Pumping the Brakes

You may be wondering why you aren’t reading this blog post on a whole new website with a brand new blog name. I’m sorry, but I’ve got your answer right here:

I decided to wait.

Launching a new blog requires a million tiny little tasks to get done behind the scenes, and I had way too much going on this weekend to dedicate any additional time to a blog relaunch. So, I decided to wait. I decided to take my time and get it right rather than rush through the process and fix all the little things after I launched. And I thought that was an important lesson to discuss — taking our time with life and not rushing to the finish line.

I feel like (as a society) a lot of people are rushing through life — looking forward to whatever is coming next. Like how in middle school you’re looking forward to high school, in high school you’re looking forward to college, and in college you’re looking forward to being a “real adult” (that one might be a stretch, but you get what I mean). Instead of just enjoying where we are in life, we are always looking forward, which means we miss a lot of what is going on right in front of our faces.

This past weekend my friend was in town from Germany. We spontaneously decided to take an 11 (it felt more like 20) mile hike on a trail about an hour outside of the city. It took us about six hours, and I can honestly (and sadly) tell you that my favorite parts of the hike were all along the way to the top. Don’t get me wrong, the view was amazing once we finished, but there were also gorgeous views of the river, beautiful moss-covered rocks, and quaint waterfalls along the way that made me (somehow) appreciate the journey.

I’ve always been a big believer in slowing down. Enjoying the 2 a.m. Steak ‘n Shake milkshake with your best friend. Taking in the sunset from the west coast. Basking in the afternoon glow after you wake up from a particularly satisfying nap. People watching from your window seat at the coffee shop. Don’t get me wrong — we’ve got to hustle, too. But why is there such a rush to do things?

I think this is especially prevalent for people in their twenties and mid-thirties. There’s this unspoken thought that life ends after you turn 35 (completely not true). You’ve got to travel while you’re young and go abroad and experience life, but you can do that at any age, believe me. I think it’s amazing that I’m surrounded by people who have had such amazing, life-changing experiences through travel and with their careers, but life doesn’t stop after you turn 35. If you don’t get your dream job right after college, that’s okay. You’ve got time to get there. If you haven’t been to Italy by the time you graduate, that’s okay, you’ll get there. I think it’s so important to remember that you have time. You will get there.

Speaking for myself, I am 23 years old. I’m living in the city I always dreamed of living in and working in an industry I learn more about each day. But this isn’t the end. If I were living my dream life right now, what more would I have to look forward to? There’s no rush to get to your perfect life or cross every item off your bucket list when you’ve got time.

I understand the whole “live like you’re dying” mantra, and I completely agree, but I think we could all use a little reminder to take a breath every once in awhile. Fill your life with amazing experiences, but there’s no need to rush to the next milestone (getting married, buying a house, traveling the world). Enjoy where you’re at right now, and make the most of every experience (even if it might not be what you imagined it to be).

So, in a round about way, I guess that’s why I wanted to slow down with the blog relaunch. I wanted to have more time to enjoy the process rather than rushing through it to launch. I wanted to perfect the layout, set up my newsletter, design the perfect logo and do everything in between with purpose rather than the desire to get to the destination.

With all that being said, I will be launching “A Spoonful of Honi” on May 1, 2018.

Mark your calendars!

Happy adventuring,
Kimberly