SIMPLE LIFE
Chasing a dream
‘When you see someone putting on his Big Boots, you can be pretty sure that an Adventure is going to happen’
A.A Milne, winnie the pooh
I’ve been doing a lot of this lately, looking for answers and procrastinating big time. Taking a step forward and then two back, ‘Chasing a Dream’
We are shaking off our hibernation, recovering from our various coughs and colds and moving forward. Sam is on the mend from his gall bladder operation and has lost five kilo he’s walking each day, (I’m still thinking and talking about walking each day lol). He’s changed his diet and we are eating wholemeal pasta (and the occasional kebab) more fruit and more veggies from our garden.
Having seen the brilliant results achieved by some close friends of ours I can see that it’s not just about changing diet or location or partner or job, it’s about changing mindset. This is something we all know is true yet here we are still in the same place, not for me, not anymore.
We are drawing up a mind-map at the moment and it’s amazing how this simple way of visualizing your thoughts and dreams has us coming up with ideas we’d never even mentioned to each other. Next step is to get the kids on board and find out what their mind maps look like, what is important to them and how can we help them achieve it.
It’s funny that this post is mostly colored with grey and white, I feel like lighting my life up with color right now. Hot pinks and tropical blues, lime green and orange…. florals and flowers, warmth and sunshine, thank goodness for our wonderful electric orange house up on the hillside. It shines like a beacon.
It’s time to put back the spark of creativity into my life, here on the blog and in my home life…Time for Chasing a Dream
What I’m planning this year is a journey of discovery, taking steps each day to move my life in the direction I am inspired by. I am surrounding myself with those who inspire me to dream big, embrace life, enjoy the everyday, and really savor the small moments.
I’ve been enjoying the videos on facebook at the moment, created as a gift by facebook they show a persons life on facebook in the space of a minute or so, mine even inspired me. I can see how far we’ve come, all those things we set out to do we are doing right now, living the life we created and even though it’s not always easy it’s amazing.
I’m wondering how our life will look a year from now, five years from now….I am creating that life in my mind and taking steps towards it everyday even if only small ones.
I hope you’ll come along, be inspired, embrace your own dreams and have them light you up. I’ll be sharing our renovations of course, our ups and downs, and life here in the borgata, we will be on the road around June of course heading to Paris for my 50th birthday, my in laws are coming for a visit and just next weekend we have some facebook friends coming for lunch that we’ve never met.
“The world is opening up in ways we never planned, we literally left Australia for Italy without a future income, without knowing how we would live, not knowing how it would all look, we just knew that if we didn’t take the chance our dreams would grow smaller and die a slow death, and we’d be miserable.”
I remember actually telling Sam when we were back in Queensland (thinking our house would never sell, that we’d never get back to Italy, that we’d have to put our dream on hold another year), that we should just get on that plane and work it out when we arrived. Making the move without all the answers to some fairly big questions took courage and belief that we will find a way, we’re here now so we have no other option than to work it out or go back to Australia. It’s one way to put your fears and dreams on fast forward, doubts and joys pull me in every direction.
It’s time to find that inner compass and set a steady course, time for some structure and planning, time to expand myself and to gather my family together, a time to set sail, a time for chasing a dream and I hope you’ll be inspired to come along.
This year we are celebrating the things that matter most.
We will be slowing down, enjoying what we have, creating new dreams, loving where we live, connecting with friends and family and creating a simple life. As the seasons change we’ll be growing our own food, raising animals, finding treasures, traveling to unknown destinations, and creating a home base that jumps for joy.
I’d like to think that the small things we are doing here will make a difference to you, that you can create a dream and share it with us, that this year will be ‘The next best season of my Life’…….
I am also honored to be on the short list for Italy Magazine’s Best Living in Italy Blog award.
Now take a look at your own life, what’s the one dream that lights you up?
Leave a comment and let me know, and if you have any great advice or ‘chasing a dream’ stories we’d all love to hear them.
