Life is Short: Why We Need to Embrace the Freedom Lifestyle
LIFE IS SHORT: How those three words became a running joke?
We say it all the time — life is short. But does it actually sink in? Usually not. Those three words often go in one ear and out the other… Blah blah blah blah blah.
Recently, one of my family members (young) was admitted to the ICU after experiencing symptoms such as headaches, blurred vision, and a hacking cough for weeks.
Tests revealed he had bleeding on the brain, which stemmed from a virus he had caught. It wasn’t COVID, but it had all the symptoms.
After spending a day in the ICU, he was released and went back to his daily routine.
I understand most people don’t have the luxury of taking time off from their lives or easily achieving a work-life balance.
BUT — it’s important to remember that if you’re dead, you won’t have any daily routine to return to. Dead people can’t grind.
Every day, news stories break about the deaths of famous, infamous, or regular people.
Today’s Headline: Kellie Pickler’s Husband Kyle Jacobs Dead After Apparent Suicide at Age 49.
The headlines stop me in my tracks. I resist clicking on them because I can’t afford to go down a rabbit hole. I shake my head, acknowledging that it’s sad, and make a note to read the full news story a bit later. I care!
I first learned about the term “Freedom Lifestyle” from a podcast called Foolish Adventures. The host promoted his carefree lifestyle and explained that it allows you to choose your neighbors, your associates, and your working hours. Having a choice sounded so glorious to me.
At the time, I was living near neighbors who I barely saw, but every time I did, it was dreaded. One talked too much, while another said dumb, racist shit in an effort to make small talk with me. I came up with a tactic of putting my phone up to my ear every time I left the house.
Then there were my co-workers. The year President Obama won the presidency, every conversation was about politics and him being a socialist. I liked these people. We used to talk about recipes, families, and vacations — things that brought us together and didn’t divide us.
But I had to go to the higher-ups and report them for talking about politics and religion. Being serious I asked them multiple times to chill and when they didn’t — I snitched. Nothing much changed.
Luckily I worked at a company where you could work anywhere — outside, in the café, or in a seated area. Every day, I worked away from my desk and as far away from my co-workers as possible.
Prior to Obama winning, everything was fine. Obama making #blackhistory upset some of them.
My last couple of jobs have been super cool, but they required me to be in one place and kept me from the personal growth I needed. I wanted to travel full-time and work, not just travel during vacation.
Now, my co-workers are ones I’ve chosen. I’m in an online co-working group where we use the Pomodoro method. We work for 25 minutes and chat for five.
We aren’t real co-workers in the sense that we don’t work for the same company, and some of us, like me, don’t work for a company at all.
My neighbors are my neighbors for as long as I choose, and at any given time, I can drive away. I live on wheels in my mini-campervan. I’m currently not in my home state and no longer feel the pressure from family members, friends, and acquaintances to attend events.
Don’t get me wrong — I enjoy people, all people, in spurts. However, I’m an introvert and need to go off and refuel.
I also am OK with liking myself (me first) and Living the Freedom Lifestyle of Van Life which allows me to reflect and practice much needed self-care.
It is by no means perfect, but the biggest perk is that it allows me to live life on my own terms.
Life is short, and it’s a phrase that we often take for granted. But we shouldn’t.
Since life is short — how will you make the most of Living? Do tell in the comment section below.
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