Reading betty's journal

Last year was the most tumultuous time of my life, in a prolonged sense. I freed myself from almost everything that I defined myself by, i.e. my boyfriend, my job, my hobbies, my habits. I've basically been reinvinting myself for the past year.

Though I'm not living my life the exact way I want to live it, I've been making small steps toward change. I'm pretty happy how everything is coming along.

I'm going to turn 33 next week, but I am going back to college (I only got a couple of Associate degrees last time I went) and should be transferring to a University by next August, I'm painting and meeting artists in my community, I'm helping out at a community Literary Arts program; this life finally coming together.

Basically, I've found the joys of simplicity. I've been living pretty sparingly (because I am currently job-less) and reduced my possessions to a minimum. I am free of debt and I have no interest in accumulating more in order to keep up with the Joneses- I'm still free of college debt, but that will change next fall.

Got some awesome trips planned that I have been putting off forever- Hawaii in December and Europe sometime next year.

I've learned that just because you don't have a job, doesn't mean you have to be without the means to get what you want, when what you want is within reason, haha. No, I'm not on any public assistance, I'm just being absolutely frugal, which doesn't have to be a painful thing if you just realize what defines the term 'needs'.

My needs are few. My joys are many.

I am just me, searching for simplicity.........and a good hair stylist

This post was edited by betty on Oct 22, 2007.

That's quite interesting to me because I'm planning to do pretty much the same thing early next year (I'm keeping my job though). Has everything turned out as you've planned/expected it, or were there any major surprises?

In any case, congratulations to your new life... and the courage to turn your dreams into reality.

Life's too short to be able to afford not to enjoy the things you see on detours.