Summer reflections: embracing change

Last updated on 14-Jun-2021

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, is credited with saying “change is the only constant in life.”

From the day we are born to the day we take our last breath, life is always changing for us and around us. Each new day is exactly that – a day which is different from all the others, and never to be repeated again.

We learn, we grow, we try, we fail, we win, we lose, we love, we are loved, we hurt someone or get hurt, we are happy or sad, healthy or sick – always being “us” but constantly changing. And the same cycle is happening all around. Family and friends, seasons and nature, homes, neighbourhoods, cities, and countries. Visible or not, we live in ongoing metamorphosis.

Summer is usually a time full of visible changes, in nature and in our routines. This summer I’ve been thinking a lot about change. About how much I (and everything/everyone else) have changed, what changes may happen in the future, and which ones I want to actively pursue.

I read a quote the other day that really stuck with me: “Change before you have to“. I found it powerful because it puts the person in the driver’s seat and gives us motivation to not be controlled by our circumstances.

Everyone is facing challenges – it could be about work/career, financial situation, health, family or relationships.  And while I know many things are beyond our control, there are also aspects we can grab a hold of and steer, or we can try to influence. With that in mind, I’ve been thinking about how to be more proactive in changing things that are not working well, or not supporting our goals and dreams, before the proverbial rug is pulled from beneath us. Before the job loss, before the preventable health issue, before children grow up, before parents are lost, before heartbreak… before we have to change for external reasons.

Life offers a series of choices, and “whatever you are not changing, you are choosing“. Inactivity and inertia may keep us stuck in unfulfilling jobs and careers, unhappy relationships, and other circumstances we know are not how and where we want to be. It is worth it to take time and consider what we are choosing and what we can change. If doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result is a waste of time, let’s take charge to try to get the results we WANT! Changing course and stepping into the unknown can be scary, and it may not always work as well as we would like, but we’ll never know if we don’t at least try.

Some of our friends and family already know that we are going through a period of many changes and the past few months have been very busy and sometimes challenging for us. Now I’m sharing the news here on the blog: we (Hellen and Andre) are taking a sabbatical in 2020 and plan to travel for most of the year. We have been taking steps to facilitate this transition, aiming to simplify our lives and become more mobile. We sold our house and moved to a condo. We have also sold, purged, or donated a lot of our belongings – an exercise in minimalism! 😉 We still have more to let go off, and surely will over the next few months. I believe that living a simpler life is an ongoing process, which so far has been very “freeing” for us.

I admit the big MOVE was a little bittersweet as well. While we are excited to move forward and into the next steps in our plans, there’s a bit of sadness for leaving the house that has been our home for the past few years. We poured our hearts and a lot of work into a full renovation, and I am very grateful for all the moments we had there. We hope the new family enjoys it as much as we did (or even more)!

I’ve also decided to make some changes to the blog structure and content, focusing on Good Food and Good Vibes, along with looking forward to dedicating more time to this platform in 2020 and beyond. So stay tuned for lots of delicious and fun posts ahead, connect with us using the comments below or on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, and Viva Happy always!

Nothing is impossible. The word itself says I'm possible - Audrey Hepburn

4 thoughts on “Summer reflections: embracing change

  1. Just beautiful! I agree with changes and simplicity. The main focus should be health, healthy relationships with friends and family and giving…giving love and attention to yourself and others. The rest are just stuff that we can live without. Love you my Bella and Dede, will miss you a bit but hopefully we’ll see each other next year somewhere around the world. ??

    1. Thanks for the lovely words, Alba. Trying to focus more on the important stuff, the rest is just noise and clutter 😉 We love you too and hope you guys will come out and visit!

      1. You hit the nail right on the head. “The rest is noise and clutter. Now if I can only get rid of the extra caps and a dozen pair of sneakers I’ll be on the path of freedom! Lol

      2. Hi Flip, I know, those caps and sneakers really pull on our heartstrings, right? Lol… Downsizing and decluttering can be very hard and emotional. It’s not the same for everyone, but we’ve been finding that “living with less” actually created room to “live more”! All the best to you 🙂

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