• Start Here
  • About
  • Contact
  • Blogger Tribe
  • Work With Me

Gardening in High Heels

cultivate a beautiful life

July 8, 2016

Would you change?

July 8, 2016

There’s this site that has 36 questions and it’ll apparently make you fall in love with anyone. I kept it bookmarked in my inbox because I knew some day, I would be stuck for a topic, but I didn’t read any of the questions yet. I went through them and stopped at 19 (though all of them are thought-provoking) this one hit me, hard:

If you knew that in one year you would die suddenly, would you change anything about the way you are now living? Why?

I would laugh louder, dream bigger, adventure harder, relax faithfully, meditate purposefully…basically everything we are encouraged to do to live a full life right now.

It’s so easy to say, “Oh, I have my whole life to do that, it can wait.” Or maybe you’re thinking, “I have my whole life, I don’t want to screw up my relationships, finances, others’ opinions of me, etc,” so you don’t do anything at all and just use the insanity definition of “I won’t change anything but maybe the outcome will be different.”

The interesting thing about this question is the deadline. One year. That puts some immediacy on it. And forces you to look at what’s really important to you. Think about the things that you’d change if you only had a year. Those are the responses that are important to you.

Personally, I would speak my truth more, try to erase uncertainty in my choices, re-learn how to play guitar, make something big (like a quilt), meditate by a river preferably with a waterfall that I could jump off of, cultivate deep passion, travel around to meet you lovely lady readers of mine, take lots of pictures and actually print them out.

Some things are project goals that I can check  off, others are maintenance goals that have to be worked at each day.

What would you change if you only had a year? Interesting read about standing up for what you believe in and changing hard habits.

I know there would be some people that would run away and hide or who would make all the necessary preparations (which is much more likely what I’d do) so your friends and family are set up.

I’d really like to think that I’d be brave enough to find my voice and my feet and make some kind of impact, even if it’s something small. There’s 365 days to do something, anything.

So if you only had a year, would you change anything?

PS: need some ideas to get your change started? Molly Mahar has eight ways to improve your quality of life (super simple things) and I have a list of people I like to get inspiration from when I’m stuck here.

Spread the love:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Leave a Comment · Labels: Good Question Tagged: be brave, change, inspiration, motivation

March 4, 2015

Two word advice

March 4, 2015

Earlier this week, Emily Levenson posted in the Propelle Rock It Facebook group asking, “If you could write a note to your younger self, what would you say in only two words?”  I must have typed out and deleted them so many times because I had such a hard time finding the right two words.

What advice would you give to your younger self in two words?

Don’t stop and be yourself seemed too generic; it wasn’t specific to me.  Try harder makes it sound like I wasn’t trying my best.  Don’t be complacent and everything will be okay are more than two words.

When someone asks the advice you’d give your younger self, I always picture myself as a little kid because those are my “formative years” and there are things I wish I would have known.

I still insist that, as a kid, no one could tell me anything I’d listen to.  I thought I knew pretty much everything and no one could tell me otherwise; all the advice was well-meaning but they didn’t know what I was going through!

No, I won’t get over this crush.  Yes, it is the end of the world and the biggest thing that ever happened to me.

I know when you’re going through something, it seems like the end of the world and it just consumes you and then you can look back and be like, here’s what should have happened.

I think I would have listened to myself, though, because I could say to myself, “Hey, you, listen to you.  Here’s what’s up,” and I’d have to take that advice because I’ve been there and now I’m here on the other side.

Also, it’s specific to me  Advice never felt specific enough when I was a kid.  I wanted someone to tell me, “This is what you need to do,” instead of guiding me with well-meaning cliches.

When I think about how I was as a kid, I was quiet, pretty timid, and unless I was in my comfort zone, I didn’t venture out too much.  So that was what I thought I’d take into consideration when giving advice to tell my younger self.

Get outside.

Get outside. Savor the moment and be present to what is happening around you.

Get outside of everything.  Your comfort zone, the house, the books you read, the music you listen to, the friends you play with, the people you talk to.

Trying something new is scary and you may disappoint your parents’ expectations or get into a hairy situation with your friends, but it’s better than not doing what you want because you’re afraid of the outcome.

Try getting out of your own way, trusting your instincts, finding something new to occupy your time instead of the same old stuff.

Even in college: get outside.  Sure, study hard, but have fun.  Don’t try to pack all the fun of four years into a few weekends when you’re finally free.  Savor the moment and be present to what is happening around you.

And don’t be afraid to get a little messy.  That’s definitely good advice, but much more than two words.

What advice would you give to your younger self?  When you picture your “younger self,” where are you in your life?

Spread the love:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

4 Comments · Labels: Motivation Tagged: advice, be brave, get outside, motivation, reflection

Who’s Angelica?

Life Un-styled Blogger, Gardener, Shoe Lover..among other things

I'm here to encourage and empower you to grow where you're planted and embrace the weeds that sometimes pop up. I'll share inspiration, products I like (and you may too), and stories from the garden.

Gardening In High Heels is for badass babes who aren’t afraid to get a little messy. Want to learn more? Start here.
           

Dig Up Something Good

Cultivate a beautiful life with emails directly from me!

Latergrams

Tweet, Tweet

My Tweets

Other Flowers in the Garden

Sunday Lately with Blogger Tribe
#BeABetterBlogger

Disclosure Policy

Just so we can keep everything cool, I wanted to share a few notes on how my blog operates.

I occasionally receive products and/or payment from companies to review and/or give away. Sponsored posts and giveaways will be noted as such.

All images and content are property of myself and Gardening in High Heels unless otherwise stated. You may not use my images or content without express written permission.

See the full policy here.

Dig Up Something Good

Let’s Play

           

People Really Dug These

  • Good for her, not for me.

We Belong in the Garden Together

Theme by 17th Avenue · Powered by WordPress & Genesis

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.