I’ve resumed my love affair with books again, after a long break of indulging in magazines and blogs. And despite straying from the path, I find that my fingers still enjoy the sensation of flipping the pages of a book and my mind still paints vivid, beautiful images of what I am reading in my head.
It’s still an affair that’s full of affection, longing and pleasure after all these years.
So what have I been reading? The first is Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind and now it’s Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat Pray Love (I know, I am like four years late to the book but I strayed, remember?). Without going too much into the details, all I can say is that the books inspire and depress me alternatively. I identify very, very strongly with the books but at the same time, they make me feel slightly hopeless.
However. And this is a big HOWEVER. I have decided that I need to banish pessimism from my thoughts after reading the two books. A lot of my negativity stems from my need to be in control – it pains me when things don’t go according to my plans – and my tendency to worry about everything and everybody. Yes, I am a bit of a doormat. Meh.
Rather than worry about things that are beyond my control (GREAT EPIPHANY: THE TWO ARE LINKED!), I need to understand that letting go is not a scary thing to do. I’m still working on it but in the meantime, I have decided to put together a list of 10 things that I would like to be/do when I am, you know, all grown up. Let’s not think about whether these goals are within reach or not – that would take out all the fun of it, wouldn’t it? – and focus on the dreaming part.
1. Earn a decent keep through blogging/writing
I’ve said before that I am not one for climbing corporate ladders. Being a stay-at-home-writer is perfect for me. I am my own boss, earn some money and do the very thing I like to do.
2. Run my own fashion boutique
I’ve already got an idea of how it will look like: white walls with bright lights, jazz music playing, furniture with clean lines from Muji, the Expedit shelf from Ikea…
3. Be an online content editor
This is slightly different from being a freelance writer/blogger in that I will be respectably employed. No more politics and less of the ego managing that I have to do now.
4. Be an expat wife
Uhhmm. Absolutely beyond my control, of course.
5. Go to India and learn to be a yogi
Ohm.
6. Grow skin
I suck at taking pictures mostly because I don’t have a thick hide. I get shy about swinging a camera in the direction of a human being. I don’t dare to ask shop owners if I could take pictures of their interior. I’m lousy at being thick-skinned.
7. Go travelling for six months
Some places I have in mind: California, New York, Cuba, Greece, Rome, London, South of France, Barcelona, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Mongolia, Tibet.
8. Go to cooking/baking school
I love food and I actually enjoy creating food. But if only my creations are always spot on and look good to boot. And oh, if someone could teach me how to plate and art direct my shoots, that would be awesome.
9. Learn to sew
Some of the blogs that I follow are stay-at-home-mums who actually create clothing for their kids. How cool is that? And then there are those DIY bloggers who sew their own curtains and whatnots. Wow.
10. Be a mom
Because, seriously, the world would be a cooler place if my descendants are running it.
What are the 10 things you want to do when you grow up?
Yannisms 