Are you chasing a dream?
and the gang x
This is a great post Lisa. You, Sam and the kids have been through so much. I’m glad that you are on a voyage of discovery and look forward to what you share with us here on the blog. So pleased that you used colour as well in your post. Colour is great 🙂 I have some dreams and am hoping like you to voyage on my way this year. 2014 has been a great year so far and we are only in the second month.
That’s great to hear Cathy imagine how wonderful the rest of the year will be. 2014 could be a big year for both of us, I’m still learning so much about blogging and have no clue how to change the font yet lol
How are things in ‘sunny’ England??
and what is the story with that ‘plasterboard’……hmmmmm xx
ciao love lisa
Hi Lisa: Glad to see you out and about again. I love the pictures of the snow.
Soon you will be planting a garden!
Thanks Evelyn I can’t wait to get back into the garden, looking forward to all the spring bulbs coming up, how are things with you?? Sending love and hugs xx
I love this post so much, Lisa. 🙂 Especially because my counselor is having me do Mind Mapping as well and it’s been amazing. The last couple of years have been so rough and now, emerging from that necessary hibernation into the bright light of normal life is quite dazzling and overwhelming. It’s lovely to take time to write out what I really, really want and hope for, then set the little goals in place to make them happen. It is greatly comforting to know you’re working through this process too. 🙂 You give me courage. XO
Mind mapping is great and Sam found a program to do it online. I remember doing it in Landmark and it was an eye opener. I don’t know if I ever told you that Sam and I were coaches with Landmark Education and then did the leadership program, we both loved it and were involved for three years. It’s where we decided we wanted to move back to Italy and where we sorted a lot of ‘stuff’ out.
sometimes your eyes just need time to adjust, then you’ll be able to see both the stars and the sunshine at once. We also did a visualization program with Vishen and found him here (I really like him) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SiDTS1ro4o
Setting those little goals in place and this year I’d like to find ‘myself’ again, sending love and love knowing we are on this journey together. If you ever want a ‘buddy’ let me know xx
hugs
Hi ,
You are such a nice family!
Iam Marcela from Argentina, and I enjoy your facebook page ,pictures , comments and so on.
Where do you live in Italy ?
I ll be there in April ,in the north….Bologna , Ravenna and Friuli.
It would be a pleasure to meet you.
You are an example for me, following your dream is the best ! Sometimes is not easy, but I can see you all are very happy.
Congratulations,
Greetings,
Marcela.
Ciao Marcela, great to meet you. We are in the mountains of Northern Italy, Valle Pellice near Torino. Some of Sams family moved from Italy to Argentina, and some to Australia so we could have been country women. Sounds like you will have a wonderful trip to Italy in April, have you been before? Keep dreaming and sending love lisa x
Oh Lisa ,your blog always makes me smile, Sam is getting better ,this is good.Great the kids are settling and you are loving the “good life”. We moved to Queensland after 30 years in outback NT….it happened rather quickly and I was terrified…….2 years later and we are starting to settle into the good life……I made passionfruit curd on Friday with beautiful fruit from my vine:) I named my garden Nonna Mac’s Orta….and my vine grows over a wooden arbour. My dreams are small but they are acheivable while caring for my husband (37 years) now .Much love to you all …my trip to italy and my dreams to return remains uppermost……x
Thanks for that Lynda sometimes I doubt myself and my writing. Wow 30 years in the outback is no small feat, what a huge change for you. How beautiful and I would imagine you can grow all kinds of things you couldn’t in the NT, I love the name of your garden, we must make one for our ‘orto’ wonderful dreams and a caring heart.
sending love lisa x
Lisa, I always love your blog updates and the transparent glimpse inside all that living in a new country brings. I have only ever spent time in the South (Campania), but as beautiful as it appears, it sounds like after a long, cold winter in North, you are all well ready, for Spring and all the vibrancy & new growth it brings!I agree, “structure and planning” sound good, and as we are only in Feb, with still a whole lot of 2014 left to go., I’m also looking forward to where our planning can take us. I t goes without saying, I get moments of nerves thinking about new major changes (like moving country AGAIN), but like you Lisa, I am a believer of “biting the bullet!” Onwards and upwards, also looking forward to hearing lots more about you and your families mind maps!! K xx
Caren it’s lucky I don’t give you the full glimpse of life in a new country most of the time we’re pulling each others hair out. I love the South of Italy especially Sicily and would love to return for a longer time. Spring will be here soon enough and I am still in love with the mountains covered in this powder of snow.
