COMING HOME (AND THOUGHTS ON LIFESTYLE)

   Hi friends! Tomorrow is an exciting day: John is coming home from Germany! Woo hoo -- two weeks is really too long for me to be hanging out by myself in the suburbs! While John's work takes him overseas a couple times each year, this trip marks the one-year anniversary of a meaningful time for me.
Not too long ago, I left a job I loved at a well-respected private equity firm to help run my family's company in a similar industry. It was a bittersweet decision, and I left behind many colleagues that have become great friends. But in addition to expanding my professional experiences, the switch has given me freedom to explore and pursue personal passions.
For the first time in years, I found myself with the time to take a (gasp!) vacation and decided to tag along on John's business trip. Over a two week period, we spent time in Paris, Nuremburg, and Salzburg, and for the first time in a long time, I was able to slow down and just enjoy the simple moments. John was at the office every day, so I explored on my own and only did what I wanted -- on my own schedule. The freedom felt fantastic, and it was actually in Germany that I started Neat Bit.
So John's return not only represents the one year anniversary of this blog, but also of my conscious decision to enjoy life's little moments and pursue my passions. It's been a bit of a mentality shift, and I still work my tail off, but over this past year I've found a deeper appreciation for the little things that, when added up, can make a much larger lifestyle impact. Even small things -- like taking a 10 minute work break to take a few blog photos, or making the decision to call a client rather than email -- have had a much larger positive effect on my lifestyle and relationships.
Try it out. You might be pleasantly surprised!
P.S. to my former colleagues that read this blog... still miss you guys every day (as you know)! :)