faith from someone else can change it; no amount of talking about what bothers you will make a difference. Motivational seminars and quotes aren't going to bring you to the life you long for.
The only way to live the life of your dreams is to stop talking about it and do it. Fear is always going to walk with you. Failure is going to be a possibility. Both are better than stagnation and living in a dream world that doesn't exist.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
A Day to Savor Life
762 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True
Since I'm a travel addict, most of the dreams on my list are about seeing the world. I love being on the road, each day a new adventure as I take in the sights, sounds, tastes, and experiences of being someplace I've never been. On my last trip, I realized that this need to travel has more to do with the person I become rather than the places I visit.
When I travel, life becomes about the moment. I wake each morning feeling as if my day is a present about to be unwrapped and I get excited to find out what will be revealed: a new friend, food I've never tried, or something that takes my breath away. Even getting lost and missed trains are adventures. When I'm home, life becomes about tasks that need to be done, and sometimes I'm so overwhelmed I forget how to experience life from my travel perspective.
You don't have to get on a plane to have an adventure. Your backyard or just a few miles down the road can hold excitement and presents yet to be unwrapped. It's the attitude by which you approach the world and your day that will create what happens.
Most people plan their outings. Today we will go to wine country, visit these vineyards, eat at this restaurant, and then be home by this time. Or they head to the ocean, making their way directly to the hotel and then to the activities they've read about in books or have done in the past.
I challenge you to make a day this month a surprise adventure. Wake-up and with each step you take be present in the moment. Go to a new cafe or sit outside to eat your breakfast, but make certain what you eat is something you've never tried. Stop and savor the taste as if you were on a leisurely vacation. Then go for a walk or into a part of town you've always liked. A gourmet food shop is a great place to visit because it holds many treasures of things you've never tried. If you enjoy reading, go to a park with the best cup of coffee in town and a little dessert and spend time reading, drinking, looking at the scenery and people taking time to notice the little details of life.
Another way to have a great adventure is to pack an overnight bag and get in your car. Point the automobile in a direction and see where it takes you. Once again, take in your surroundings. You have no place you need to be, so you don't have to focus on when you'll arrive. If something looks interesting stop and enjoy the moment. When you fall in love with a place, find a hotel and stay.
The point of this exercise is to relish how decadent and exciting life can be. It's all about the experience not the completion of a goal. Too many times, life is about rushing from one place to another without stopping to enjoy living. So take the time and give yourself the gift of a day where all you do is savor life.
Since I'm a travel addict, most of the dreams on my list are about seeing the world. I love being on the road, each day a new adventure as I take in the sights, sounds, tastes, and experiences of being someplace I've never been. On my last trip, I realized that this need to travel has more to do with the person I become rather than the places I visit.
When I travel, life becomes about the moment. I wake each morning feeling as if my day is a present about to be unwrapped and I get excited to find out what will be revealed: a new friend, food I've never tried, or something that takes my breath away. Even getting lost and missed trains are adventures. When I'm home, life becomes about tasks that need to be done, and sometimes I'm so overwhelmed I forget how to experience life from my travel perspective.
You don't have to get on a plane to have an adventure. Your backyard or just a few miles down the road can hold excitement and presents yet to be unwrapped. It's the attitude by which you approach the world and your day that will create what happens.
Most people plan their outings. Today we will go to wine country, visit these vineyards, eat at this restaurant, and then be home by this time. Or they head to the ocean, making their way directly to the hotel and then to the activities they've read about in books or have done in the past.
I challenge you to make a day this month a surprise adventure. Wake-up and with each step you take be present in the moment. Go to a new cafe or sit outside to eat your breakfast, but make certain what you eat is something you've never tried. Stop and savor the taste as if you were on a leisurely vacation. Then go for a walk or into a part of town you've always liked. A gourmet food shop is a great place to visit because it holds many treasures of things you've never tried. If you enjoy reading, go to a park with the best cup of coffee in town and a little dessert and spend time reading, drinking, looking at the scenery and people taking time to notice the little details of life.
Another way to have a great adventure is to pack an overnight bag and get in your car. Point the automobile in a direction and see where it takes you. Once again, take in your surroundings. You have no place you need to be, so you don't have to focus on when you'll arrive. If something looks interesting stop and enjoy the moment. When you fall in love with a place, find a hotel and stay.
