the space between

upcycle, repurpose and reinvent your space

Day #31 – the last lecture

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Well, we did it! We made through the 31 day series! It has been so fun for me to share some simple yet sometimes overlooked tips and tricks we’ve picked up along the way. And a few things that didn’t really work out, like that garbage can trick, and I’m still not sure about the bottle cutting thing.

I am oddly rejuvenated to get back on the home renovation wagon and forge full steam ahead toward some serious progress. We’re on the cusp of some BIG changes around here. Joel and I keep saying “we’ll be living like normal people before we know it”. And yes, that involves moving our furniture out of our side yard and into our house! #Can’tWaitForThatDay

But, let’s get this series wrapped up pretty with a bow before we shift gears.

31 things you need to know

I have to tell you, the whole conversation that has been started from this little article has my mind spinning.

My first reaction was “woah, who knew people would be so passionate about how I have chosen to live … even though it doesn’t affect (or is it effect?) them in any way whatsoever”.

And then I thought “why can’t we all just be supportive of each other and thankful we have the freedom of choice”.

And then I thought “maybe we all just need to start by being supportive of ourselves first”.

My humble opinion is that it’s only when we are dissatisfied with our own situation that we even bother to take the time to make judgments on anyone else’s.

Maybe if we focus on filling ourselves up with that which we love and adore there won’t be any empty space to criticize someone else’s choices.

Maybe if we felt so overwhelmingly happy with our own personal life experience we can’t help but hope that everyone around us is feeling that exact same joy.

That kind of made me think of the old saying, “live like you were dying”. You know, not in a reckless manner, but what would you be doing different with your every day if you knew your time was coming to an end soon.

And it reminded me of Randy Pausch’s last lecture. See, he really was dying. And he said things like:

About life – “We can’t change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

About dreams – “As you get older you may find that the enabling the dreams of others thing is even more fun.”

About experience – “Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.”

About obstacles – “The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

About people – “Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.”

About the head fake – “If you lead your life the right way the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.”

I first saw the 10 minute reprised version of the speech on Oprah.

(The videos don’t show up for the email subscribers unfortunately, you have to click to the post)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncoSRKoU6GQ]

All of the quotes are taken from the original speech given at Carnegie Mellon University on September 18, 2007.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo]

I think the perspective of someone who is actually dying is something we can always learn from.

And I want to mention, it is the messages (many of them private) of support and encouragement from people who don’t know me from a hill of beans that really touched my heart. It is those responses that I will choose to remember. And let me know if you ever need it in return, I got your back. 🙂

Update:  The article was shared on Yahoo’s newsfeed this morning and has been the most viewed/shared article of the day … you can only imagine the array of comments. Yowza!

Have a great day everyone!! And start at the beginning of this 31 day series here.

Comments

  1. thank you this came with perfect timing. when something so timely occurs I have to believe it is a God thing since He does not create coincidences.

  2. you are so right. and that is one of my favorite inspirational books… what a hero that man was.

  3. Yowza is right! I took a few minutes to read some of the comments on the stay at home article on yahoo! Some were pretty ugly. Your kind and gracious responses truly are an inspiration to me….I thought I signed up for your blog to get some good home and decorating tips, but you truly have a gift for so much more. Way to go!!

    • Some were pretty ugly, I finally gave up trying to keep up. Thank you so much for the support!!

  4. Karah … I have enjoyed your 31 days. I am anxious to see more of the work you are doing or have been doing. Hopefully, I am learning something from you.
    Blessings,
    Audrey Z. @ Timeless Treasures

    • I’m happy to hear you liked the series, Audrey! I’m so pumped to get back in the swing of regular house updates, too. 🙂

  5. Karah, I enjoyed your 31 days of ideas and learned a number of things. Thank you so much for your inspiration and positive attitude and way of living. You are loved and appreciated. Peace and Blessings

  6. I went to the Yahoo article and read a lot of the responses – until I got a headache. It is so sad that there are so many unhappy people in the world not to mention how judgmental they are. I don’t live in their world and I do not believe you do either. What came to me was that I see you writing a book someday in addition to your blog. You are a success in all. You are an inspiration. Keep on living your truth and you will always be fine.

