We all know, having been told this since we were kids; that some of us have lived it at some point in our lives or are currently going through a very tough spot. This fact is true… Life is hard.
For years I have imagined my dream homestead thriving with homegrown fruits and vegetables, the buzzing of honey bees from our hives; and the abundance of animals going about the day happily and content.
I have started and stopped working on this passion so many times at this point that I have lost count. Heck, I cannot even tell you the last time I sat down and even wrote an article but one thing has always remained constant and that is down deep in my soul, I am and will always be a modern homesteader even if I may not have the time or ability to act upon that passion.
I sit here in my living room putting pen to paper, music playing from my speakers, looking out over the freshly cut grass and my severely overgrown, untended, neglected garden I wonder if I will ever find the time to be able to get back to what truly makes me happy… Homesteading.
Life is Hard and things get in the way of your passions.
Whether it be me working at my 7-5 hour a day career, or starting up my side business to grow a semi-passive income; or playing with my new little buddy Dakota who is sleeping by my feet. The fact of the matter is, that things will always happen, and you will always face things that you need to do now versus later and it distracts you from what you are passionate about.
I wished I would have listened to my parents, grandparents, and heck even society when I was growing up and started planning for the future then. I am 50 now, never imagined I would have ever reached this point in my life. Retirement is supposed to be 17 years away, and I am unprepared and find myself wishing I had more time to get things done while being able to do what I love.
So now I find myself sacrificing my passion for having a thriving homestead to compensate for the time that I have lost so that I might have a chance to be able to relax someday in my life and enjoy the fruits of my labor.
Do not get me wrong, I have had a good life. Yes, I have had my ups and downs but that is life and yes Life is hard. I am just hoping that in me writing my thoughts and feelings today there is maybe one young person out there who happens by and reads what I am saying today and stops to think about things and how they are currently living their lives.
I would say to you: You are going to be okay, yes I know it seems like the struggle will never end, but I promise you it will. It is okay to serve others or serve your country in the military as I did, but never ever forget to always take time to serve yourself.
Learn time management and balance between all the different things that you want to do in your life. Plan for your future, even if it is just a little bit at a time. Never sacrifice your passions completely for the sake of others… Balance them.
Learn how to invest for your retirement utilizing the laws of compounding interest and dividends; develop multi-sources of passive and semi-passive income while continuing your active income streams.
Learn different skills and assets that will benefit you and your passions. Learn to be a homesteader, construction, welding, finances, cooking, or anything that will help you with your day-to-day life. Knowledge is truly power and gives you the opportunity day in and day out to be in control of the chaos that is in your life.
This is your life and Life is Hard, but you only get out of it that in which you put into it. But yes, if you listen and start learning how to control the chaos and balance serving others while serving yourself and your passions then I can guarantee that at some point you will be able to have your cake and eat it too.
It is never, ever too late to start…
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