The point of this exercise is to relish how decadent and exciting life can be. It's all about the experience not the completion of a goal. Too many times, life is about rushing from one place to another without stopping to enjoy living. So take the time and give yourself the gift of a day where all you do is savor life.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Throwing Out the Guidebook: The Best Way to A Great Vacation
767 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True
Nine years ago I started traveling the world. I've been to Europe, Africa, Central America, Asia, New Zealand, and throughout the U.S. and Canada. You would think that my bookcase would be filled with guide books but it's not. The last time I bought a guide book was nine years ago.
Most people buy their guide book before their trip and plan out an itinerary. Not unlike an organized tour, they have planned every moment of their vacation trying to fit in too much. They leave little space for the unexpected or stepping off the tourist path. For some this kind of trip is great. Many people like to fit in as much as possible while barely experiencing anything. Take for example the people who rush through the Louvre snapping pictures of artwork with their iphones and then moving on. Have they really looked at the Mona Lisa - well how can anyone look at it with all the flashbulbs going off?
Ask anyone about their last vacation and I guarantee that they will talk about seeing the big tourist attractions, but their eyes will light up when they tell you the story of the unexpected that happened while away: the bakery they found where they got their coffee each morning and spoke with the locals; the children who wanted their pictures taken; the person they met on a train who they spent the day with; or even how they got lost on a hike. It's the surprises people remember the most. The other problem with planning an itinerary is that if you're too tired one day to march through museums you can change things at the last minute without feeling like you missed out. This way you experience your trip in a more relaxed manner.
So how do you travel without a guidebook? How do you find your way around? How will you know where to eat or what to see?
Here are a few suggestions for making your next trip an adventure you will never forget. First, go online and look for hotels in your price range through a site like Kayak.com. Then go to TripAdvisor and look for reviews of the hotels listed - better than any guidebook, real travelers give their honest opinions. It's a good way to find out if there are bedbugs or if there is construction going on next door. Guidebooks are often outdated, but you can read a review from someone who stayed at the hotel the week before. I don't like spending time booking accommodations while on the road because it takes time away from my vacation, but it can easily be done from a computer once you've arrived. Always book your first night because you will be exhausted from travel.
Once you have your accommodations and transportation, pack your bags and get on the plane. While in the airport look around for the person or group that looks like they're heading home. Approach them and say, "Hi, I'm visiting blank for the first time and I was wondering if you have any suggestions for what I should see while I'm there?"
People love to share their enthusiasm for the place they live. Approaching someone often opens a lively conversation that also makes the wait in the airport fly by. When you get to your hotel, go to the front desk or the concierge and tell them that you're interested in visiting the city more like a local, but that you also want to see the main highlights. The person will pull out a map and give you all the information you need. Make certain to take it one step further and ask, "What are your favorite things to do?" This opens the person up to share their love of the city or place they live. Many times they will send you to local restaurants never found in guidebooks (Note: Always try to eat away from main attractions - the prices and food are tourist and not the local flavor. Even going one block further will give you a better chance for a nice meal). If the hotel offers you tours, ask them how you can do the same thing by using public transportation. Sometimes these people work on commission or they are afraid you will be lost and will tell you it's impossible to do things without a tour. Thank them and move on. It's always possible to go without a tour and it will save you mucho bucks.
Now a word about getting lost. I highly recommend it. Since your time isn't booked to the max with a specific itinerary you won't be stressed about missing out on anything. Take a wrong turn, (should be done only in daylight), ask for directions, while you're at it, stop in at a little shop that looks interesting, wander without aim, people watch. On my perfect day in Paris, I walked in a direction without a plan and ended up in the best gelato shop and then found a tiny store with handmade designer clothing. If you're in a car, take that road that looks like it leads to nowhere. Stop and see the fields on the side of the road.
You might wonder about language barriers. Smiles, hand gestures and pointing at maps (which you can get at any train station or airport from the information booths) works great. It might not be the right place, but you're in a foreign place, it's all part of the experience.
So here's the real question. Are you willing to give up the idea of what your adventure should be like? Are you willing to let go of control and living safe in exchange for living in the moment? Sure go ahead and reserve tickets at the Uffizi so you don't stand in long lines, but leave the rest to chance. You may see less, but you will experience more.
If you're unsure of doing this in a foreign country stay tuned for my next blog on how to do this right around the corner from your house.
