What is Enough?

When I stopped working (for money) last November, I experienced a wild mix of emotions. I was thrilled to move on to this new chapter of life, excited to actually do what I had spent the past two years prepping to do in my master's program, curious about how I would spend my days and how my life would change, looking forward to more time outside, and, of course, plenty of fear that I wouldn't have enough. 

I was in a privileged position. We had been planning for this transition for years. Both Steve and I were capable of working full-time if that's what we needed to do. We had been saving a chunk of our income for our entire careers. And, still, it was easy to slip into fear. 

To stop the swirl, I found it very grounding to pause and define "enough" for myself. And when I stopped to list out what was enough, it was a pretty short list: 

• 
  Close and growing relationships with spouse, kids, and a couple of friends
• Time to move my body outdoors
• A faith community where I am learning and serving
• Daily quiet time to read, listen, reflect, and ask
• Enough money to not stress about food or shelter
• A way to invest my skills and gifts
  

When I start to spin out in fear or concern, I can return to this list and recognize that I have more than enough. 

What's on your "enough" list? How does it make you feel to return to this list?

My Ideal Schedule

I am in a unique time in my life. I am enjoying the rewards and blessings of years of structured work and have more schedule flexibility than I have ever experienced. I'm loving it, and I am committed to learning more about the most fulfilling ways to spend my time so I continue to savor this season.

A friend gave me a copy of Do Nothing, and one of the exercises suggested in the book is to write out your ideal schedule. Frankly, it seemed like a dumb thing to do. I was already enjoying my time, so why bother? But it seemed painless, and I gave it a try. 

I have two basic types of days: work days (where I'm basically at my counseling site from 9 am until 8 pm) and home days (where I may have a few things scheduled, but essentially have full control over my day.

I have been delightfully surprised by how much I enjoy sticking to this schedule! Let's be clear, the point isn't that each day will look like this. I have appointments and other scheduled activities just like everybody else. But understanding what my ideal day feels like has nudged me to preserve these daily patterns. Time outside in the morning is a highlight of my days. And knowing that I have 12-3 reserved for homework and other computer tasks helps me mentally let go of those tasks, knowing that there's still ample time to do them.

Here's your challenge - within the constraints of your "normal" life, what would an ideal day look like? The point isn't that you have the full power to sculpt every day this way, but you probably do have opportunities to nudge your days to look more like your idea.

Lessons from the River: Point Positive

Over the past few years, we've cultivated a deep love for multi-day river rafting trips. I mean, single-day trips are good, too, but multi-day trips are just better because there are more of them. 

The river gives many lessons, usually about going with the flow (ha ha) and non-attachment. If it's you versus the river, the river wins every time. 

Another favorite lesson is "point positive." The idea here is that when directing others, you always point where you want them to go. If there's a big ol' scary obstacle you don't want them to hit, you point away from that obstacle. Point positive. 

I've learned similar lessons in mountain biking - your bike will go wherever your eyes go. So, if your gaze stays fixed on that rock or that tree, that's precisely where you will end up. 

The goal in both cases is not to live with rose colored glasses. You need to know there's an obstacle. You need to have the skills to avoid it. And then you need to focus on where you want to end up, not the obstacle. If we stay transfixed on the obstacle, we can't help but be drawn to it. 

This is also true in my life - it's only a little helpful to know what not to do. It's a whole lot more helpful to know what to do. So just think of your friendly river guide and point positive.