Tag Archives: changes

Day 2673 – Why You Should Look Back On Your Life More

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I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook. I hate that it keeps me connected. I love how it keeps me connected, how it helped grow my business and even helped me to get new business. I do love the On This Day feature. It’s an interesting exercise to look back on things I said over the years. Seeing how I’ve changed – for better or for worse – and how I’ve stayed the same. Fun fact, yesterday was my 12 year Facebook anniversary. Wow, I mean, that’s a long time to be tied to a website.

On November 3, 2010, I wrote this – Jennilyn Gaitan “is grateful for another day to walk, talk, breathe, smell, hear, see and appreciate life. It’s not the greatest day and certainly not the worst, but it’s another day. I’m reminded of how short it is. I have been blessed with a “cup runneth over” life. Even if I’m not photographing full time (yet), even if I have a debt (for now), even though I don’t have a house or a puppy (yet), I will relish the joy of the now.”

Six years ago, I wasn’t a full time freelancer, I was still in debt, I didn’t have a house or a puppy. Little did I know, I would start my freelancer journey less than a year later. We would pay off our debt in 2013. I don’t have a house or a puppy….BUT working for a pet photographer, I have gotten SO opportunities to pet many dogs, get licks and cuddles. Just a few weeks ago, I got to play with 3 mastiffs! I like big dogs and I cannot lie!

I also recently had a bit of an epiphany – I need to constantly push myself to grow. I had been in a bit of a funk. Probably since about July after returning from our road trip. A part of myself came alive during that trip. I LOVE to travel. I love exploring new places and seeing new things. I absolutely adore this country. The varied landscapes and people. I think if more people traveled the country, long distance on the road, we would have a more unified and strong country. I recently watched a segment on Ellen where Michelle Obama made a comment that she would miss going around the country and meeting people. She said, roughly, if you travel the country, you realize how great of a country we have. I sat at my desk, almost yelling, “YES!” Ok…. ::steps down from soapbox::…

So, back to the funk. I hung out with a friend and in our conversation, I made a true admission of where I was with a few things. Finally saying out loud “I am not happy” instead of keeping it inside, felt like a weight lifting. That night, I had a hard time sleeping because my brain was going a mile a minute with ideas and new plans. The next day was one of the best I’ve had in a really long time. I spent a lot of the day watching videos on a new project I’m working on, educational videos on various topics and reading what promises to be a life changing book, Designing Your Life – How To Build A Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans. The theme throughout the day was this – you have to continue to grow, you have to stretch yourself, you have to be ok with failures.

It made me realize just how important personal development is. To truly embrace the journey of life. To not become stagnant. I think this quote from Designing Your Life sums it up best:

“The biggest reframe is that your life can’t be perfectly planned, that there isn’t just one solution to your life, and that’s a good thing. Your life is not a thing, it’s an experience; the fun coming from designing and enjoying the experience.”

I can’t wait to discover all the many solutions to my life. I can’t wait to experience all the experiences.

What will you experience today?

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Day 2344 – What To Do About Something You Hate – or – Jennilyn On A Soapbox

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Today, I stumbled across something on Facebook.

“Don’t work 8 hours for a company then go home and not work on your own goals. You’re not tired, you’re uninspired.”

This quote speaks my language. And a language I’m very passionate about.

See, I hate complainers…myself being one of them. I really do try to not complain. If I do complain, I try to at least play the “well if nothing else” game.

Sidenote: This game is essentially about finding the good in whatever situation you find yourself in. Late for work? It would go something like this…well, if nothing else, I have a job to go to. Well, if nothing else, I have a mode of transportation to get to my job. Well, if nothing else, it gives me a chance to change. Try this game, it really does help.

Anyways. If you tell me – “I hate my job” I’m going to tell you to either quit and do something else or stop complaining and see the good in it.

Living the life you want is all about choices.

We wanted to be debt free. I entered our marriage with $30,000 worth of debt. For so many reasons that are SO stupid. Oy. We worked our butts off to pay it off. We didn’t go out to eat. We didn’t travel. And guess what, we’re out of debt now. We sacrificed a LOT in the first 3 and a half years of our marriage. But guess what – now we continue to stay out of debt. We travel. We skydive. We splurge on our friends. We splurge on stupid stuff. That was all a choice.

I wanted to be my own boss. I quit my job. I worked my butt off for years. My photography business wasn’t working like it needed to, our lifestyle was changing and Bret’s work situation changed. Oh, and God said it was time to move on. So even though I invested 10+ years of my life in my photography business, I chose to stop. I made a choice to create a new job for myself and I am over the moon happy.

You might come back and say, well, it’s going to mean I have to….move back in with my parents….get an apartment and sell my house….move to be closer to a lower paying job….

Well, you tell me, are those sacrifices worth doing something you love? Or at least something that isn’t as bad as the thing you hate now?

If you’re not willing to make the sacrifices to fix the thing you hate, then don’t complain about them.

::steps off soapbox::

DCIM100GOPRO

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget.
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Day 1303 – Anything Is Possible or Bret Has Changed or GO RAVENS!

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As you may or may not know, my dear hubby is from California. In 2011, we scored some tickets to the Thanksgiving Day Ravens vs. 49ers game. When I found out the team, I said, oh CRAP! You’re going to be cheering for the 49ers, just because. He likes to stir up trouble that one! After I said this here was our conversation (slightly paraphrased, since it was over a year ago):

“Jen, how do Ravens fans feel about the Steelers?”
“Well, it’s not pretty…”
“That’s how the Raiders feel about the 49ers. I could never go for the 49ers.”
“Ok then!”

So thankfully, he cheered for the Ravens at the game.

Two weeks ago, we went out to watch the Ravens vs. Patriots game. Check out what Bret was wearing….

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I was planning on going through all my weddings and finding all the purple dress, flowers, etc. and doing a nice long post of pics…..yea, ha! Bret will have to be enough for ya’ll today.

GO RAVENS!