Work to Live

A follow up to all the television I’ve been watching on maternity leave, House Hunters International has been a consistent go to. The show has made me really want to pick up and move to a foreign country to experience new adventures and enjoy beautiful weather year round.

More importantly, foreign countries typically place less value on work and more on living. There’s a saying that Americans, “Live to work” while foreigners, “Work to live.”

Will was fortunate to be born without a cleft lip or palate so everyone I know was worried that I would be bored on this maternity leave. They all said I would have a hard time slowing down -and I agreed.

Despite the amount of television I’ve consumed – we were all wrong! Im not bored and I have slowed…almost to a halt! In the beginning I was a bit worried because my motivation was no where to be found, but since then I have embraced the slower pace.

I love leisurely mornings with Will- in bed with a cup of coffee and Good Morning America. There are a ton of things I could do, that I’ve been meaning to get to and yet I don’t.

Why don’t we all do this? Instead we value our worth and who we are based on our job. Someone asks you to tell them about yourself and it goes something like this, “I’m a mom of two and work at an advertising agency.”

Those two things aren’t even in the same league when it comes to importance, yet almost everyone would respond with something about work. Instead it should go something more like this, “I’m a mom of two beautiful, energetic children, the lucky wife to an amazing husband, own 3 crazy wild pets, have the best family & friends a girl could ask for and love to be outdoors enjoying the warm sunshine!”

We probably value ourselves based on our jobs because we place so much value on our things. Our house, cars, clothes, jewelry, etc.- all say something about who we are. I will admit I’m a bit of a car snob, but I could be content in this starter home forever. Besides a bigger house just means I have more to clean – and it wouldn’t mean anything without friends and family to fill it!

Before I had kids I was guilty of all of these things. My career path was at the top of my priority list and my life goals included fancy cars and gated communities. That’s not who I am! I wouldn’t even fit in living in McMansion Neighborhood.

Now my only dreams revolve around the family we’ve built. We need a roof over our heads, food in our bellies, clothes on our back and a vehicle with wheels.

I might not be able to uproot my family to move to Barcelona, but instead of living to work, I’m going to work to live!