You know what I think I’m doing wrong…I’m taking this life thing too seriously. I’m too focused on the outward mumbo jumbo and not enough on my own goals and happiness at the moment. Oh sure, we have doom and gloom all around us but I don’t need to focus on it. It sure doesn’t make me feel any better about life. The news tells us every day how the world is falling apart and we should be fearful – the war between Russia & Ukraine causing a gas shortage and inflation, the US political polarization between parties, the environmental collapse of our planet, some celebrity breakup, etc., etc. Blah, blah, blah.
I’m not saying that these things aren’t real, I’m just saying, I don’t want to participate in that type of mindset anymore.
In 2008, apparently, there was a substantial economic & housing crisis in the US – I missed it. I was happily living my life focused on myself; my goals, my career, my friends & loved ones, my recreational activities and travels, and enjoying the little nuances of the simple, not-too-complicated life. I never watched the news and when someone would start to pull me out of my flow, I’d walk away. Focus, I’ve found is the key to getting where you want to go. I know, very Pollyanna of me but it worked. I was in a good place despite the world crumbling around me…which by the way, if you notice, is always happening. The difference now is, I don’t want to be a player in the “sky is falling” game anymore.
I catch a lot of flack for my lifestyle. People think it is more glamorous than it is. That I’m just some roamer who has no ties or loyalty to anyone or anything. This is not true. I’m living a day-to-day existence just like everyone else but mine doesn’t incorporate a permanent residence, a husband and kids, or a 9 to 5 cubical job anymore. I still work, just at my own pace on projects that I choose. I rent apartments but it just happens to be for a month or two at a time in different cities/countries. I have a ton of friends that I connect with daily and I have a partner who I care about very much but he happens to be from another country so we don’t get to spend every day together continuously – our time comes in monthly bursts throughout the year – we are working on fixing that though.
The one thing that does make me different and some people laugh at me for this, is, I choose to live in a bubble. I love my bubble. I don’t need or want all the horrors of reality startling me around every corner. Ewwwww, gross. I now thoughtfully and very carefully choose what I consume; watch, read, and listen to. I’m very selective about the company I keep. If you aren’t talking about positive, solution-oriented ideas and dreams for your life but instead are wasting time gossiping about people and low-level petty BS, I’m out. I’m not perfect by any means, actually, I fall short much of the time but I’m working on it. As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized this is becoming a hard boundary for me regarding what I will and won’t allow in my world. And truthfully, it’s made all the difference in my enjoyment on the planet.
But there’s a catch…you have to put forth the effort and focus every. damn. day. to be in your bubble. Some days are much harder than others but just like riding a bike, the more you do it, the easier it gets. Stay alert, the world is just waiting, like the crab pot theory, to pull you out of your bubble and join them in the terror watch. Don’t let it happen.
With that said…I have noticed that lately, I’ve become a little unfocused. I’ve allowed some of those outside negative messages into my bubble – or rather I’ve stepped out of it to hear them. I’ve allowed a few of these doom-and-gloom messages to lower my vibe a little and I can see the results showing up and creating tiny little cracks in my world. For example; it’s not like me to be nervous about trying something new, like the language class I’m embarking on tomorrow morning. Usually, I love adding a new skill set to my repertoire. I’ve also noticed I’m not as excited to greet the day as I normally am when I’m fully immersed in my bubble. I don’t like that feeling either. I don’t like when I don’t feel my best. And isn’t that what we are supposed to be doing? Focusing on being our best selves so when we encounter others we pass the light instead of the trash. Isn’t that how this whole game of life is supposed to work? We should be building each other up instead of tearing each other down. Right?
I wrote a post on Friday about how I was feeling like I was out of my bubble (or flow as some people call it). So, I spent most of Friday and Saturday doing things that bring me joy; reading a few of my favorite “vibe-enhancing” books, moving through a few yoga poses, listening to my favorite music and inspirational YouTube videos, cooking healthy food, connecting with some friends on the phone, journaling, and practicing my painting…oh and the best part, Luca took me on a date to a delicious Thai restaurant last night and we had an interesting discussion about life. The result? This morning, I’m starting to notice the familiar feeling of getting back into the flow (my bubble) of who I am and why I’m here. Hallelujah, thank you.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy, and in your bubble, Sunday.
Much love from Florence. 🇮🇹
