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Shudder.. I heard that word so often while I still worked in a Corporate Health Care setting. (Teaching Hospital) When newsletters/memos came out with “downsizing” as the featured item, or, even when it was an statement tucked down further in the reading material, we all saw it, and we all felt the little frisson down the spine to the tail bone.
Downsizing comes up again in later years, when a family looks at the house they are currently living in, and realize that where it suited n active growing family, times had/have changed, and the remaining home dwellers find it “too much” to look after.
As our life changes occur, we find that the decor, “trappings” we have surrounding us, often, are redundant. We can keep adding, making changes, but what happens then… you look around and find you have no “breathing” space. there is too much clutter.
It is hard to pass along objects that hold memories, or are simply “stash” tools, inventory for those “to happen” creative expressions, that you have yet to get to. My Mother, had a loom and boxes of wool and materials for when she retired. they took up all of one room. She finally retired, but by then, her interest and activities in her day to day still kept her too busy to get to the once loved hobby she had so long planned for. When she downsized, guess what was still waiting, and what we (the children) had to find homes for..
I’ve been downsizing for years now. Really and truly I really have been. I’m enthusiastically pulling out, packing and preparing boxes for the goodwill, and giving this and that away to friends. It is amazing the “material objects” I’ve acquired over time.
Finally, I say with optimism, I’m seeing a light at the end of the long hallway. I hear myself explaining to my patient, loving husband, how getting a new iPhone will help me to downsize even further. In getting this new “desired tech toy” I will eliminate having to carry around with me a relatively new Samsung Tablet that I just had to have when it came out, my efficient little Sony Cyber-shot camera that never seems to be with me when I want to snap a picture, and of course my pay as you go phone.
Hmm my inner voice says in my other ear… are you making sense On one hand it sounds good, in my little purse, I will only have one item, the iPhone My other ear, is hearing my husband mentally calculating this new “downsizing” venture of mine. (years of marriage does this, once we are open to this little exchange, they are very helpful) I have been going on and on about an iPhone for a year or two now. Somehow I have always managed to get “something else” so that the iPhone has remained a “want to have” item.
The Samsung came home with me, instead of the iPhone,(iPad) my HTC (Windows phone) was another purchase that came home instead of the iPhone. I think the reality is that I’m tired of wanting product X and always settling for something else. I get the iPhone, pass along the other items (husband waiting for the them with a not quite hidden gleam in his eyes) and SIGH, I get back to the serious business of downsizing in other areas of my life.
As Rev. Eugene would say ” does that make sense”? We always nod our heads in the affirmative when he says that, and of course we smile while doing so. we all know that sometime in the near future, we will be reviewing his words and then wanting to have discourse about them.
OK.. the Enthusiasm is there, Will it lead to new opportunities. I say YES. Why, because if the mind is caught up on a subject and it just won’t “let go” there is a message that you aren’t listening to, or hearing.
Chances don’t just fall into our laps, They come to us when we are putting our full effort into something.
When the downsizing happened at the Hospital, and finally my position was affected I was immediately filled with a sense of fear at what lay ahead, BUT biggest feeling of all was RELIEF. when it first became known that Management positions would likely be the next to be slashed, I could have been proactive and simply tendered my resignation and moved on, but like the above iPhone situation, I kept trying to dodge the bullet.
It happened, life went on.. and it actually started to get better and better. I was no longer encumbered by “how” “when” I was free to build my own future, my way.
Listen to your inner voice. Follow your enthusiasm, Let it lead you to new Opportunities.
Wow look at the time, I’ve had a great time visiting with you. I love time spent with you. AND I love hearing from you. Have a great day, be Happy, Let the sun shine on your day, smile….
Start with a good breakfast…. =^_^=
Love and Blessings – now and always….
photo credit – Darren, CA
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Written
on October 10, 2013