Nine years ago I started traveling the world. I've been to Europe, Africa, Central America, Asia, New Zealand, and throughout the U.S. and Canada. You would think that my bookcase would be filled with guide books but it's not. The last time I bought a guide book was nine years ago.
Most people buy their guide book before their trip and plan out an itinerary. Not unlike an organized tour, they have planned every moment of their vacation trying to fit in too much. They leave little space for the unexpected or stepping off the tourist path. For some this kind of trip is great. Many people like to fit in as much as possible while barely experiencing anything. Take for example the people who rush through the Louvre snapping pictures of artwork with their iphones and then moving on. Have they really looked at the Mona Lisa - well how can anyone look at it with all the flashbulbs going off?
Ask anyone about their last vacation and I guarantee that they will talk about seeing the big tourist attractions, but their eyes will light up when they tell you the story of the unexpected that happened while away: the bakery they found where they got their coffee each morning and spoke with the locals; the children who wanted their pictures taken; the person they met on a train who they spent the day with; or even how they got lost on a hike. It's the surprises people remember the most. The other problem with planning an itinerary is that if you're too tired one day to march through museums you can change things at the last minute without feeling like you missed out. This way you experience your trip in a more relaxed manner.
So how do you travel without a guidebook? How do you find your way around? How will you know where to eat or what to see?
Here are a few suggestions for making your next trip an adventure you will never forget. First, go online and look for hotels in your price range through a site like Kayak.com. Then go to TripAdvisor and look for reviews of the hotels listed - better than any guidebook, real travelers give their honest opinions. It's a good way to find out if there are bedbugs or if there is construction going on next door. Guidebooks are often outdated, but you can read a review from someone who stayed at the hotel the week before. I don't like spending time booking accommodations while on the road because it takes time away from my vacation, but it can easily be done from a computer once you've arrived. Always book your first night because you will be exhausted from travel.
Once you have your accommodations and transportation, pack your bags and get on the plane. While in the airport look around for the person or group that looks like they're heading home. Approach them and say, "Hi, I'm visiting blank for the first time and I was wondering if you have any suggestions for what I should see while I'm there?"
People love to share their enthusiasm for the place they live. Approaching someone often opens a lively conversation that also makes the wait in the airport fly by. When you get to your hotel, go to the front desk or the concierge and tell them that you're interested in visiting the city more like a local, but that you also want to see the main highlights. The person will pull out a map and give you all the information you need. Make certain to take it one step further and ask, "What are your favorite things to do?" This opens the person up to share their love of the city or place they live. Many times they will send you to local restaurants never found in guidebooks (Note: Always try to eat away from main attractions - the prices and food are tourist and not the local flavor. Even going one block further will give you a better chance for a nice meal). If the hotel offers you tours, ask them how you can do the same thing by using public transportation. Sometimes these people work on commission or they are afraid you will be lost and will tell you it's impossible to do things without a tour. Thank them and move on. It's always possible to go without a tour and it will save you mucho bucks.
Now a word about getting lost. I highly recommend it. Since your time isn't booked to the max with a specific itinerary you won't be stressed about missing out on anything. Take a wrong turn, (should be done only in daylight), ask for directions, while you're at it, stop in at a little shop that looks interesting, wander without aim, people watch. On my perfect day in Paris, I walked in a direction without a plan and ended up in the best gelato shop and then found a tiny store with handmade designer clothing. If you're in a car, take that road that looks like it leads to nowhere. Stop and see the fields on the side of the road.
You might wonder about language barriers. Smiles, hand gestures and pointing at maps (which you can get at any train station or airport from the information booths) works great. It might not be the right place, but you're in a foreign place, it's all part of the experience.
So here's the real question. Are you willing to give up the idea of what your adventure should be like? Are you willing to let go of control and living safe in exchange for living in the moment? Sure go ahead and reserve tickets at the Uffizi so you don't stand in long lines, but leave the rest to chance. You may see less, but you will experience more.
If you're unsure of doing this in a foreign country stay tuned for my next blog on how to do this right around the corner from your house.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Multitasking Overload
770 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True
The other day I was having a conversation with a friend while I was doing my hair, getting dressed, and eating a quick snack. At the same time, she was driving and telling me how she just rushed out her door with a Power Bar dangling from her mouth as she juggled all the items she needed for a skating competition. I always thought that the ability to multitask was a good quality, but I'm beginning to rethink my opinion.
