I spent an entire week not looking at my laptop — though I did use my phone to write three work emails — and I initially didn’t celebrate it. I had wanted to do more on my family trip. After all, there were rainforests to see, caves to explore, and more seaside stands to eat at! What on earth am I doing at the hotel pool, drinking fancy soda waters from Spain?
Yes, that last sentence makes me sound a total spoiled brat, and I probably am.
To be fair, comparison-itis reared its ugly head for the last several months, and my trip with friends/colleagues on a writers retreat didn’t help either. All I saw were other people’s cool adventures and I desperately wanted a slice of my own. It was no longer acceptable, no longer enough to be in the suburbs. I was sick of driving everywhere and wanted a temporary escape.
You’d think that living with the question of what is enough in my life meant I’d take the time to assess what was best for my family and what we wanted out of this week on a tropical island. My husband was burnt out. My son was ready to go, but wasn’t exactly fit for things like rock climbing or jumping off cliffs. All I was focused on was whether I would be able to convince and finagle my way into the trip I thought would make everyone happy and satiate my adventurous spirit.
Dearests, if you’re on Substack and like what you’re reading on Searching For Enough please consider recommending this publication. Your readers can come to a safe space where in a world asking you to strive for more, I help them champion for living life on their own terms by listening to and acting on your inner voice.
In the end, we went to the beach, got hit by the waves, and swam our hearts out in the pool. We slept in, ate some good food (and the daily gelato was worth it), and walked in search of more food.
For all the more I talk about enjoying the present and defining your version of enough, it was humbling to realize I was not doing the same the last few months.
After that, the last day snorkeling made it all the more special. Getting to be in the water, seeing marine life and reminiscing about when I used to dive back in my early 20s nearly made me tear up. Everyone had fun. It was the great end to a great trip.
Now that I’m reminded of what is enough, my newly refreshed brain is back and ready for the mission I’ve been dedicated to for years: helping you find your version of enough.
I’d love to hear from you: Think about the last time when you felt where you were or what you were doing wasn’t “enough.” What as the most surprising reaction you had to it?