One of my many jobs this summer has been a house sitter. Meaning I get paid to sleep in someone else's house and eat their food. This great gig has allowed me to get out of my own home for a short vacation while still being able to go to work and make some extra money. Basically, it’s the dream job.
But last weekend I had the opportunity to house sit for a realtor who was waiting for their brand new, staged house to go into escrow. Something that sounds amazing but what this really means is no food, no internet, no TV, no Kitchen appliances, and no toilet paper. At first I was a bit hesitant about this set up but in the end I agreed to do it because there was so much tedious work I needed to get done and this house seemed like the only place I would not get distracted to actually sit down and do it.
So that Saturday I packed up some food, appliances, and toiletries and set off on my mini retreat. And let me tell you, it was heaven. The amount of work I got so much work done was insane but more than that, I felt like I learned so much. Here is my list of the top five things I learned that weekend:
1) Day’s are surprisingly longer without internet and TV. By 3pm I was out of ideas and wanted to go to bed but, because it was 3pm, I found ways to be productive and ended up creating an 8 week yoga workshop promoting self love.
2) By living with so little, you tend to become a tidier and cleaner person. Like you automatically want to clean your dishes after you eat or have a morning and evening skincare routine because you want to actually do something with your time rather than just sit there and try to sleep through your boredom.
3) When one sits with themselves for a long time you become very aware of your flaws. Physically, mentally, and emotionally and as time goes by you start thinking up solutions and try to go about fixing them. Something people usually tend to distract themselves with by looking up unimportant things like how many exact times Jennifer Lawrence has tripped at a public event or stuffing your face with food you’re not hungry for. And this leads me to my next discovery.
4) You become very aware of how much unnecessary food you eat when it’s on your own dime. No wonder the first world countries have gluttony problems when food is so easy to attain. But when you are a struggling, early twenty something year old, like myself, you tend to save that food for when you need it most.
5) If you move out on your own you should probably own more plates and bowls than actual outfits. Because honestly, no one is going to know that you wore the same sweat pants three days straight when you’re living on your own. I suggest only owning 1 fancy outfit, 7 going out outfits and some work out clothes (if fitness is your occupation like myself, I suggest that you own 7 pairs of those also)
This weekend in paradise not only taught the above but it also confirmed my suspicions that when I first move out I need to live by myself. I have spent the past fifteen years of my life with little sisters stealing my belongings and twenty-two years of my parents getting on my case about how my room looks. I think the best solution for first time independence is FULL independence. You know, just ripping off the band aid in one go rather than doing a little bit at a time.
Hopefully this helped you out as much as it helped me.
Wishing you the best,
Hudson x
No comments:
Post a Comment