I am thankful that I have been shown a way to let my inner tortoise shine! Happy Thankful November everyone! If you know me even in the slightest, you know that I function on every cylinder possible. For many years I thought to myself, each year my business is going to slow down and I will be able to just breathe and enjoy life. I am sure many of you feel the same way as these are crazy times we are living in. What I have come to realize is that it’s not going to happen unless you let your inner tortoise out and allow yourself to schedule time to slow down. Here is a part of my journey I want to share with you.
It all started in June 2022 on a business trip to Fort Walton Beach, FL. I was able to bring my husband Scott with me, which is a switch from past years where Scott did the most traveling and I got to tag along on his trips. Our daughter and her husband are stationed in Fort Walton, so we got to have time to visit with her as well as get some work done. She was five months pregnant at the time, which is a miracle from God. From the age of 10 until the age of 21 years and 29 days, she stated repeatedly to anyone who would listen that she was never getting married or having children, ever. Well, never say never!
My husband and I were thrilled when she got married in 2020. On their one year anniversary they announced we were going to be grandparents. Scott and I discussed, and wanted to see what the kids thought about us moving to Florida because we didn’t want to miss a moment of this gift. We were at the hotel swimming pool and Hanna knew something was up with us and asked us to spill the beans. We went over our plan to purchase property near them to be here to support them and the baby. To our surprise, she seemed excited! This was amazing because we already had a Realtor and were looking at properties, come on you know me, lol.
I thought going back and forth was going to ramp things up and I would be even busier with working remotely and the extra travel, but instead, I did some personal soul searching and re-organizing. By doing this, our process has become more efficient, my tortoise has come out, and you know what? Everything is just fine, actually better than fine, things are amazing and new opportunities are opening up every day! We are working smarter and less all over the place. Having an amazing and trustworthy staff definitely helps, but I have also learned that it’s okay to realize what’s important and make it a priority also.
I have learned the opportunities which await us are not always dependent on our pace. There are moments missed when we rush through life. The daily changing of leaves’ colors, how warm a good cup of tea feels in your hands on a chilly night, or the face your grand baby makes when he’s falling asleep. It’s also really listening to your friend’s conversations and hearing them and holding your spouse’s hand while walking on the beach and how safe you feel in that moment. There is something to be said about embracing the tortoise. Enjoying and fully experiencing the journey of life is as important as achieving goals and reaching milestones.
There are lessons to learn during the moments that seem insignificant which we cannot learn at any other time. However, appreciating these moments takes patience because as human beings, we tend to focus on the fulfillment of expectations rather than the simple joys of being. There are times when the hare in me comes out, when needed. I am an Aries, a “let’s get things done” kind of girl and that will never change. I’m thankful that Hanna and Chris were open to us moving closer to them and to my grand-baby, Aaron, for coming into our family and reminding us what is truly important! My wish is for you to find your reason to let your tortoise out too. Happy Thanksgiving!
I know if you embrace your inner tortoise you will find many many things to be thankful for as well. Have a blessed Thanksgiving season and if you enjoyed this blog, please help us out and share on our Facebook page what you are thankful for. If you have a topic you would like us to cover in a future blog, please email us at office@elizabetherindesigns.com and let us know! Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with all the latest tips. Have a beautiful week and remember Elizabeth Erin Designs is here to help you achieve your vision!
