Right now, I’m sitting in my closet, which is doubling as a storage area and office as we finish a major renovation project on our house. I’m the type of person who finds enormous peace in a relaxing, clutter-free environment, so you would think I would be feeling cramped and stressed. But in this moment, I feel immense peace and contentment.
How am I accomplishing this amazing feat you may ask?
We recently returned from a week-long road trip down to Waco, Texas, and before we left, I realized that I was going to have to learn to enjoy the journey (which included 30+ hours of driving), and that was my one prayer before we left. “God, please help me learn how to enjoy the journey AND the destination.”
The journey South was rocky at best. I’ll admit that I’m a terrible passenger. Every sudden break or drift towards the center line had me gasping and clutching the door handle. This made it slightly difficult for us to enjoy the journey (especially for Caleb although he is SO patient)!
But when we finally arrived at The Magnolia Silos, we were AMAZED. We grabbed coffees at Magnolia Press and admired all of the thought, intentionality, and craftsmanship that went into the building renovations. It was gorgeous.
We took our coffee to the courtyard and, inspired by our beautiful environment, started talking about some of our big “someday” dreams. But talking about our big plans while sitting in the middle of this enormous success story made me anxious. As comparison ALWAYS does. I was comparing my journey to someone else’s destination.
How the heck would I ever be able to accomplish something this big? Think of how much work and luck that would take – is it even possible?!
As my anxiety grew, my dreams turned to defeat.
Maybe you’ve experienced the same sinking feeling when you’ve noticed others in your community reach a major milestone. Maybe you’ve also thought to yourself, “I’ll never measure up.”
But even as we wrestled over what we wanted to accomplish with our own lives, we were still inspired by the incredible beauty we were surrounded by.
We were so curious to learn about how they had created all of this out of a desolate lot in Waco, so we read both “The Magnolia Story” and “Capital Gaines” to learn more about their entrepreneurial journey.
The irony is that while they were building their business and family, Joanna had the same realization that I had when I was preparing to go on vacation.
She realized that she had to find a way to enjoy each day and to let the small things go. She realized that she had to make room for the things that were most important in life and build environments that were made for both work AND play. She had to find a way to be happy in the hustle.
I am such an impatient and goal-oriented person, so sometimes (okay, most of the time) it’s really hard for me to relax and enjoy the journey. However, while I was reflecting, I discovered that I have the power and authority to enjoy every day of my life, no matter the circumstances. It’s my choice.
I don’t have to wait to be happy. I can be happy today and every day if I choose to be. There is always something to be grateful for.
So this morning, I slowly sipped my coffee in my bed (which is now in my living room). I walked past the piles of displaced items in our entryway and into my bathroom where I took a long, hot shower, used my favorite moisturizer, got dressed in a cozy, soft sweatshirt, and sat down at my tiny closet desk to write this post.
I decided to enjoy today despite a pile of renovation wreckage 5 feet away from me and a mountainous pile of to-dos everywhere I look.
I decided to take a walk with my husband, collect pretty leaves and take fun fall pictures.
It’s my choice, and I’m choosing joy in the journey.
