J. S. Curtis Coaching
personal coaching for powerful change
  • About
    • About Me >
      • My Story
    • Inspiration
  • Services
    • Coaching >
      • Clergy Coaching Circles
      • Anchored and Adept in Uncertain Times
      • Magic and Meaning in Mid-Life
      • FAQ
      • Logistics
    • Workshops
    • Facilitation
    • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Subscribe

When Less Becomes More

8/8/2016

1 Comment

 
Picture
We have been here for two weeks already. In some ways, I feel settled in. The day to day feels more routine now. I know where to go and what to get for groceries; I know which park the kids like best; I know how the laundry works, where to find the ATM, how much water to give the plants so they don’t leak out the bottom.
Things are getting comfortable. And yet, I still notice myself feeling self-conscious in the street. I want to blend in, to be inconspicuous.

Meanwhile, my kids are as unperturbed as ever. They will barrel down the road on their scooters, shouting, “Watch this, Mom!” Every time we leave the house, they run over to the air outtake vent next to the building across the alley and stand over it. Their athletic shorts billow out like bloomers, and they laugh hysterically.


So much for blending in.


I did actually laugh the first five times I saw the air vent trick. But the overarching feeling for me is one of wanting to quiet us down and make us less noticeable. We are not on our home turf here; we are visitors and, more than that, we are Americans.


​Part of me feels like I should apologize for that. I come from a culture that thinks of itself as larger than life, as the center of the world. A culture of “consume more, consider less,” that has managed to nominate a narcissistic, deceitful, misogynist as candidate for President.


I made a conscious effort to pack lightly, to leave most of our Nike logos at home. Somehow, my son still managed to pack his neon yellow Under Armour shirt. We are definitely not blending in.

I’m glad I’m finding my sense of humor about it.

​
Ultimately, it is not about blending in, as much as it is about experiencing another way of life.

I want my kids to appreciate an alternative to our American lifestyle. I want them to be exposed to another language. I want them to see that less is not necessarily less.

In the house where we are staying, we have fewer rooms to spread out into. We have fewer toys here. We have fewer choices for dessert. We have less space outside to call our own. We have fewer playmates and fewer books. And yet, no one feels deprived.

​
There are many customs here that I want to adopt - like our daily walk to get a loaf of bread. I love how everyone says a general “hello” when entering a shop. I want to take up the practice of spending Sunday afternoons as a family - gathering for a meal or a walk - rather than dropping kids off at birthday parties or sports practices and running into Target for a quick nine things. I want to rely on my car less and my feet more.

I think there is also room for me to enjoy more and worry less. I don’t need to worry if the butcher thinks I asked him to cut the ham more thickly when what I really wanted was a few more slices. I don’t need to worry if I give the woman at the cash register the incorrect change. I don’t need to worry if my kids start pointing and speaking in English about something they see across the street.

I can be an American who is trying to speak in French, who is learning to count out euros,  and who is a mom of three curious children.

Whether it is with worrying or wanting - less is often so much more.


Where might less serve you more?


​
*** if you are interested in receiving my blog posts to your Inbox, please click the button below. ***
Subscribe
1 Comment
Edith McRae
8/19/2016 06:21:18 pm

Truth, Jessica, truth!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014

    Categories

    All
    Awe
    Balance
    Beginning
    Belonging
    Coloring
    Creativity
    Cycles
    Embodiment
    Fulfillment
    Geography
    Good Enough
    Gratitude
    Honesty
    Hope
    Intention
    Letting Go
    Living Space
    Loss
    Milestones
    Mindfulness
    Mortality
    Moving Forward
    Nature
    New Year
    Noticing
    Parenting
    Personal Growth
    Perspectives
    Practice
    Presence
    Questions
    Resilience
    Self Care
    Self Compassion
    Self-Compassion
    Simplicity
    Solitude
    Stillness
    Transitions
    Values
    Vulnerability
    Yoga Practice
    Zen

    RSS Feed

    Author

    Jessica Curtis is a coach, a writer and a spiritual seeker.

    I work with individuals wanting to dive deeper into their lives, to cultivate balance, foster self-awareness and nurture their souls.

    Through this blog, I invite you to explore and be curious: What are you learning about yourself? about your journey? 

    Contact me - I would love to chat with you about where you are now and where you would like to be.

Email:
jessica@jscurtiscoaching.com​

Phone:
​774-545-6659


​​​Jessica S. Curtis, M.Ed., CPCC, PCC

Picture
Picture
Copyright © 2020