Structure hasn’t been my strong point, Sam is good at organizing so it’s a challenge for me to start putting this in place. Moving country is certainly enough to give you nerves, when does this happen. Onwards and Upwards….I like that, now where is that mind map …..lol xxx
love lisa x
Beautiful words, thoughts and images Lisa. Dreaming is great, chasing them is even more fun.
xx
Thanks for that Millie, I’m taking steps all the time, think I need to make some major leaps once in a while lol xx
Here’s to Dreams and Chasing them xx
Lisa, I love that quote from Winnie the Poo. I had never heard that.
Hmmm…..perhaps I should not bring up this topic, Lisa. But I know that I am feeling cabin fever here in the Rockies because it has snowed over three feet over the last few days and it is snowing again. Could heavy winter be a factor in your present thinking? The borgata looks just as snowy as it is here.
This morning hubby and I sat with our coffee and a fire, of course, and talked about where in the world we might want to go for 5 or 6 months of winter to get out of the snow. He thinks I will NEVER go anywhere for the winter. Also, he doesn’t want to be far away from our kids. We shall see!
I hope you do get to Paris for your 50th. birthday. That would be a wonderful place to celebrate.
Oh Caterina the cabin fever has me in it’s grip big time. I think I need some social ‘girl’ time out of the house and away from Sam and the kids. In Australia I drove and had a social network of mums from the school and friends to meet up with. I miss that here, not being able to drive has limitations. The sun is shining today and the sky blue but I need to be around the house to keep an eye on the ‘sickies’….I know what’s going to happen, they’ll all get better then I’ll get sick and still be stuck in the house lol x
I wonder where you will go on your winter get away, hmmmm
Paris always seems that little bit impossible which makes it the perfect dream x
sending love xxx
Lisa, what a wonderful post!! You are all so brave. I cannot believe your winter wonderland up there! (Are you sure you’re in Italy and not in Norway or something??) Now I’m going to go vote for you. xxxxxxxxxooooooo
Oh yes I’m in Italy that’s for sure, it’s so beautiful with all the snow. And we are told it has been a mild winter, once they got two meters of snow here at the borgata. Thanks for the vote, xxx
This is my favorite blog post of yours to date – I love it! So full of hope and inspiration. I’m so glad you and Sam just “went for it,” money be damned, rather than “living a life of quiet desperation” (one of my mother’s favorite dramatic lines!).
I hope to return to Italy for a length of time, preferably within the next year, and you and yours will inspire me to remain on track.
Love to all,
xo
I knew it would ‘talk’ to you Wynne you’re such a bright outgoing woman!! Hmmm now the ‘money be dammed’ idea is catching up with us and we’re at the ‘better make some money soon’ stage lol x
I can just hear your mother and her dramatic rendition, what a perfect line…great to hear you got in touch with Kath, she’s a straight to the point woman, I think you’ll like her.
