Onward & Upward

It’s been a couple of days of packing up a bunch of things and starting to sift through 7 years of collection. Journals, postcards, papers, art - the things pile up as part of my memory that I can’t recall without reminders. I spent hours yesterday organizing, tossing, and saving a small corner of my tangible memory line. The journals from the 2013 - 2015 time frame were ones I hadn’t re-picked up in the longest time. So many pieces about them felt so different from who I view myself as today - the handwriting, the tone, the memories themselves all felt foreign.

But that’s the lovely thing about time - it rolls on and we change with it. We slowly evolve over time often without recognizing the shift. I haven’t always been great about writing regularly for the sake of simply journaling - but it’s something I’d like to hold myself to more often. Especially when there isn’t something “major” going on - the way we view the small in-between things are just as illuminating as the big stuff.

It’s more than a nostalgic looking back - it makes me proud how far I’ve come over the past decade. I can feel myself slowly shifting into the person I want to be.

The movement of time aside - plants are being sold. RV is starting to look like a home. The house is getting organized, cleaned, and emptied. Change - it's real, but oh so good. Feeling a little lighter as stuff is slowly finding new homes.

I've had this saying written on my chalkboard for a handful of years at this point - and it's funny, because, through all of the changes, shifts, and turnarounds, it's felt perfect. We always have the chance to put one step in front of the other until we're onward and upward again - and while I'm trying to reduce the amount of "stuff" I carry with me, this sentiment is something I'd forever like to carry. Even when the chalkboard is sold I may need to find a new spot for this quote as it's become something of a mantra.

Also - if you need a good anthem for your spring cleaning/life changes/general happiness, I'm listening to "Live with Less" by @johncraigie on repeat. Now, back to more cleaning, painting, selling, and happiness-ing!