I sat on the beach this past Monday to soak up the last bit of summer and I realized something while listening to a Podcast. With every wave coming in I begun to see that I’ve been wasting A LOT of time. And somehow this is just hitting me.
Your probably wondering what I’ve been doing to waste all this time. Instagram, netflix, or facebook (all time wasters) but not the culprits this time. This time I was wasting precious life.
As most of you know we re-located to Spain last August and it has been a whirlwind. Tons of change and it left me feeling a little shaken and not knowing who I was. I’m not legally permitted to have a job so that presented some interesting challenges and I’m surrounded by a foreign culture/language/people.
I’ve written about that “lost identity” feeling and I let it overtake my life last year. By no means am I saying I’ve got it all figured out but I’m learning everyday. I chose to justify feeling lost or sad because of my circumstances. I felt alone and without a community and I reveled in that rather than separating myself from that feeling and learning from it. Get out of the house Jessie and go find a community right?! I wish I had that little face palm emoji that I could insert right here.
THERE WERE SO MANY lessons to learn and I wasted most of them. The silliest things like learning of few vocab words in the cab while he potentially ripped me off because I’m American. Or the new friends I met from all over the world while I fumbled through Spanish classes.
Even the hardest moments provided mini lessons or opportunities to change my perspective. So you see it wasn’t netflix that took my precious time but the way I chose to live life. I wasted lesson after lesson while wearing my “this life is hard” goggles. Now life can indeed be REALLY hard. It isn’t peaches and cream everyday and I am not saying I don’t feel sadness and loneliness because I do. I feel those a bit too often but it’s the time I spent in those moments, not noticing lessons, that I wasted prime experiences. Feel fully first and then separate yourself from those feelings like watching a TV screen. Recognize it, analyze it, then learn from it.
Is how I am spending my time serving my life for the better? That statement kind of makes me want to roll my eyes because let’s be honest….I spend too much time scrolling on insta or enjoying some good netflix but…I need to make sure in those moments my thoughts are serving me for the better. Are they thoughts of creativity, inspiration, and excitement? Or are they thoughts of comparison, negativity, and self doubt? And if they are the later, what can I learn? How can I shift my focus?
It’s easy to compare our lives to others when we think ours is less than. For me it’s watching my friends work in jobs I want but can’t have being in here Spain. But….I AM IN FREAKING SPAIN. So it’s a change of perspective and a promise that I will not waste a single more moment!
Wanna join me?!
xoxo
15 Comments
Matt
September 12, 2017 at 4:02 pmGreat post, I’ve got a bank of tasks now which I attack every time I feel like I’m procrastination, then at least I’m making progress in one direction or another.
jessie.james
September 12, 2017 at 4:44 pmLove that! Such a good idea!
Yen (GlossyCover.com)
September 12, 2017 at 4:12 pmFirst of all, you are BRAVE to live in a foreign country and start anew. I think you are right though–you were wasting time in not truly immersing yourself and living the life you should Sometimes it takes awhile after you move to a new city (in your case, country) before you shed your “shut in” mentality and embrace your new locale. Trust me, from living in LA to Chicago to San Francisco and now beach life in Orange County, I’ve learned to just jump in and get your feet wet! Good luck and enjoy your new life!
jessie.james
September 12, 2017 at 4:43 pmYour SO right! You just have to jump in and go for it! Thanks for stopping by!
Katherine Craig
September 12, 2017 at 7:18 pmGreat reminder to change your perspective sometimes. One of the quotes that has stuck with me from Grey’s Anatomy of all places is “The carousel never stops turning”; whether you are wasting it or living it, life moves on regardless. So, you might as well get on and enjoy the ride!
jessie.james
September 14, 2017 at 1:29 pmLOVE THAT QUOTE! I need to hang that on my wall!
Carrie Wootten
September 12, 2017 at 8:00 pmI think moving to a new country is brave and an enormous step and it takes time. Time to realise how you manage your new life and how you put each foot in front of the other.
It sounds like you’re ready to move a bit quicker now, as things are settling in…..good luck with the not wasting life! We’re all prone to that! x
jessie.james
September 14, 2017 at 1:29 pmThank you! It was a scary thing but worth it!
Miss Monèt
September 12, 2017 at 9:00 pmThis was right on time for me! I have been battling feelings of unworthiness because I constantly compare my life to others. Negative thoughts plague my mind sometimes. But today, I wrote a positive affirmation down and I mediated on that. It actually helped my day. I feel as if we always want what others have but can sometimes forget to be thankful for our portions. Thank you for the write up. It was nice to read!
Xo
Miss Monèt
http://missmonet.net
jessie.james
September 14, 2017 at 1:28 pmLove that! I need to start meditating more regularly! I think it will really benefit me!
Adriana
September 12, 2017 at 10:24 pmI’ll join you!! you should definitely enjoy your time in Spain xx
jessie.james
September 14, 2017 at 1:30 pmDeal! Thank you!
Laura Charles
September 13, 2017 at 4:14 amGoing through life changes will sometimes challenge us and force us to get out of our comfort zone. Either way we find a way to readjust and find ourselves in the midst of change. Enjoy Spain!
jessie.james
September 14, 2017 at 1:30 pmYour so right! Just have to remember that in those challenging moments!
Sebastian Bach
November 8, 2017 at 1:24 pmAs far as I consider it takes time to moving to a new country. It does realize according to time how you manage your new life at new place. Good luck with the new country. And I would like to suggest you Miami, FL is a great place to stay here and make life easy and happiness.