The journey to Becoming UnBusy for me started with frustration and anger—and (honestly) quite a bit of profanity. A close friend recommended the book The Art of Non-Conformity. This short guide touts that through intentional daily actions you can live the alternative lifestyle of your choice.
The more author Chris Guillebeau talked about his life of travel and the goal of seeing every country in the world, the angrier I became. My first response was straight-out hostility. I'd try to convince myself an alternative lifestyle was out of my reach.
I have kids to clothe & feed and a mortgage to pay. This is bullsh*t. He has no idea what it is like to have REAL responsibilities. He is able to live selfishly because he doesn’t have kids. I could never do this.
Rattled, I began to skip around through the different chapters and came across a section on Life Lists. After you’ve added traditional items to your Life List, like owning a boat or trekking across Europe, Guillebeau asks readers to look even deeper. He explains:
True happiness (and wealth) comes from helping others by doing something you love.
Despite my anger, I couldn’t stop thinking about Guillebeau’s radical suggestions. I couldn't get the What-If out of my head. Over the course of the next 365-days, I shocked even myself by accomplishing the following goals:
- Started a profitable family website called Let's Lasso the Moon
- Braved my first flight in 15+ years to travel to New York City, expense-free
- Started taking piano lessons
- Helped coordinate a group photo project that boasted 14,000+ pics showcasing the beauty of an ordinary day
- Learned to meditate
- Accepted the fact I was not meant to work a traditional 40 hour a week corporate job
In retrospect, my anger towards Guillebeau was simply fear. I was inspired by his book, but the end goal felt intangible. So I made excuses for myself (family & finances) and got angry.
Anytime you START something radical and different, you're going to feel anxiety ... and possibly anger.
This is not uncommon.
Hilarye Fuller, from the travel blog Dotting the Map, has three kids and has seen fifty states and thirteen countries with her family. In this post (How to Travel Often — Regardless of Your Family's Financial Status) she tells us:
Believe and understand it is possible. Surprisingly this can be the hardest road block for many people to overcome. Sometimes the hardest obstacle to overcome is not money or time but ourselves.
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Read that last line again...
One effective way to overcome your own fear is to surround yourself with like-minded parents striving for the same goals.
Forget norms.
Believe and understand it IS possible.
Connect with others who are redefining family, work, and life today.