  7. Wow Karah I just looked at yahoo. So many unhappy angry people out there!! I am so sorry they chose to target you.

    As a stay at home grandmother. (who pinches a lot of pennies) I feel blessed to be able to raise my 18 month old grandson and not work. My grandson is biracial and already has had a lot of hate directed at him I find myself dumb founded and amazed. Especially when it comes from children.!?!? Of course that means it came from their parents.
    Thanks for the reminder and don’t let the idiots get you down!

    • Ugh!! It really is hatred from children that gets to me, because you are right, they learned from an adult. I can only hope that the angry commenters someday find their true happiness, then the misery of others won’t be so important to them. One can hope!! xo

  8. You are fantastic, positive and full of joy. I agree with you, filling our lives with things we appreciate, as you do, brings for happy living!

  9. Karah!!! I am so excited for you that this article was shared. I will be watching bigger arenas for you to appear soon because I have a very strong feeling, you have only begun this conversation and people will definitely want to hear more. I am so in line with your thoughts on if people were more satisfied with their own lives, they would not be so quick to judge other people’s choices. When I was pregnant with twins, I made a comment on a call in talk show about a woman who was an interim governor, and went back to work from her hospital bed, just literally hours after her twins were born, and was going back to work, full time in just a few days after that. I thought it was quite sad actually that she couldn’t take more time/chose not to. The next person who called in had triplets and she full out attacked my comments, explained she had triplets, and she would give ANYTHING to be back at work and not at home. All I could think was, I hope your children never hear these sames words from your mouth. We all make lifestyle choices that we hope are right for ourselves and our families, but why be so venomous to someone who chooses a path contrary to your own. Disappointment, jealousy, whatever. I so hope this starts a larger conversation for women and that we cease to judge each other for not taking a career path that the world sees as successful.

    • does it seem that the more venomous one woman is toward another that there is a lot more behind the reaction? perhaps they are not really sure about their own choices or the lack thereof? envy and insecurity are so at the core of so many actions. I just wish there was a solution for the way so many women attack each other. United we stand, divided we fall.

      • United we stand is right!!! I do have a feeling that many of the mean comments are more a reflection of how those people feel about the decisions they’ve made in their lives and much less about the decision that I’ve made … but it unfortunate, and sad, that we can’t choose to positive in spite of it all. xo

  11. Karah…I so adore you…you are the real deal…seriously…I think this post has got to be one of my faves…..as I read down and then saw the quotes from Randy’s speech, it brought me back to when I first heard his speech….gosh, if everyone felt this way…we could solve the problems of the world…I lost a dear, dear lifelong friend who “lived as if she were dying…and she was”…I miss her terribly…but she speaks to me everyday and sends the same message…that life is too short and that we must be honest and true to ourselves…to be selfless and generous…I call people who say horrible things, “snipers”….they write their negative things behind the screen…and run away…no wonder your post was the most viewed article of the day on Yahoo….you go Karah!

  13. You go, Karah! I think you hit the nail on the head: People tear others down when they are unhappy with themselves. And we can only put out in the world what we have to give. Happy people make for a happier world. So I hope you keep on being happy in whatever ways work for you!

    • Hi Rita! I need to check in on you guys. Thank you for stopping by. You are so right, we can only give what we have, if we don’t have happiness it’s just not available to give. Here’s to happiness all around! xo

  14. I’m just catching up on all of my blog reading, and this is such a great post, Karah! I enjoyed reading the article, and some of those commenters do just sound bitter with their own choices in life. I’m working on a new series where I’m going to be talking about our journey to financial independence, and I’m taking copious notes on how you responded to the negative commenters with such grace and a positive attitude. I think what you have done is commendable. More people should be focusing on what truly makes them and their family happy.

    • YES! I think we all can learn from stories of financial independence, and we all journey toward our goals in our own manner. Don’t pay any mind to the haters, just keep in mind they aren’t people you would choose to surround yourself with in real life so there’s no need to overestimate their contribution to your situation on the interwebz. 🙂

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