{"id":3372,"date":"2023-03-01T05:46:47","date_gmt":"2023-03-01T09:46:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nolanoreen.com\/staging\/9835\/?p=3372"},"modified":"2023-05-06T06:40:18","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T09:40:18","slug":"just-begin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nolanoreen.com\/staging\/9835\/just-begin\/","title":{"rendered":"Just Begin"},"content":{"rendered":"

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16<\/p>\n

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OCTOBER 16, 2022<\/p>\n

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Simplicity
Slow Living
Change<\/p>\n

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I found it very difficult to post this first blog post.\u00a0 It makes me feel vulnerable and exposed.\u00a0 I knew that if I was going to do this, I had to just begin.<\/p>\n

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I began the journey to this blog in 2010 when I became a single mom to my two girls and, in a blend of practicality and survival instinct, began to simplify my life.<\/p>\n

The decade that followed was amazing, and truly, that would have been the time to be sharing my life with you.\u00a0 \u00a0I figured out what I really value in life.\u00a0 I “Marie Kondo-ed” my stuff, raised and launched my daughters into the world, downsized, and eliminated my debt.<\/p>\n

These days I live in a Victorian style house in a rural town on the East coast of Canada with my Sweetie.\u00a0 I manage a long-term care facility for seniors, and practice simplicity, minimalism, and slow living, while living a life full of adventures.\u00a0 You didn’t think slow living meant “boring” did you?<\/p>\n

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Fall in New Brunswick comes with some amazing foliage.\u00a0 My driveway.<\/p>\n

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Photograph by Nola Noreen!<\/p>\n

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I decided to take the leap into blogging for many reasons.\u00a0 I love words and writing.\u00a0 In a former life I recieved a Computer Science degree, and all this techie stuff brings me back to my roots.\u00a0 It feels creative but doesn’t take up space or require stuff like many creative endeavors do (which is important to the minimalist in me).\u00a0 It also feels a bit like mentoring, or a way of giving back, which I believe is important to do.<\/p>\n

The big picture reason, however, is that I think there is value in sharing my story.<\/p>\n

Choosing to live a simple life is choosing to live an alternative lifestyle in a mainstream world. \u00a0As much as we hear about simple living, it is hard to accomplish in a society that thrives on a fast pace and consumerism.<\/p>\n

As I navigated through this over the past decade it has been really hard to find real-life, practical examples of how to live simply without dropping out of society, living off-grid, or owning only 27 items.\u00a0 I just wanted to raise my kiddos and have a successful career without all the “trappings” that come with it.\u00a0 I didn’t want to take it to the extremes.<\/p>\n

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“People who live far below their means enjoy a freedom that people busy upgrading their lifestyles can\u2019t fathom.\u00a0<\/span>” Naval Ravikant<\/p>\n

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I did manage to achieve the simple life I desired, with a little (or sometimes a lot) of trial and error, and now I am so aware of all the benefits that come with it.\u00a0 The freedom to explore opportunities, pursue interests that really matter to me, do work I love, live without financial stress, and more!<\/p>\n

It’s a little bit like being in love; you know that stage when you are so happy with life you want everyone else to be in love too?\u00a0 That’s how I feel.\u00a0 Like I want everyone to know how amazing a simple life can be and how to take that leap!<\/p>\n

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Unfiltered me, hanging with my cat Flyod, on a Saturday morning.<\/p>\n

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Photograph by Nola Noreen!<\/p>\n

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As I grow this blog, I intend for it to be a blend of my current life adventures in simple living and my past experiences in getting there. I will present things in a simple way, unfiltered.\u00a0 After all, that’s what simple living is all about. I will talk about how to:<\/p>\n