A day in my future life…

My day starts at 4:30 AM I wake to the song of my alarm, pull on my sweatpants and brush my teeth. I then come out to the kitchen and pour a cup of coffee. I gaze out the floor to ceiling windows and look back at my reflection. There’s a smile on my face as I anticipate the day. I’m happy by what I see – a tall woman, brown shoulder length hair pulled back in a ponytail, wonderful posture, and slippers on her feet. I have my coffee in a white mug in my right hand, and a water bottle in my left. I walk through the kitchen and into the study. It too has large windows. I turn on the lamp on my desk and am met by my reflection as I sit down to write.

I set down my water on the left of my computer on the bleached wooden desk and my coffee on the right. I pull back my cream chair with a green pillow and sit down. Ahh- the chair is the perfect height to my table and my laptop. Yes!

I open my laptop, open a blank doc close my eyes and take a deep breath saying, “I own the morning”. I think of how grateful I am for Michael and Annika, I thank God for the day that we had yesterday laughing at the dinner table and each other’s jokes and think of the adventure we had hiking through the woods. Annika finally caught a frog and Michael saw a giant bear footprint (yikes!). I just remember how fresh the air smelled- it had that sweet earthy smell.

And then I put my fingers on the keys, and they begin to move. There’s a story inside of me that is waiting to get out, to be shared with the world. I spend the first hour working on my blog, sharing my insights on yesterday’s adventure. I then turn my attention to my book.

I’m building the characters of my third book, it’s a young adult adventure novel and I’m working through the plot and characters- some are a continuation of the first and second stories, some are new. I write and write and write. I pause to take a sip of my coffee, which has started to get cold, and then I gaze out the window.

My reflection has changed from me to the dark green trees and leaves, the tops of which are lighter than the bottoms as the sun rises in the sky, striking the leaves closest to the sky first. I love this view- the trees, the bits of sky, the way the trees look like they’re on fire with the rising sun.

I sit at my computer for another ninety minutes allowing myself to fall deeper and deeper into my imagination as the story comes to life in front of me. And then, it’s time to get up and head out for my run.

It’s the same run I’ve done every day since arriving. A bit on the road, a bit through the woods. And although I do the five-mile loop each day, each day it is completely different. The smell of the air, the amount of the wind or rain or fog. I remember my friend, Jen, from college who ran the same route every day. I asked her if she ever got bored and she said no. I now understand why- there is so much to see and feel, that each day is a bit different than the day before, a bit hotter, a bit more windy, fresh snow, pouring rain. Some days I listen to an audiobook, some days I listen to nothing.

When I get back from my run, I head to the bathroom. There is so much space in here! It takes three steps to get to the shower, and it too is flooded with light- there are high rectangle windows on the wall that go along two of the four walls. It feels like I’m in the woods when I shower.

Next, I get dressed and then meet up with Michael and Annika who are eating and joking in the kitchen. They’re planning our day. Is it another hike? A bike ride? A trip up the mountain? We’ve taken Annika out of school for a month to be submerged in this environment. We are in Spain in the Pyrenees mountains since I’ve written my books and blog, we’ve been able to move around more often and experience more of the world. Annika is going to school remotely so that she can have these experiences.

How did I get here? I started believing in myself and what I can do and the impact I can have. I rolled up my sleeves and started a blog that talked about little life lessons that came up over the course of the day. I shared things that I found to be exciting and interesting, I shared my passion for tiny homes and small things that can make a big difference (from improving workspaces to better underwear!). People started to follow and subscribe. A band of people with similar interests was formed and it grew. And then I started to write more and more, I had ideas for stories, themes, characters that I shared and developed until boom! I had a story ready to go, and then I had a book, which sold and sold, and kept selling, and then I was working for myself, and providing $160K a year to our household and then we were traveling, and working remotely, and then I bought some land and built a group of seven tiny homes that I rent and I have another development planned. I purchased a condo that I rent and then another, and suddenly between my income properties and my book I have passive income and I’m free to explore new ideas and test them on my blog.

I’m contributing to a scholarship at Annika’s school. Michael and I are contributing to a scholarship at PC, I’m giving to an environmental impact project to raise awareness of microplastics. I’m providing venture capital to startups who are focussed on cleansing our water and freeing them of microplastics. My family, beginning with me, is wearing natural fibers- cotton, wool, silk, cashmere because they are free of microplastics. When we’re required to buy something made of microplastics (Annika’s uniform for example) we buy used so as not to create more.

It feels great to be able to have this freedom to be doing what I want and living where I want. Our home base when we’re not exploring the world is a small home in Somerville- with trees and grass and about 1,500 sq ft. It backs up to a dog park and is on a quiet street (well as quiet as you can get in Somerville). Annika is finishing second grade – she is doing so well. She’s happy and smart and funny and so curious! She loves to ski and to golf and running (that’s my influence). And she’s a maniac on her bike- so fun to watch!

I’ve found some blogging communities where I can hang out with people who are doing what I do. I also joined a running club and a knitting club. I started a book club too. It feels so good to have all of these communities to spend time with. And I LOVE that I’m contributing to a conversation.

My blog is doing so well- I get comments all the time on my posts. There are so many people who have gone through the same experiences or have the same thoughts about themselves. In fact, I’m being asked to speak at some local events about what it’s like to share myself with the world. Hah! Me who’s so afraid of putting words on paper/ screen because of their permanence is being asked to speak about it. What? It’s crazy and so exhilarating!

I’m also loving my small space section. So many people are curious about it and I’ve learned so much about colors, design, I’ve done some great things in my tiny houses, and our home base looks so great!

Wait- why do I call home my “home base?” Because I’m at home when I’m with Michael and Annika, it doesn’t matter where we are, when we’re together we’re home. We get away just about every weekend- to NH or the Cape, or NY, just to check out a museum, try a new golf course (well, that’s Michael and Annika, I go for a run, do some writing, check out local events).

Money is great. Michael is killing it at work, and my business is doing so well! I don’t even feel like I’m working, I’m having so much fun. I’m following and living my mission – to empower others to discover their happiness.