Start Here
This entry to kick off our international leg of the adventure is written by Matt/Dad. Ok… where to begin. It’s been about four weeks since we sold our cars, peddled our house, unloaded our business, donated about 75% of our possessions including our clothes and all of our furniture – then, I grabbed my family, hopped on a plane and started an adventure with the three most important people in my life. After we traveled around the Southwest of the US, we’re about to live overseas for a while…
Wait, let’s rewind about 20 years.
I spent the last two decades of my life living the American dream, I suppose you can say. I was truly blessed. I (read: my parents) dumped tens of thousands of dollars in formal education, then I dumped all of that time and cash to follow my passion, made a business out of it and built an exciting career. It was a “job” I loved getting up early for, and one I stayed up late working on almost daily.
I married the woman of my dreams (finding out every day why she is more and more perfect for me), prayed for two sons, and got them too. I found and bought a house I loved which was extremely affordable, and bought a series of cars which I loved to drive. Fast.
My lovely wife got the job she wanted after being a stay at home mom for many years, we sent our kids to private school, and they got accepted into accelerated classes. We belonged to a church we loved, and built our life in a community which was just big enough to have all of the amenities of any big town, but still had a small town feel.
ALL GROWTH HAPPENS OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Then I had a crazy notion to leave almost everything behind and search for more. I spent so much time, capital, energy and more to build comfort, but realized that comfort isn’t what makes us grow.
Instead of just reading a new self-help book or binge watching Dr. Phil, I liquidated everything and gave up much of the comfort I became accustom to. I said painful good byes to my family, friends and dealt with a couple unexpected heartbreaks which wouldn’t have happened if I wouldn’t have left. After explaining to everyone who was close to me “why” the heck I am doing all of this, I boarded the first flight of our year abroad, and I found myself having to explain to myself why the hell I am doing this!?
It was a not so fun experience I had for the weeks leading up to our leave. I started to strip myself of what I owned, my 20 year profession and inevitably easy access to my family and friends upon leaving. It is something you should do, but you don’t want to do for numerous “common sense” reasons. Believe me. It is amazing how much of your identity you build on things which really don’t define you (yeah, write that last sentence down, it is a good one).
I’LL BE THE MESSED UP TEST HAMSTER
Follow me through this blog as I go deep. This blog is about me and my family, as I use writing as a cathartic outlet to my feelings. I would love to say I have it together, but I’m a mess just like you. We all like to say we have it together, but there are areas in our life which need major attention. That is why my second point of writing is about you. Yes, you. I hope you can learn off of my little experiment here, as I give attention to specific areas in my life, while literally giving up many of the comforts we take for granted.
I’ll be honest, you don’t have to take the drastic steps I took. I’m just a little crazy, and I do things 100%, or rather just not do them at all (did I mention I like to take naps too?… rather take a nap than do something half a**). But, my hope in doing this blog is you learn a couple of the lessons that I learned and apply them to your life. Lessons I gained the three years leading up to this journey, and each week as I learn more and more about myself and life through this experience.
No need to sell your house. Quit your job. Or uproot your family.
WHAT WILL I COVER AND ADMIT I DON’T KNOW?
You can apply the crazy things that I’m doing, and apply them on a smaller scale if you like. Deal? Like I said, I don’t have all of the answers, but I’m driven to search them out. Things like:
- How can we simplify our lives, and not get lost in our clutter?
- How can we schedule meaningful time with those we love, in addition to getting our work done?
- How do we find what we really want… then get it?
- What should your life be all about?
- How can you plan for big dreams you have?
- How can you travel for a short or long time to places you’ve always dreamed of going?
- How can you overcome fear which paralyzes you not to take action?
- How to start giving to what you say is the most important to you?
- Why getting out of our daily grind is essential for opening up new options, opportunities and solutions?
Now I need your help. I need your feedback. I need your questions, concerns and tips you’ve picked up along the way in your life. You can message me on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/rebootourfamily or email me directly Here.
WHAT IS YOUR STORY, MOTHER GOOSE?
Mae West once said, “You only live once, and if you do it right, once is enough”. Here is a news flash: You only have one life! There is no “do over”, and we can’t go back to our 40’s, 30’s 20’s or teens as much as we would love to. I want my life to be full of stories I did with the only chance I got. Night time chat stories I tell my grandkids and great grandkids… and then one day when I’m gone… stories they’ll tell at family get togethers.
I want stories which share my completely stupid decisions, so others don’t make them. However, I also want stories to be told where I acted on nothing more but faith and somehow pulled off what seemed to be impossible. I want others to share my meticulous (read: anal retentive) planning process, but also the tales of where I had no clue how I was going to get something done, but just “shot from my hip”, reacted, adjusted and learned something I never knew before which radically changed my perception of life. That is the type of life you deserve to live too.
I don’t need my stories to be printed in magazines, published in books or broadcast to millions… I just need them shared and relived with a handful of people who were important to me and who I am important to. If anyone else gets benefit or a laugh out of them, that is all icing on the cake.
WARNING: I’M AN IDIOT
You’ll find that I’m a complete paradox (some may even call an idiot). I’m a hopeless optimistic and romantic, with an unforgiving realistic and even negative slant on people and life. My wife says I’m the most generous person she has ever met, but also the most uncompassionate. I find everyone I meet extremely interesting, but I would rather be left alone and not talk to them. After I told my attorney I trust no one, he ranted for five minutes proving why I trust everyone way too much. I know how selfish others are (including myself), but truly believe there is good in everyone.
Like I said, I’m a mess. I’m guessing you have similar qualities which also drive you nuts.
So, hang with me. My commitment is to write at least once a week on this thing. If I get more feedback or questions I’ll be happy to write more. Deal? Great. You can sign up for when I post a new weekly blog below if you want. You can also opt out at anytime with one click. My goal is to write short (unlike this one), to the point and move on to something new the next week. If you’ve read this far, I’ll count you as one of my real friends… because many of my regular friends don’t even read this far. 😉
(Help me make a good sign out to each of these posts…)
Matt Numrich
Friend, Like and keep in touch through these sites:
http://www.Facebook.com/RebootOurFamily
http://www.RebootOurFamily.com
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