Follow Your own map — Midlife Minimalist™

It is hard to start this post without sounding so redundant, unoriginal. We all know it’s been quite a year. Frightening, humbling, life altering.

But as we adapt and move things forward, we can evaluate the next phase of our lives. Make choices.

The pressure to conform to arbitrary standards is never ending. People have expectations that they inherently impose on you, simply because "your supposed to."

Your supposed to buy a new car on a four, five or six year loan, everyone does. Get the most house you can afford (read 30 year mortgage), have kids, get a dog, secure that 9 to 5... the list doesn't end.

But you should end it, for you.

There has been a gap in our posts. We made a change. We quit our jobs and moved to the Southwest. “New experiences, new influences” is our mantra. For the last several years, we’ve reduced, eliminated, minimized. And these activities provided us opportunities. Opportunities we never imagined we’d have at this stage. We jumped.

New home, new location, new influences, new experiences.

I’ve always admired those who took a bold step, made a change, did something new. Now that we’re in it however, we realize how frightening it can be. But it is the experience of life that makes a life of value. New experiences and influences.

I’ll be posting more often as we navigate this steps in our lives. We are not retired, too young for that. We’re just taking a pause at the crossroads as we determine which way to go.

I wish you peace and life this 2021. And I hope it is full of new influences and new experiences.

Increase the peace.