“Don’t fight the wind, Build a sail!!!
I am ecstatically happy and content living my life alone and on my own. I seriously love it!!! BUT, dreams often take there own life & offer you more than you’ve asked for. Sometimes destinies plans, are greater than anything we could of planned for ourselves. So, my new life following my heart & makes room in for more.
When I see things, I now visualize, dream & build my life with 2 in mind. My future plans also makes room for flexibility, transition, travel and new personal experiences. Dreams should always be allowed the freedom to guide you to greater things. Sometimes you have to just let go, trust in life and fly.
I was and am Still in pursuit of building my airbnb. I have slaved away and tackled each and every new construction challenge. While doing so, I soon began to understand, why a lot construction workers, are grouchy & tend to smoke a lot of pot. Lol. It is what keeps them from throwing things, like hammers, power tools & four letter expletives. I have had many moments where being a lady, was not on my list of priorities & creating a peaceful place, was not what my mental status was projecting. At the time, I was very lucky there were no bulldozers, within the vicinity. It was also lucky that who ever built my home, was not around. I was often frustrated. I had and still have alot of questions about how they did things. There were many comical moments, when I would of been happy to beat the answers right out of him/them.
I am a very patient person, so in my defense; My home is a modular home. So parts of it were built off site, then trucked in, piece by piece and assembled. This means all the walls were built to travel. To ensure everything stayed together, while in transit, they put glue in every joint, then screwed them in place. Then just to be safe, they put a thousand extra nails and secured it all with one inch industrial staples acrossed every joint. As a result, the simple removal of a wall, became an overly difficult job, that could cause any sane person, to be reduced to irrational moments of bad behavior and comical ranting. On the bright side, I am the happy owner, of a hurricane proof house.
Working reduced hours gave me time, before and after work, to get things done. For a couple of months, I was upto my elbows in drywall mud & paint. I was also laying flooring and trying to figure out what I had to do to make it all work, all while learning & exploring new construction skills, if you can call them that.
It was probably a good that I was working alone. It gave me the creative license, to do things in an unorthodoxed way. Which meant it wasn’t perfect, it was unique & that’s exactly what I needed it to be, if I was going to make my dream fly.
“I believe if you try to make things too perfect in life. Then everyone starts looking for the flaws & imperfections. But — If you try to be different & unique, then people start looking at the character & instead see your heart. ”
All my projects were turning out to my liking & everything was slowly falling into place. I was very happy and though I was not stressed about things, I was beginning to feel the financial & physical pinch of it all. I was burning the candle at both ends & I felt like I was getting nowhere fast. I started to think about everyones situation at work. We were all feeling the financial burden of reduced hours & though we all knew, it was for the greater good. It still hurt. So I bagan to brainstorm and look at my options. I felt like it would greatly help help everyone, including myself, If I volunteered to go on partial unemployment. This would free up more of my time and give everyone else a few of their hours back. It would also help the business to cut a little more off the monthly budget. My boss agreed & My hours were reduced to accommodate the situation. It was good for everyone.
My faith in my future was strong. I had no fear and took each challenge as it came. I am still not sure how I managed to complete my room on the budget I had. In fact my receipts exceeded my initial investment. It took every cent, every paycheck & every favor I had, to get it done.
This has been one of the hardest & most rewarding things I have ever done. In August of 2017, On The day of the eclipse, I opened the door to my dream & welcomed my first guest. Since that day, I have retired from teaching and took a part time job that allows me to run my airbnb & continue to build my business.
It hasn’t even been a year since I opened the doors. My life has changed in so many wonderful ways. The blessings that have come to my door have exceeded all my expectations. My life is full and my heart is happy. I have met so many wonderful people & made a lot of new friends. This whole experience has given me a new view of life. I never could have imagined how beautiful my life could become.
I felt incredibly safe in the decision I had made. So much so, that I began to pray for a way to retire from teaching. I loved my job, but 28 years running around on cement floors was breaking my body. I needed to find a new partime job that would accommodate my airbnb schedule. Two days later, the perfect opportunity presented itself to me. I would be making less money but I felt it came as an answer to my prayer. So I confidently took it. I knew if I continued to follow my dreams everything would be ok.
My financial situation is still compromised, but my life and my soul feel sooo content. I have never felt so happy and secure in my life. I know I am on the path I am suppose to be on. Things have never felt sooo right. I have made great sacrifices. I am working harder than I have ever worked in my life. I gave up all the bedrooms in my home & have even slept on a couch for the last year and a half to make it happen.
Last month I began renovating my garage into make my second airbnb. By the end of May, I thankfully met my Goal to have the garage partially converted into a bedroom. My reward for this has been luxurious. For the last week I have been sleeping in a bed. What a treat!!! I will enjoy this moment, until I have to give it up again. My muscles and back protest daily, as I run my airbnb business, work on my many reconstruction projects, then race to work my job as a caregiver, in the late afternoons.
I truly feel like I am now living my life, instead of just existing in it. Following my heart has been the greatest gift I could have ever given myself and my family. I plan on enjoying every minute of the day and basking in the view, as I go.
Life’s truly is about the journey. Destination, happily unknown!!!
I encourage you to make your own path in life. Give in to your dreams. It’s a magical existence.
welcome to my dream!!!
Debbie Smalley (Deb’e)
mywings.blog 