Dear Reader,
Who truly owns your house? If you're fortunate enough to buy a house in your lifetime, it can evoke a myriad of emotions: joy, trepidation, relief, and doubt, all mingled with the added financial responsibility it entails. Even positive changes in our lives can bring stress.
Opportunities, as well as challenges, can breed anxiety!
I'm writing from our new holiday home here in Crete. At last, the property is now "fully ours"; the paperwork is signed and the keys are in our hands. I'm truly overjoyed but also, if I am honest, a little anxious. Questions have arisen: Is this the right time in my life to make such a big commitment? What if my parents need me while I'm away? Will Luca, my son, settle in this summer and make some friends? Similarly, will Rosie, our dog, be okay when she comes? When my mind wanders to these nagging concerns, I find it helpful to practise what I preach and take a big step back.
To live the life you've dreamed of takes courage, and gaining perspective is a significant part of helping you do just that.
The realization that life is short and that there's no ideal time to live the life true to you spurs positive action. While this house feels like ours now, in reality, we're merely caretakers of it for the time being; this little window of time that we're residents on the earth in this form.
The house is called "Nikos and Ariadne" and has been in the same family for the last hundred years or more. We bought it from a brother and sister, also named Nikos and Ariadne, after their grandparents who were the original owners. It's an old house nestled in the ancient part of a village overlooking olive trees. In 2009, the younger Nikos and Ariadne inherited it and undertook a massive renovation, maintaining the charm of the old stone house while adding more space and modern comforts.
Although I never met the ‘original’ Nikos and Ariadne, I can feel their presence in the house; there's a warmth and joy that seems to emanate from the walls.
We also inherited family heirlooms that keep their memory alive, including an old sewing machine, and their brass headboard is now ours. I can also sense their kindness from my interactions with their grandchildren; the previous owners have welcomed us with open arms, and we intend to keep the blossoming friendship alive.
Is there something significant in your life that you've been holding back from doing? Perhaps similar questions to the ones I encountered, arise for you? If so, join me and let’s ask the following more beneficial questions instead. Reframing doubts into positive questions helps you to gain the perspective you need now, not when it's too late. I can't promise change is easy but embracing it with open arms (like our new Greek friends) is the only way.
What's the best that could happen if I take this step?
What new experiences am I opening myself up to?
Do I have the courage to ride the waves of uncertainty that may arise?
Due to the brain's strong negativity bias and its primary role in detecting threats, we need to consciously ask ourselves the bigger questions, in order to, take those brave steps forward in our lives.
When answering the third question, remember you are stronger than you think, living mindfully will help you to navigate the challenges.
In my regular slot on the Alive & Kicking show with Clare McKenna on Newstalk yesterday I discussed people pleasers. Listen here.
My new book, ‘Sleep Well,’ is being published on April 11th (a good night's sleep always helps everything) and it would be immensely helpful if you're considering buying it if you could pre-order it. The more pre-orders an author receives, the more books the shops order and this helps the overall success of the book! You are also entered into a great draw to win €600 of sleep goodies!
Additionally, I would be delighted to meet you at our next live event, the King Koil Sleep Well Experience, on Sunday, May 19th. Full information and booking is here.
Have a great week and I’ll share more next week from our little pocket of paradise before we return to Dublin in early April. Make sure you take some time to rest over the Easter holidays.