Changes

The transformation from a materialistic, highly commercial and 'expected' life to a more simple, back-to-basic and slower life was a big change for me. But life is all about changes and sometimes they're good but sometimes they're sad and you have to make the most of it.

For me, the change to simple living has saved my life. I'm convinced of that. I was too stressed, too burnt out and trying to please everybody's expectations was torture. But I always thought that is what life is. You enjoy life while you're young, when you start school, you cannot wait until it's over, so a little bit of living is taken away. Then when you start working, you need to have a career and climb up that ladder and the only joy you have is when you're on holidays but normally by the time you've just started to relax, work starts again. So your enjoyment of life decreases to those four weeks a year plus a few public holidays. Then you're too old to work and nobody really cares about you anymore, you don't know what to do with yourself because all you ever did was working and your kids are busy raising a family and making a career for themselves and then you die and it's over. Yes, I truly believed this is how life was supposed to be. Pretty sad hm?

My transition to simple life was very slow. I have been living like this for over a year now and I know there's still more things to learn and do. But for the time being this is how I live. I grew up believing the most important thing is your performance at work. You always have to aim highest, put up with everything to climb that career ladder and earn more money, have a bigger car, a bigger house, better holidays and I can't even remember what else you need to show the world that you're so fantastic. This is what I was thought when I grew up. This came from my parental side. Also my Mum was able not having to work anymore after my sister was born, she never seemed all that happy, so obviously staying at home is not good for you I thought. It was only a few years ago that she wasn't unhappy because she was at home but because she was in a very unhappy relationship which I didn't know back then. When I told my Ex-Stepfather that I was going to study Biology, he was not happy. There weren't any promising careers in biology so it would be an absolute waste and I would end up a teacher or even worse a pharmaceutical salesperson. But animals and nature is what I've always been interested in. I'm not very social, I don't like people around me, I'm not creative or arty but put me in the middle of a forest and I feel like I'm in heaven. So for me studying biology wasn't a choice, it was a must. I never regretted it!

I started studying over in Europe and then moved to Australia to learn English. I met Steve and now I have been living here for over 15 years. I finished my degree, I worked, I specialised in environmental engineering and I love my job! Environmentalists are highly regarded here and as I work for industries, I am lucky enough to have fairly secure jobs with good pay (there always will be industries) and I know I can make a difference on the inside of an organisation. I did get caught up with a materialistic lifestyle, wanting more and more and more but luckily at the peak of it, I found out that the only reason I was unhappy, was that I've forgotten who I was. Over the past year, I slowly have re-discovered myself and my happiness and boy, what a surprise it has been!

I never really had a plan for my life, other than working, working and working and then dieing because what else is there? Now this has changed. I HAVE A PLAN! For the next 12 years I will continue the kind of work I'm currently doing - FIFO, working for the oil and gas companies and making sure they do what they're supposed to do. By the time I turn 50, I should have paid everything off. We only have the mortgage to our home a a couple of investment properties which I'm planning to sell before I retire. So in the next 12 years we will have enough money to pay of as much as we can and get our place set-up. We're in the process of installing a solar system but down the track we will need a new sewerage system, we need to do some fencing and plant some more trees. My plan is that once I turn 50, I want to semi retire. I'd like to take on a job where I don't care about money, status, spare time - a job which just makes me happy. During this time, I'd like to learn the skills I currently miss - I can sew on a button but I cannot mend, knit or crochet. I will learn and I'm looking forward to think I will be sitting there with a sewing machine and mend or even make my own clothes!

I'm looking forward to be 50, 60, 70 and 80! I hope I stay healthy and that nothing bad happens to my family and myself - but to be honest that's all I wish for. So here's my bucket list:

* I want to be happy and I want to be myself and stand for what I do.
* I want to go trail riding and camping.
* I want to learn skills; like sewing, mending, making my own clothes, cheese making, woodwork.
* I do want to see a lion and a giraffe in the wild (I know they don't live here, I will have to travel for that.)

The inspiration for today's post came from my Grandma. She's 75 years old, has been married for 57 years and has 2 children. Life has always been good for them. They had their problems, their ups and downs but in general things have been good. They lived a very active life with lots of friends and I think I'm one of the very few people who can say that I have seen my Grandparents going out, drinking, having fun, partying and dancing. Unfortunately they have not prepared themselves for retirement and sickness. My Grandma fell last week and fractured her shoulder - the same shoulder she had fractured a few years back. This time it was beyond repair. She was in pain with a black swollen arm until yesterday where she had surgery and received a prosthesis. Due to health issues of his own, my Granddad is unable to stay home by himself, so he had to go to hospital with her. My Mum and sister take care of everything which is great but it shows that they had not planned for being old. They don't know what to do with themselves because they haven't got any hobbies now where they cannot follow the active lifestyle they once led.

I will go and visit them in September this year. I'm looking forward to it on one side but I'm scared on the other. I know this is going to sadden me and they're to stubborn to change anything. I will show them that I love them and that I'm there for them whatever decision they make but I think things will have to change for them.
I think I have learnt from their experience and now there will be many changes and challenges coming in my life. I need to think about this know, be prepared and have a plan and hopefully the transition goes smoothly.

How do you react to change?