On one end of the spectrum I’m inspired by my Mom who has always been satisfied (or appeared to be), with simple. I don’t mean simple in a degrading way at all. Simple as in a simple life. She was happy with little and didn’t seem to need lots of stuff or even experiences.

She worked as a nurse, which I wouldn’t really say she loved. I’d say it was probably a job for her and it helped support our family. She stuck with a difficult and stressful job without even feeling passionate about it, because that’s her. Steady as she goes.

She enjoyed her days off. To simply be at home. Baking, cooking, gardening. Going to town to get groceries or other supplies and visit the library.

I wish I could be like that instead of always reaching for more, more, more.

On the other end of the spectrum is my Aunty Janice. A career in PR in the eighties which led to running her own successful “boss babe” business as an event planner. She had a very large home that contained an office each, for herself and Uncle Roy.

As a kid it always amazed me when I’d hangout with her in her office as she worked and I’d rip incoming faxes from the fax machine, that this was her job, her livelihood. She worked from home. It made no sense. I remember thinking, how do you make money doing this?

She and Uncle Roy traveled extensively and had timeshares all over the place. Her home was filled with beautiful treasures from her travels. She was always reaching for more, more, more and better, better, better. Not in a needy, unhappy way but in a passionate way, like let’s do better, let’s go farther!

Lots or little, wanting more or wanting less, both inspire me.