Isn’t it funny that most of us still don’t know. All right, maybe it’s not all that funny but come on, most of the people I know or read about on other blogs are all searching for their true passions. 

Many of us want a simple life. The kind of life where we can be creative, stay home with our children, have a roof over our heads, eat foods that are healthy and organic, be good to the planet, enjoy nature, be healthy and have people who love and care for us. Yet, we all struggle and feel deprived of time, money, health, community and ultimately happiness.

For now, I have accepted the idea that there may not be some all-defining career future. In the meantime, I have decided to focus on what really matters to me and my life as its lived in the present.

Lately, I have been thinking a lot about my top five values and passions. What’s really important to me? What do I want for my family? Here is  a list of my top five values in no particular order:

1. Freedom – to do what I want, when I want and where I want-financial freedom

2. Family/friends – to spend time and have energy to love my family and friends fully and completely

3. Security-  financially, in my marriage, create a safe space for my girls, to feel safe

4. Creativity- film, music, writing, reading, food, art, photography, travel = HAPPINESS

5. Health

It took a lot of time and deep soul searching to come up with these five. The trick was complete honesty with myself and to not even consider what others would think when they heard or read my list.

Next, my top five passions-again in no particular order:

1) Family-Emma and Sofia, Sean, my mom/dad, sister and family, aunts, cousins etc. etc.

2) Travel

3) Food

4) Photography

5) Writing/Reading

This exercise unraveled so much for me. It has helped me find more time(by focusing on only the things that are most important to me), more money (by cutting our spending drastically, trying to live well below our means, not impulse shopping, saving, creating an emergency fund, paying down debt), more security (knowing and believing that if we lost all our “stuff” we would still have each other, our health and the knowledge to move forward) more freedom (by taking long walks, sitting and playing in the sun, planning crafts and projects, going to my in-laws cottage to be with family and friends) more creativity (starting this blog, taking more pictures, saving for family trips, planning an organic garden, painting, writing, reading and doing what we can to sit outside and enjoy the beautiful trees, plants and birds right in our backyard.

For me, sorting out our financial life has been my number one priority. So much of my other values and passions are tied to me being able to stay at home with my girls, not worrying about money and doing what I love. If you are in a similar situation and can relate start by reading Trent’s “31 Days to Fixing your Finances.” I found it to be extremely helpful. His series was my tipping point.

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