Que Rico!
November 12, 2006

What a life! I really could not ask for more. I sleep well, eat well, go to the gym daily, connect with friends/family and study Spanish. Truly, these are my shared number one priorities. I've also come to South America to reflect on my life and where I want to take it, how I want to grow (professionally and personally) and how I'm going to make that happen.

Having saved a good chunk of change over the last six months, I have afforded myself these privileges. Most importantly, the opportunity to step back and take some time for myself while my life is still relatively uncomplicated. (No kids, no mortgage, and no significant professional commitments tying me to Toronto.)

That being said, I'm overjoyed to share that my investment in myself has already paid off and I've only been here a week and a half. The degree of clarity one can attain is really amazing when one allows oneself to relax and take the pressure off - to just BE. For instance, I like to spend the first hour of each day with a cup of coffee, my journal and a few rays of sunshine on our balcony. (the picture above is of Sterling enjoying a similar moment to himself.) With this greatly simplified life I have created for myself in Buenos Aires, I am much more inclined to take the time to think and write for myself and have already sorted through a few areas of confusion, both professional and emotional.

Although I do not intend to share these revelations on this blog, I thought it important to mention this incredible benefit of traveling and generally stepping outside of one's normal routine to develop a broader perspective of one's life.

As an aside, many people have commented on the beautiful apartment that Sterling and I are living in and the likely expense of this move. Let me say that Sterling and I are not rich by the conventional North American definition and this kind of experience is 100% doable; It just takes a little planning. As many of you know, leading up to our move I was working part-time in communications for a hospital and bartending two nights a week at a club. With the money I saved, I will probably live well for the better part of a year without having to work, which will allow me to take advantage of opportunities, paid or otherwise, which are truly rewarding and beneficial to my personal growth and career.

As a final thought, keep in mind that everything is possible, and in this life there are endless possibilities...