Keeping Things In Perspective

So this last week I came down with some flu/bug/cold -who knows? It sucked & also gave me a bunch of time in bed to overthink things. Like what? Well, like being super bummed we couldn’t go to see Matt’s brother & sister in law’s wedding reception in Colorado. Maybe we were scrambling a little over-zealously to get everything done in time? Frustrating to be knocked out & having to cancel. And then of course I started thinking well, I’m at home, I should be doing a ton of stuff on my to do list. But I was wiped out & laying in bed. Then came the “try not to let this get me too down & be thankful that I can rest up & nurse myself back to health”. And then came the “let me get my laptop & at least keep up to date with the world”. Can you see the downward spiral coming? Yep, I looked at the roster for the Baja Ha-Ha & saw that just about all of the boats on it are 10 feet or larger. Envy started creeping in. I started thinking that probably all of them have water-makers, enough solar to last them days on anchorage, bigger fuel tanks, bigger holding tanks, at least a second cabin so others could sail along with them or visit them, more fridge space….😭

What I should have been doing is either planning things out with a paper & pen or reading or sleeping. Being sick & going online is never a great combination. -At least for me. Probably for most of you too. Immunity is down. This also includes emotions, because why let only the physical side of you feel like a pile of crap? Every cell in the body I guess has to jump in to the yuck because of FOMO?

Instead of taking a mirror to my life & being thankful for all the good that is there, I started believing that the grass is greener on the other side. The only problem with this is that I’m not looking at the whole view. I’m not taking into considering the perspective I’m looking from.

The fun chair wants more padding.

The elegant, cushy chair wants a view.

The worn down chair wants to be more exciting.

Do we have the smallest boat in the Ha-Ha? Yes. Are things going to be a little less comfortable & take more work for us than others. Yes. Did we work hard to get where we are? Yes? Did the other people work hard to get where they are? Most likely. Are a lot of those people engineers? Apparently, yes. Does that type of job seem appealing to me? No. For the most part, have I had a lot of flexibility in the jobs that I’ve had? Yes. Did I save a lot of that money? Not as much as the engineers probably saved. Did I have fun with the money that I spent? For the most part, yes. Did I get to travel? Yes. Just because other people have bigger boats now does that mean we will never get one? No. Is it amazing that we can go on this adventure? Yes!

One thing I want to make clear is that when I am envious of someone, I never begrudge them having what they have. I usually feel a sense of joy that someone has it so good. But then feel that pang where I want that thing too. In fact, I do get sad when someone that seems to have it all goes through loss or a heartache. I mean, why can’t the “perfect” life exist? 😆 Why can’t all of us have it all?!

I do look back to 4 years ago & it’s incredible where we are now. (I actually started this blog 4 years ago.) I saw other people doing this thing that I wanted to do & put my mind to it that I was going to make it happen. -Even though I didn’t know how. So the me back then would probably be envious of the me now.

4 years ago. Celebrating starting to learn to sail properly.

Present time: on our own boat, sailing pretty competently.

Most of all, I’m so thankful I’m sharing this path with Matt. I wouldn’t want it any other way.

What kind of lens are you looking through? We really don’t know most people’s full story. Just look at the photos below:

Moves their bed to a new bedroom every few days. Sore feet? Freeze dried food? Meets fun people. Writes a novel about life?

Life of pure luxury! Everything taken care of. Has no control of own life. Head gets chopped off.

Lives in a rut or lives in comfort?

So cry & throw yourself a pity party & then look at things with dry eyes. Your perspective may change.

On a whole other note, it’s Pride Month. I wanted to share something fun! Our friends, -or as I like to say, friends that we haven’t met in person yet, Tom & Peter from Sailing Bohemia have an article featured by the Royal Yachting Association. We congratulate them & hope to catch up with them someday!

Tom & Peter - Sailing Bohemia

And that’s it for this week. I’ve used up all the brain cells for this week’s blog. -I know, there weren’t that many there, were there? Sorry.

We all get envious. It’s natural. Yet, we can turn that into fuel to get ourselves motivated to go out & get what we want. And we can take a look at our own lives & think about what we have that people might envy. And then rub that IN THEIR FACE!!! 🤣 Just kidding. Thank the Universe for making whatever it is possible for you to have.

Actually, if you’re feeling really randy, post below something that you are feeling envious about & how you are going to start working towards reaching that goal!

Alas, the hummingbirds have flown away. Behold, the empty nest.

Still have this ‘lil fluffy egg in his nest.

Thanks for reading! Hoping to get over this thing & back to 100% in a day or so. Actually, I want to make that 200% just so I have enough to get through to the end of September. Is that percentage even possible? Who knows? But I’m still going to try. 😉 See you all next week!