Thank You for My Smaller Life
Another year, another turkey.
Seems like we were just here, cleaning, cooking, preparing our home for our families and loved ones.
But not really. We’re in a new home that’s half the size of our old home, in a new neighborhood, in a different state. Everything is so new to us – I’m anxious every time I leave my house, Google Maps is turned on for trips to the nearest grocery store. Or dry cleaner. Or nail salon. This unfamiliarity has been so tough, I’m relieved every time I sit at O’Hare airport for a destination that’s known to me. Our old home held twenty years of memories. But it also held stuff we’ve outgrown but have been too afraid to throw away. Moving to a smaller place with hardly any storage space forced us to let go. We left with what we needed, kept some of our old things in case the kids and grandkids (far future) would want them someday.
I’ve taken the same approach with every aspect of my life this year. With a book release that people have already moved on from and no new book on the horizon, I’ve tapered down on social media and all the fluff that went with it. I feel good about my platforms, I’ve been speaking and helping and placing my aspirations in action. My career is growing, my focus is strong. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to make the most of my time, to avoid wasting it in worry and regret.
My life is so small now, that it’s overflowing to the brink. Filled with the people that matter, the things I want to keep, the friends I want to invest in and those who have invested in me. Gone are the ones who said they loved you and disappeared when you released your latest book. Gone are the ones you’ve given your heart to, taken them into your home when you shouldn’t have. In their place, there is genuine love and kindness, old friends mostly, who have been with you through thick and thin. And instead of holding on to those old pairs of shoes because…well, they’re Balenciagas and no one throws away a Balenciaga – there is one Prada in its place that you can wear for a lifetime.
If you’re reading this post and smiling to yourself, it’s because you’re one of those people that have blessed my smaller life. I thank YOU for being here, for staying, for laughing with me when I tried to be funny, for getting super pissed with me when my house didn’t sell, for making work fun, for trusting me and for allowing me to trust you.
You are the greatest blessing in my life.
And I thank God for you every single day.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, with so much love.
