How To Put Your Favorite Things Into Everyday Life

Figuring out the kind of life we want to write can be confusing.

There are lots of things to love about life … lots of hobbies, people, places and things.

But when I think about a time that feels amazing, a time that feels right – I think about The Land Of Do As You Please.

Its a trip we’ve been taking for years. The main event is camping at a folk festival.

But it’s much more than that.

Now that we’ve wiped the slate clean, physically it’s time to rethink our everyday actions.

So I sat down today to figure out: What makes the Land Of Do As You Please so appealing?

Here’s the revelation, along with ideas to write in more of what I love into everyday life.

For starters: The music. Growing up, I despised my dad’s bluegrass background. “Eww, turn it off,” us kids would wail, but Mom and Dad just smiled. These days, I’m less about the teeny-bop, more about simple music with instruments that have been played for thousands of years. Here’s a sampling of some really good music … try to stay in a bad mood listening to it. Impossible.

This is the kind of music that surrounds a happy home. Note: I love all kinds of music … punk, rap, rock, even a little teeny-bop. But for a while, I’m going to let this style be our soundtrack.

Camping: Minimalist with a strong connection to food. Our camping bins are intricately packed to avoid any waste of room for one really good reason: our car isn’t that big! We use our space super efficiently. We don’t waste room. This is something we’re already incorporating into our home since the start of the 80 Day Project. The idea that I love minimalism isn’t new – the fewer things to worry about, the better.

The second part is a biggie in my family. We are not a pre-packaged meals type gig. We enjoy cooking and I want to do even more of it. Try new recipes, but keep it simple. Poatoes, rice, beans, lentils onions and carrots are a good base. Mix and match ingredients from there. Some awesome new finds on slow food:

INSERT BLOGS

Main focus: friends and family. I’m known to be busy. My sister even said at the beginning of this project: “Yeah, you ARE way too busy.” It’s became a lifestyle like something I couldn’t stop. Now, I want to walk backward. Instead of a focus on home maintenance and upkeep, I’d rather focus on friends and family. Starting with inviting them over to enjoy some of our slow food.

Walk and bike everywhere. We rarely drive in the Land Of Do As You Please. This is a big dream of mine, and I say big because it feels so out of reach. For one, I do not have the time to walk to the grocery store each week – or the strength. Some ideas to get around this:

- Make two small grocery trips instead of one.

- Shop the local farmer’s market (starting in June, woo!)

- Purchase the right riding gear. Wisconsin is not exactly known to be super bike-friendly. I need to equip myself with a helmet for starters.

- Try using only one vehicle for a month. Families going car-free – I swoon at the thought. But that isn’t realistic in Wisconsin. So apart from moving to a different state, our family needs a car during the winter. (The bus system here sucks and biking won’t be an option once the snow hits.) But I am open to the idea that we might only need one car instead of two. Will we miss the convenience? I’m not sure. But I’m willing to try it.

Say yes more than no. The Land Of Do As You Please was named by the kids (who naturally love the concept). This week, I’m going to try saying yes as much as possible. Not: it won’t work. Instead: why not?

Is there a time of the year you feel “right?” When is it? What can you learn?

Figuring out the kind of life we want to write can be confusing.

There are lots of things to love about life … lots of hobbies, people, places and things.

But when I think about a time that feels amazing, a time that feels right – I keep coming back to The Land Of Do As You Please.

Its a trip we’ve been taking for years. The main event is camping at a folk festival.

Each year, we leave the festival, returning to “real life” – something that feels much different than the weekend.

Real life isn’t bad. It’s just not “right” in the sense I wish it was. It’s a lifestyle that happened to us, instead of something we decided mattered.

Now that we’ve wiped the slate clean, physically, it’s time to rethink our everyday actions.

So I sat down today to figure out: What makes the Land Of Do As You Please so appealing?

I discovered:

The music. There’s no talk of making your bed rock or paparazzi. It soothes the soul.

Lone Soldier – David Grier

ANNABEL – The Duhks

Camping: Minimalist living. This is a new focus since the start of the 80 Day Project. I may not have just 100 things, but I’m still a fan. I’m becoming more minimal.

Strong focus on food. Coffee from a French press. Baked potatoes from the fire pit. Chicken grilled over an open flame. Carrots eaten raw and unshaven. It’s dirty at times, but simple, good food.

Main focus: Family and friends. There’s no TV. No video games. We’re just together, sharing food and coffee, gathered in the grass for a song, passing the red wine.

Simple transportation. We walk and bike everywhere and love the slower pace.

Say yes more than no. Our options are simplified. The answer is usually, “why not?”

How do I put these favorite things into everyday life?

- Live to a new soundtrack.

- Invite friends and family to make music. Play the piano, guitar, trumpet, violin. Every instrument invited … jugs, washboards, bean shakers.

- Enjoy slow food. Try recipes from these fantastic blog finds:

Stone Soup – Minimalist home cooking.
Orangette – She met her husband through her blog, aw.

- Use our things. If it isn’t used, it’s useless. Donate.

- Focus on people. Not home maintenance. Not having a perfect lawn. Not this busy, busy world. Regain our attention and put it where it counts. Starting with inviting friends over to enjoy some slow food.

- Use simple transportation. Some ideas:

Make two small grocery trips instead of one.
Ride to the local farmer’s market (starting in June, woo!)
Purchase the right riding gear. Wisconsin is not exactly known to be super bike-friendly. I need to equip myself with a helmet for starters.

Is there a time of year you feel “right?”

When is it?

What can you change to feel right, today?