Since returning from Europe, I've noticed how much I multitask. I'll throw food on the stove and then walk away. Then in my mad dash to complete other tasks I forget to return to the kitchen and many meals have had a charred taste to them. I've eaten many meals at my computer or while reading books without paying attention to what I was putting in my mouth (not a bad thing considering how the food tasted, but otherwise not a healthy way to eat).
What I've realized about living this way is that it's impossible to enjoy the moment. How can you taste the food you're eating while running out the door, driving, or working? How can you be present in a conversation when you're distracted by doing housework?
I've also found that multitasking is inefficient. While I was in Europe I felt like I had extra time. I was on vacation and the typical worries of cleaning a home or running errands were gone, but I was surprised at how much I did in a day. It wasn't unusual to start my morning with an hour work-out, cook a nice breakfast and sit and enjoy it, then take a long bubble bath and get ready for the day. I walked to the train or bus and traveled an hour or more each day on public transportation. I spent hours in museums, shops, and restaurants. I walked almost five hours per day and had time for leisurely conversations with the people I met. I cooked dinner almost every night. I wrote, payed my bills, worked, emailed friends, and did photography. I never felt stressed.
In America, stress and being overwhelmed is a sign of success. If you work long hours, overload your life, complete three tasks at once, you have a full life. I think we're doing it wrong. We've stopped enjoying the moment and we live in the to-do lists of life (not the fun life-lists). Then we fall into exhaustion in front of a computer or television.
Maybe we need a lifestyle remodel. If we stop feeling guilty about enjoying life we might be healthier, happier, and more engaged in enjoyment. If we give up multitasking along with our technology addictions, we might have more focus to complete individual tasks. I'm going to give it a try and see how it works. I want to bring the person I was in Europe home to the USA. If I can't, I think my only other option will be to move to Europe.
The other day I was having a conversation with a friend while I was doing my hair, getting dressed, and eating a quick snack. At the same time, she was driving and telling me how she just rushed out her door with a Power Bar dangling from her mouth as she juggled all the items she needed for a skating competition. I always thought that the ability to multitask was a good quality, but I'm beginning to rethink my opinion.
Since returning from Europe, I've noticed how much I multitask. I'll throw food on the stove and then walk away. Then in my mad dash to complete other tasks I forget to return to the kitchen and many meals have had a charred taste to them. I've eaten many meals at my computer or while reading books without paying attention to what I was putting in my mouth (not a bad thing considering how the food tasted, but otherwise not a healthy way to eat).
What I've realized about living this way is that it's impossible to enjoy the moment. How can you taste the food you're eating while running out the door, driving, or working? How can you be present in a conversation when you're distracted by doing housework?
I've also found that multitasking is inefficient. While I was in Europe I felt like I had extra time. I was on vacation and the typical worries of cleaning a home or running errands were gone, but I was surprised at how much I did in a day. It wasn't unusual to start my morning with an hour work-out, cook a nice breakfast and sit and enjoy it, then take a long bubble bath and get ready for the day. I walked to the train or bus and traveled an hour or more each day on public transportation. I spent hours in museums, shops, and restaurants. I walked almost five hours per day and had time for leisurely conversations with the people I met. I cooked dinner almost every night. I wrote, payed my bills, worked, emailed friends, and did photography. I never felt stressed.
In America, stress and being overwhelmed is a sign of success. If you work long hours, overload your life, complete three tasks at once, you have a full life. I think we're doing it wrong. We've stopped enjoying the moment and we live in the to-do lists of life (not the fun life-lists). Then we fall into exhaustion in front of a computer or television.
Maybe we need a lifestyle remodel. If we stop feeling guilty about enjoying life we might be healthier, happier, and more engaged in enjoyment. If we give up multitasking along with our technology addictions, we might have more focus to complete individual tasks. I'm going to give it a try and see how it works. I want to bring the person I was in Europe home to the USA. If I can't, I think my only other option will be to move to Europe.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Getting Rid of the Non Essentials
773 Days to Complete 101 Dreams Come True
I've been home a little over a week and I'm sorry to say I've returned to my American style of living. In Europe, I never turned on a television. A few nights I watched movies, but for the most part when I took down time it was spent devouring delicious books or going for walks. Since I've been home I've found that hours have been lost catching up on Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice. Last night, instead of making a delicious dinner and enjoying it with a glass of wine out on my patio, I made a quick burrito and sat down in front of my computer perusing the internet with no goal in mind.