Don’t forget to come visit when you get back to Italia, or maybe we could meet up somewhere!!
sending love xxx
Lisa, I subscribe to very few blogs, but yours is one of them because you DO inspire me, and help me believe that the sky is the limit. I turned 50 three days ago, and while it’s a scary-big number, it also feels like a big, bright doorway to the rest of my life. Two summers ago, having lost my marriage and my job in the same year, I decided I needed to make something good happen, so I just took off and I went to Tuscany. It was my first trip to Europe, and I went alone. Just deciding to go, let alone doing it, changed my whole perspective, on myself and the rest of my life. Now, it’s not so much what my dreams are, as the fact that I know whatever they are they’re valid, and I that I can make things happen in my life. I’m now learning Italian, and planning ahead for an extended European trip with my daughter when she graduates from high school (4.5 years). In the meantime, I continue to appreciate the little things of my life and how blessed I am, and I relish the daily opportunity to make a warm, nurturing home for myself and my daughter, our little family of two. Thank you for your wise words and for letting the rest of us experience your adventure along with you. In June, as you overlook the Eiffel Tower, know that Amy in Michigan, USA, is partying with you in spirit. xoxo
Amy you are so lovely to say that, thank you so much. Seems like we have our 50th in common, yes a milestone for sure. I’m sorry to hear about your marriage I can’t imagine how hard it would be. I love to imagine you setting off for Tuscany just like a movie. Now you know you can do Anything, and do what you want without anyone telling you otherwise. What a wonderful trip you will have with your daughter, and what stories and memories to create together.
Your family are your greatest treasure, and I understand how important she is to you. My Mum and I were a team of two as my brothers were older and one moved from home and the other out a lot when my mum and step dad separated. It was always just the two of us and we are incredibly close because of that. I got to see that my Mum could do anything, I admire her so much. In June I will raise a glass to Amy in Michigan how wonderful that will be xxx
sending love lisa x
Cara Lisa, you’re daring to dream and making it happen! As you know from our story, it takes a long time, a lot of patience, a few wonderful accidents, and above all, persistence. My father had that lovely quote on his desk (below), and I’ll never forget it. It has guided me through life. And it’s now guiding me through a second creative campaign taking off from my book. Can’t wait to launch it…but the details will have to wait here until I do! Keep on, keep on, “so your dreams don’t end in ruins.” (Quote from my book). Okay, here’s the quote from, of all people, Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the U.S. from 1923-1929.
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.
Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius will not: unrewarded genius almost a proverb.
Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.
Dearest Nina, I certainly get inspiration from your story and persistence. Your Dad sounds like a very wise man, and the quote is beautiful. Let me know when you launch your next project I’d love to share it for you. My Mum has a quote she particularly loves and it’s
“If you must write in the dust….please don’t date it”
sending love and hope to get to a meet up this year xxx
Lisa, cara. You must feel like the dreamer’s poster girl sometimes. And yet, as you say, it really is about living the day. Putting one foot in front of the other. Holding on and growing stronger. I have to let a few dreams go I am feeling. Life has been getting smaller for me lately but I’m still here, loving your blog and being inspired. So thank you! xx
Oh that made me laugh Janine, a dreamers poster girl…..
Living each day as it comes and you know the days aren’t always easy or all they are portrayed to be, maybe it’s life embracing you rather than getting smaller, holding you close and giving you what you need …..sending love and wishing we could meet up for a cuppa xxx
Hi again Lisa…enjoyed reading this blog as we are at a turning point of ‘where to next?’ especially since our ‘dream’ of living in Italia seems to be on hold until our casa in Fossa is fixed after the earthquake that happened 5 years ago. We really need to move on now from the middle east where we have been living and working for tooooo long. So we are planning to head over to Italia in summer this year i.e. July and August to look around again and decide how to move on to the ‘next best season of our life’!
We would luv to be able to call in and see you guys there for a chat and some further encouragement to just let go and see where life takes us. Would that be ok with you? If so perhaps we can organise a date that suits as the time gets closer and before you head off for your 50th in Paris. Ciao for now, Jo x
Oh Joanne what a nightmare, and the earthquake happened such a long time ago yet you still can’t access your house. What a big change from the middle east, and sounds like you have plans to move forward. It would be wonderful to meet up with you, just let us know when and we’ll see what we can arrange, we’d love you to come here if you like or we could meet up somewhere. sending love lisa xx
Hi Lisa
Just love reading about all you have done already and your plans for the future .
Especially about the trip planned for Paris for your 50th !! You are an inspiration !!
