THE BIGGEST LIE WE TELL OURSELVES:

A Call For Intentional Living

The gratification I get from checking a box off my to-do list is almost orgasmic! But is the pursuit to always strive for more the biggest lie we tell ourselves?

All work no play is the usual drill. I start the day with a little jumpstart from Eric Thomas yelling “If you want to be the best, rise and grind!” It’s quite liberating. I literally feel like Kobe every time. As a freelancer, I always set ironclad schedules of nothing but income generators. Spending the majority of my time building a business, I always think once I make X amount of dollars, I will spend more time with my family or take that vacation where I’ll actually relax. But as life takes its ordinary course, most of us end up on auto pilot in an endless pursuit of more. More money, a bigger home, and the list goes on…

Sometimes we get stuck in the endless cycle of work that we forget to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. We forget to pause, indulge, appreciate what we have, and spend time with loved ones.

The story of the Mexican Fisherman

Heavy rain decided to drown the sunshine state this week so I took the day off and came across a short story that’s left a profound impact on my type-A mania. The story of the Mexican Fisherman, featured in the Happiness Equation, is about intentional living instead of working to live. A boat is docked in a tiny fishermen’s village. A tourist wearing expensive sunglasses and a fancy watch walks by and compliments a fisherman on the quality of his fish and asks how long it took him to catch them. “Not very long,” answers the fisherman. “But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asks the tourist. The fisherman explains his small catch is enough to meet his needs and those of his family. The tourist asks, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?” “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life.” The tourist jumps in. “I have an MBA and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra money, you can buy a bigger boat.” “And after that?” asks the fisherman. “With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move toNew York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.” “How long would that take?” asks the fisherman. “Twenty or twenty-five years, at most,” replies the tourist. “And after that? “After that? Well, my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answers the tourist, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can sell your company stock to the public and make millions!” “Millions? Really? And after that?” asks the fisherman. “After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife, and spend your evenings drinking and playingguitar with your friends.

We’re all busy chasing something, whether it’s a new home, a promotion, or more funds to live our best life.

This story shows the importance of knowing your values and having enough money to live that lifestyle. When you live your life without intention or knowing your priorities in life, you end up in the rat race or trying to keep up with the Jones’. You end up spending endless hours a week at work and when life keeps life-ing; its easy to forget what really matters.

Obviously, you can set clear intentions and design the life you want to live. But in the meantime, while all of that’s cooking, what do you do?

It’s in our nature to exhaust ourselves in search of extravagant experiences – while all around us lies an abundance of simple pleasures. You’d be surprised how taking the time to be present and indulge in tiny delights can lead to an unequivocal amount of joy at little cost and effort. How can you be grateful for your ordinary days?
How can you make the time to be a better friend?How can you spend more time with your loved ones?How can you schedule moments of joy throughout your day? Happiness isn’t a destination, in another country or the everchanging fantasy in our minds. Its right here, right now. You just have to cultivate it and allow yourself to slow down, reflect and cherish the moments we so often taken for granted.

Some of my simple pleasures:

Wandering on a whim and discovering something new
Two slices of fresh NY pizza with an ice-cold lemon Snapple
Striking gold at the thrift store
Erratic greetings from my dog
Morning debriefs with my mom
Walking barefoot and basking in the sun
Laying in bed arguing, laughing, and cuddling with my husband
Driving my husband crazy eating the same thing at every restaurant
Being Slightly Adventurous
Bomb braid outs
Weekend Getaways
Good color schemes
Taking a shower bath (yup, both at the same time)
Putting on clothes that just came out of the dryer during winter
A regular day spending time with friends and family
Pasta…pasta is always the answer

So as you strive for your life goals, remember to sprinkle small moments of joy and relish the time spent with friends and loved ones. Paulo Coelho said it best:

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things and only the wise can see them.”

Brittney Lewis

tRAVELING Artist + Outdoor Enthusiast

ByBrijé is where I share weekend travel guides, trip inspiration and my creative endeavors. I’m currently wandering along the west coast painting colorful landscapes. Come along as I share the magic of the outdoors.

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Simple Pleasures
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Slightly Adventurous