Take A Chance.
Well, it’s only March of 2022 and it has been a whirlwind. Many new experiences and lifechanging opportunities at our fingertips, yet there has been one thing holding me back. Money. Often times, new and exciting experiences are accompanied by the talk of budgeting and affordability. My husband is better at parting ways with money if it means we’re creating unforgettable moments that will last a lifetime. When I have to spend a larger amount of money, my palms start to sweat, my heartbeat speeds up, and the doubt slowly starts to creep in. This year we have made the decision to move to Colorado, which is a huge step in itself but we also talked about going on a trip for our one year wedding anniversary. We did not plan a traditional honeymoon after our wedding so we thought this would be our time to treat ourselves. Of course it’s not always that easy. We are moving at the end of May and our wedding anniversary is May 21st, talk about a tight window.
We kept going back and forth about whether to postpone our anniversary trip or commit to the experience and make it work. One question that kept coming up in discussion, “are we going to look back and regret taking the trip”. There will always be a reason not to do something or an excuse holding you back. We shifted our focus towards why we should take the trip and then those excuses sounded absolutely ludicrous. We ended up booking an all-inclusive resort to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I never want to look back on our lives with any “should’ve, could’ve, or would’ve” moments. Yes, the trip will be a splurge and moving to Colorado won’t be cheap either but our life’s story will be filled with unforgettable moments to make us smile.
Oh you thought that was it?
A month or so after deciding to book our anniversary trip, we get a call from one of Erik’s cousins asking to go to Sweden. My husband has family living in Sweden and unfortunately one of his older relatives had passed away. Well, the idea of flying to Sweden to attend the services was important to both Erik and his cousin Eva so of course we wanted to make it work. Initially, I was going to stay home and take care of the dog. Yes, I am aware of how silly that sounds but scheduling boarding lately has been a nightmare. The notion that I would miss out on a once in a lifetime opportunity, to stay at home with the dog is asinine. Of course I wanted to go but my mind was going through all the reasons not to. “It’s too expensive Barb, you don’t have the time off of work, there’s no one to watch the dog.” I found someone to watch the dog in approximately 3o minutes and my boss approved my request immediately. Excuses averted. Now the money portion was a realistic concern but it was definitely doable for us. This year we have eliminated almost all unnecessary purchases and have focused on buying absolute essentials only. In eliminating small spending, we have been able to save more money to give us a bit more wiggle room in the budget. Not always easy but I would take travel over buying clothes any time.
Most people plan international excursions nearly a year in advance but we are sitting here putting something together in a few short weeks. I am fortunate that we have been awarded these opportunities and are able to act on them. Don’t get me wrong, Erik and I have been working two jobs each in order to make these dreams a reality but it all feels worth it. This year has felt stressful and magical all at the same time. Finding experiences that give you butterflies from anticipation are important. Since we have been together, Erik and I have started to create a bucket list of things we want to do throughout our lives. Visiting Sweden is one of them. Creating a bucket list together was often times a date night activity where we had to think of a certain number of experiences we wanted to add. We have big items (travel to Sweden) and smaller items (take a pottery class together) but regardless of size, the impact they have on our relationship is monumental. If you have been putting off a trip or just wanting to try something new, this is your time. Take a chance and create an unforgettable moment. Even if you have to plan it for a future date to save money, set goals and make it a reality. The stress will be temporary but the experience will be forever.
“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life” -Dolly Parton