Keep adding colours to your life:)
Maria
What a wonderful way to put it Maria….adding colors to life x ciao love lisa
your blog was the first one I liked when I allowed myself to start seriously considering making our dream a reality! You are an amazing inspiration and have helped me immensely get started. So generous with your help and advice. Life is not always about money. yes, it is necessary and the more you have helps open up choices…..but it’s not EVERYTHING in life. I like to say to my husband sometimes something that goes like this “I don’t want to get to 70 years old and look at each other and say, oh it’s good that we paid off the mortgage” and that be the only thing we can be “proud” of. Don’t ever stop blogging…..if only for your own mental health & well-being – that’s worth a whole lot more than money!!
Kylie I’m so honored that you feel that way. It really is what I love doing and hearing I made a difference to you is wonderful thank you so much. So much in life can turn on a dime, I see this very clearly with my own family, my Dad died at 39 and my brother at 50. We certainly don’t want to get to 70 and think we missed out on our dreams. Hope all is wonderful with you Kylie and it would be great if you’d share your dream here, ciao love lisa x
I absolutely love your blog. You take us all on a magical carpet ride of your dreams and goals. I think we need you to tell us how to create a mind map, so that we might be able to see the hidden dreams that we all must have. So glad to hear that Sam is on the mend. Start walking Lisa. You will be happier for it and so will your body and heart. Ciao Bella.
Oh thanks so much Val, it means a lot to me to hear that. I’ll send you a link to the site Sam found for creating mind maps, it’s great. I’ll take a snapshot of the one we started. We are all walking and right now about to have a curry for lunch and then a walk, it’s glorious outside, crisp and cold but brilliant blue skies and sunshine xx
Ciao Bella xxx love and hugs to all
Hi Lisa,
I always enjoy reading your blog and marvelling at how cold and beautiful it looks living where you are in the very north.
Dreams? Well for the first time in my life I’m just living in the moment, trying to soak up all that is offered from our unexpected opportunity to live in Italy. In the past I’ve often been focused on ‘where to next’ in my career, or life in general. Dreaming, planning but not always stopping to look around to appreciate the here and now.
But since we moved to Milan, well I’m just here. Trying to learn a little Italian each day. Discovering new places to see, or visit, and just enjoying stepping out of our ‘ordinary’ life in Sydney for a little while.
I love reading about others doing so too.
ciao, or as they say in Milan, ciao, ciao, ciao…(endless)
Isn’t it wonderful to just live in the moment Jenny. I think Italy does that to you, slows everyone down (apart from on the road) and things just seem more intense. I told a friend of mine Allison to get in touch with you, she’s moving to Milano. I loved your post about Rome, we drove round the Colosseum about 6 times trying to get out of Roma lol x
I guess it’s not snowing in Rome…
Hi Lisa, I will get back to you on my dreams , but as for my blog, I have never thought of making money from it , like other people do. Now that would be brilliant. You will make a difference with it for sure. I will keep dreaming and yes that would be lovely to get to visit you. xx
Oh I’d love to make a little money from my blog, or writing Anne. This is what I”m working toward so we can do some traveling. At the moment we have no income at all arghhh. xxx
I dream a lot but I know nothing is going to happen .. my hubby does not share the same views , I just want to go somewhere different .. so I will have to just keep travelling and coming home. How fabulous that you are going to meet new FB friends , I think it is great and then you have your SUPER birthday celebrations in Paris , Lucky you . I know that you will have a fantastic time . xoxo
what is one of your dreams Anne? How could you work towards just one of those dreams, I have no idea how we’re going to make an income or how we’ll get to Paris, for me it’s finding people who are living their dreams and learning something from them, often dreams can work, Sam and I are often on different pages, working away at individual goals as well as family things. My blog for instance often comes up, I’ve been doing it all this time and never made a cent…..I get that thrown at me fairly often yet I persevere because I know I can make some difference by continuing. Keep dreaming, keep traveling and one day get here to see us or we’ll catch up with you xxx