How I Got My Life Back

.My solution was living in a Van traveling the country. Your solution may be very different. Let's find out together a solution for you. This is the first of a three-part series on getting your life back. I am going to share things about myself and what I did. Think of these things as they relate to your life.

My hardest birthday was when I turned 50.

I didn't handle it well. Announcing that I was halfway through my life, instead, I felt like my life was over. Looking back over the past 50 years was hard. What had I accomplished?

It wasn't until 15 years later that I figured it out and fixed it.

I want you to get on the bandwagon much quicker than I did!! Just call me a slow starter.

The first thing I had to do was identify my problem. I knew I had that feeling deep down. You know what I mean. You feel like your life is like a sieve. It's slipping away and you are wondering why you feel empty inside. That happened to me.

I didn't have much time to soul-search back then and, frankly, I didn't know what I was looking for. (I'm leaving religion out of this story.) That's why I took so long. I went to counseling and that's when I began to figure it out.

Maybe you should go to counseling, too. But before you do that, let's see if we can identify your problem.

Ask yourself these 5 questions.

I've left space so you can write your answers here. Or write them on a separate piece of paper.

Am I overwhelmed by work? Why?

Is my husband driving me crazy? In what way?

Do I feel put upon by everyone I know? Why?

Am I chasing money because there never is enough? Why is there never enough?

Are my kids exhausting me? What are they doing that exhausts you?

If you can honestly answer these questions, you are on your way!

The hard part is why. Keep working at it and we will go over it next time.

My daughter was grown. That question didn't apply to me but the rest of them did. At first, I wouldn't even let myself think about them because I knew if I did I would fall through a trap door. Best to just keep moving along and ignore my situation! Can you identify?

Let me be clear. I did not have a bad life. There were the typical ups and downs that everyone has. I bought into the get married, have kids, work hard, buy a house, and keep up with the Jones's philosophy. I was a yuppie (remember that ridiculous term!) and a good one too.

Have you ever had a vision board?

For much of my life, I have had a vision board. I cut out pictures and words from magazines and glued them onto my 2' by 2' vision board. I learned if I put pictures of "clients knocking on my door "or the words "you can do it" on my vision board and I saw them every day, they were more likely to come true.

About 2 years before I moved into my van I glued a picture of a VW bus right in the middle of my vision board. It was hippie style. I guess I was regressing. Any hippies here?

Here's a story that struck me. Maybe it will be for you, too.

A man was visiting the offices of a big corporation. He was shown around each office and was told what each person's job title was. He came to an office and there was a woman with her feet up on the big oak desk, leaning back in her ergonomic chair, and looking out over the city through her floor-to-ceiling windows. He inquired as to what this woman's job was and was told that she was their "thinker". Her only job was to think about new ideas and strategies for the company.

We are not taught to think. Life goes by so fast we don't have time to sit down and have a meaningful thought session. And if you are like me, my mind is like a 2-year-old on steroids!! It didn't slow down enough to think.

The takeaway from this blog should be thinking about and answering the 5 questions. This is going to take some thought. See how honestly you can answer them. Thinking is hard work!! But you've got this!!

Let's get your life back!!

Pam and Coco

Boondock and Beyond

P.S. This is part 1 of a 3-part series. Watch for part 2 next week!!

P. P. S. I have hobbies now! Photography has always been fun for me. Now I am taking an IPhone Photography Course. And so can you!!