How did this happen? How has this little box of a computer sucked me into its realm of entertainment? At one point, I watched five episodes of Parenthood. I tell myself that I'm tired from my trip or that I'm overwhelmed with the paperwork from the break-in. I excuse my behavior with the idea that after three months of intensity I deserve to go brain-dead for a time. The truth is, I'm not happy when I'm sitting in front of the computer letting it take over my mind. It feels wrong and a part of me fights, but still I give in.
I realized while I was traveling how wonderful it was to relinquish the need to be on the computer. I had an hour at most every few days. I had to be efficient: I updated the blog and facebook, checked my email and responded, downloaded my finances, and even booked parts of my trip. When I had the internet available for twenty-four hours something happened. I found myself downloading movies, talking on skype and being drawn into the cyber-world. There were moments that I stared at the screen thinking that there must be more for me to do while I had internet. I wasted time that should've been spent enjoying a glass of wine or going outside.
When I received the compensation from the insurance company for my break-in, I immediately began shopping on the internet to replace my items. After three hours of research, my brain was overloaded with pricing, product information, and shipping costs. Then I did something extraordinary, I went to the store. In less than an hour, a wonderful salesman helped me to buy all the products for my office and even brought down the prices so that newer, better products would fit into my budget. The sad part was that I kept wondering if I was paying too much since it wasn't on the internet.
Today, I realized how bad our world's addiction to technology has become. As I was telling my friend how I've lost the person I became on my trip, he was scrolling on his smartphone and only half listening to what I said.
This journey to pursue my dreams is about living life to the fullest. It's about tasting all that this world has to offer. I've realized that for me, the computer is like eating corn syrup and high fructose, the more I have the more I can't stop.
I know the internet is a wonderful thing. I can book trips, connect with people around the globe, inspire people to follow their dreams, and so much more. But it has to have it's place. For me, that means limiting myself to what needs to get done and then placing it away and going out and really living.
I've been home a little over a week and I'm sorry to say I've returned to my American style of living. In Europe, I never turned on a television. A few nights I watched movies, but for the most part when I took down time it was spent devouring delicious books or going for walks. Since I've been home I've found that hours have been lost catching up on Grey's Anatomy or Private Practice. Last night, instead of making a delicious dinner and enjoying it with a glass of wine out on my patio, I made a quick burrito and sat down in front of my computer perusing the internet with no goal in mind.
How did this happen? How has this little box of a computer sucked me into its realm of entertainment? At one point, I watched five episodes of Parenthood. I tell myself that I'm tired from my trip or that I'm overwhelmed with the paperwork from the break-in. I excuse my behavior with the idea that after three months of intensity I deserve to go brain-dead for a time. The truth is, I'm not happy when I'm sitting in front of the computer letting it take over my mind. It feels wrong and a part of me fights, but still I give in.
I realized while I was traveling how wonderful it was to relinquish the need to be on the computer. I had an hour at most every few days. I had to be efficient: I updated the blog and facebook, checked my email and responded, downloaded my finances, and even booked parts of my trip. When I had the internet available for twenty-four hours something happened. I found myself downloading movies, talking on skype and being drawn into the cyber-world. There were moments that I stared at the screen thinking that there must be more for me to do while I had internet. I wasted time that should've been spent enjoying a glass of wine or going outside.
When I received the compensation from the insurance company for my break-in, I immediately began shopping on the internet to replace my items. After three hours of research, my brain was overloaded with pricing, product information, and shipping costs. Then I did something extraordinary, I went to the store. In less than an hour, a wonderful salesman helped me to buy all the products for my office and even brought down the prices so that newer, better products would fit into my budget. The sad part was that I kept wondering if I was paying too much since it wasn't on the internet.
Today, I realized how bad our world's addiction to technology has become. As I was telling my friend how I've lost the person I became on my trip, he was scrolling on his smartphone and only half listening to what I said.
This journey to pursue my dreams is about living life to the fullest. It's about tasting all that this world has to offer. I've realized that for me, the computer is like eating corn syrup and high fructose, the more I have the more I can't stop.
I know the internet is a wonderful thing. I can book trips, connect with people around the globe, inspire people to follow their dreams, and so much more. But it has to have it's place. For me, that means limiting myself to what needs to get done and then placing it away and going out and really living.
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