It goes against human nature to be content with so little. Maybe not even little, but what you have in the moment. In a society where opulence is praised, we’re taught to seek wealth and hoard our resources in order to get ahead. That’s why we’re so fascinating with people in underdeveloped nations, carrying water in jugs on their heads, and children playing in dirt with sticks. But it’s this raw beauty and appreciation that’s infectious.
I’ve never been on a missionary trip, however people I’ve spoken with who’ve been on one all exude this air of newfound appreciation for what we are blessed with here in America. Lately, this wave of gratitude has come over me. Man, that sounds cheesy. But seriously, I’m not sure where it has come from, or why now.
I’ve been spending a lot of time recently cruising Zillow and HorseProperties.net. I love daydreaming. And I’m really good at it. I love taking a listing and visualizing the changes I would make in order to get that “esthetic” I’m looking for or the right barn modifications to give my theoretical horses their best lives possible. Do I have the money to do any of this? Nope. But I do have a very active imagination and a determination to get what I want.
This is the beauty of broke.
I have enough money to get me by, to pay my bills and feed myself. I can drive out to Shelbyville with my barn buddy and thank the good Lord for her! She lets me ride her beautiful boy, Jäger, who is an absolute blast to ride! They haven’t yet converted me to Morgan’s (the breed Jäger is) completely, but I would definitely like to have one in my dream stable. If I had it made already and had my own horse, I would miss out on the car rides out to Shelbyville and the chance to catch up on life. And I would miss the shared pleasure and joy horses bring out in us. There’s always something going on and something to laugh at, when you’re at the barn.
I’m enjoying writing for the blog, and I’m working on my photo-editing skills using Adobe Suite. I’m watching tutorials and learning my trial and error. Lots of error! I’m not a natural, and I’m not the best photographer, but I’m confident that I can learn to be better and develop my artistic eye. As a perfectionist (my mom and I do share some OCD tendencies, according to my dad) I sometimes fear publishing a product that is not good enough. Is my grammar perfect? Punctuation? How is my “voice”? And are my photos relevant? Will people even like what I have to write about?
But that’s the beauty of broke.
I’m not relying on this blog for income (yet). I would love to share my experiences with more people and have the ability to travel and gallop horses across the globe with more frequency. But at the same time, it’s wonderful to have a creative outlet that allows me to combine my passions of horses, travel and fashion with no pressure of being “perfect” and Instagram ready at all times.
I’ve made it up in my mind that I’m going to end up in real estate, just like my momma. This is a huge leap of faith for me personally, as I like having a sense of financial security. Funny, right? I used to bartend 3 or more nights a week and do just fine for myself, and that was essentially commission work. You’re never guaranteed X amount of dollars just by showing up for your shift. Real estate is developing into a strong interest for me and might end up being passion number four. I see real estate as a field with many career opportunities, with flexibility for me to live the life that I want. That’s why I’ve decided I want to pursue this track. Life is too short to wait. The photo below is what is set to my desktop background. It reminds me every time I open my computer to work towards achieving my goals. I hope this inspires you to do the same.