Stay Golden

Living The Dream. Fact.

Nothing is ever as it seems. We all know this to be true. So when people say to me that I’m so lucky to be "living the dream",  I wince slightly. I’m definitely following some sort of life path, one that may have been laid down for me many moons ago- who knows? But I’m certainly not living some sort of picture postcard perfect dreamy life. What I am doing is following my dreams, which is an altogether different type of gravy!

My actual dreams, the ones I had as I lay in my old and jaded bed back in Cork helped me to find my way here, to beautiful Spain, and to a fresh new start in life. They literally showed me the way forward. But I am not living any dream, folks. Nobody is. 

We make decisions and we make choices, the results of which bring us into different phases of life. A dream, a gut instinct or a past experience may help us in the making of those choices but ultimately we just have to take action. Life then becomes whatever you make it. A dream life doesn’t just magically happen against an orange sunset sky! You put yourself in the way of new options, new places and new people. Then rinse and repeat. Every day. For the rest of your life.

This search for a ‘dream life’-  a notion that has become the holy grail of existence for millions of people worldwide is absolute balderdash and it can be a dangerous thing to pursue. We can of course and should follow our dreams in so far as is possible in an effort to change or improve our situation and maximise our god given talents. But this rewarding and often exciting path is too paved with sacrifice, fear and insecurity. 

My life is lovely. I love all the new energy around me and all the changes have been very welcome and wholly life affirming. It does help that the Spanish sun shines brightly on me most days now- that definitely helps with the positive vibes but sunshine or not, change at any age requires three main ingredients-  creating new priorities, trusting yourself and most importantly- letting go of the past!

The facts of life for me as I start the year 2020 are as such:

I live on a beautiful sunny Mediterranean island. Fact.

Its beauty takes my breath away. Fact

I have fallen completely and utterly in love with a wonderful Spanish man. Fact.

I have made great new friends. Fact.

I believe I may have been destined to live here. Fact.

I am slowly starting a new career. Fact.

I have given up a good salary, a house and financial security to follow this new path. Fact.

That still scares the bejaysus out of me. Fact.

I decide on a daily basis to not let that fear take hold. Fact

I miss my mamma mostly every day. Fact

I have less stuff. Fact

I want less stuff. Fact

I need less stuff. Fact.

Happy New Year. Fact.