Do we have choices?

This is the view of my opposite neighbour when they open their backyard window - a view to "Air Hitam Forest Reserve" in the morning. When we bought the house in 2000 (based on plan only), I wanted to buy a unit with this view and clean fresh air, but my husband being a practical person worried about the security. After weighing the pros and cons, I compromised. We chose our current unit, surrounded by houses at all 4 corners - for security reason. True enough, prior to us moving in to this housing area, there were a few houses with these view were broken into. Although sometimes I still yearn to be able to sit in my study room with this fantastic view, I can still walk there anytime I wish to enjoy the view and we can still feel the cool breeze from the forest from our main door. In a way, we can still enjoy our security while enjoying the fresh air and view. Not too bad a choice actually.

Came across an article on "Downshift" in Pearl Magazine recently. That's exactly how I felt prior to my diagnostic of Leukemia. Spending too much of my time in office, coping with high level of stress (although I took time off to meditate, but it did not help much obviously), missing many precious family moments, feeling that something is missing, subconsciously I am not happy. I am a workaholic, since the day I started working, my life has been focusing on my job and my job only and nothing else is more important.

My current condition really forced me into "downshifting", it really hit me that life is too short to squander on relentless preoccupation with work, at the expense of what really matters (to borrow the words from the writer). Investopedia define "downshifting" - The act of reducing one's standard of living for an improved quality of life. The main objective is to improve quality of life with less stressful job, more spare time and being able to do things that's most important and valuable to you. In another word, a more balance work-life. Most of the time it involve, financial and lifestyle cut back. Again, we have to make the choice. At the moment, I am happy with the "forced" decision and thank the devine power for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this bliss.

Lately, I have heard a lot of my friends are all stress up with their pressure cooker work, a few days or even weeks of holiday were not able to get rid of the tiredness. The traffic jam are adding on to the additional stress level. Maybe it is time to consider "Downshifting". You can try by taking a few months leave to start off if your company allows. But please do not rush into this in a hurry, do weigh all the consequences and think through proplerly whether you can afford to downshif.

When we make a choice, most often than not we have to give up something that we like (nice to have) in order to choose what's most important to us at that point of time. Focus on the abundance in our life rather than the lack, it will help our decision better.