The Art of Walking Away
“You have to be willing to walk away” Josh repeated, for the 4th time on our way to Chinatown.
He’s not just a pretty face, this one.
He’s seen what’s about to happen first hand, two years earlier. He knows I grossly overpaid for a purse that lasted me about month before Louis Vuitton looked more like Louix Vtoigoriugin.
He knows that while I come with my strengths, I tend to have little more trouble with things like: saying yes when I should said no; realizing some things really are just business and not personal; and walking away from habits or choices- or in this case deals-that just aren’t good for me.
[ and can we not talk about it- I bought a fake purse. YES I DID IT, and it’s really not even a top 10 life regret so just, ok?]
Unfortunately, this wasn’t the last time he’s had to repeat those words to me. We recently sold our home and bought a new one. The whole process is not for the faint of heart. Or for those who “need things immediately”. You look at house after house, and when you find one, yours has to sell. Then it’s not the right price, or the offers to low to sell yours.
If you're like me - it can be difficult to say no, or not right now, or understand the value in waiting. Because of the haste, our willingness to overlook some major red flags can be a blind spot. Things as small as paying to much for something trivial or I know don't know, almost actually buy a house with a train right behind it.
Of course I'm not talking about my decisions. I made these up....
The art of learning to accept the no, or the not right now - It's hard.
A few years ago for lent, I gave up social media. Just for a break, for some breathing room. Not forever - it came back to me - but there’s healthy space in giving yourself a chance to think, to heal, or to get your thoughts together, away from the masses of content. I am not, and will never be a hater of social media (i.e. it's how you got here), but I think evaluating how we spend our time ( energy, money, etc) is good practice.
We’ve barely tapped in to the new year. It’s filled with hopeful beginnings and new words and promised plans.
Yet, some of us are over here still hanging onto our old routines that so clearly aren’t getting us anywhere.
Know your limits. Know your values. Know your direction ( all things I’m preaching to myself as well).
Hold fast to patience as you remind yourself of the end goal. You’re not too late change some choices, walk away from decisions or habits not good for you, and add in the good ones to this new year.
1/24/2019