What if you just do it?

“If I’d have more time/money/space, I would…” Have you ever said this? I certainly have. 
What if you don’t set conditions for something you really want to do? What if you take a very practical look at whether it is already possible now?  

When I travelled from Cambridge to Oxford to Bristol to London and back to the Netherlands in 2012, I knew: one day I will live here. But I always had an excuse not to. I would first need a stable base in the Netherlands, more money, then Brexit… They were just excuses because I was scared.  

Still, the dream continued to live in my head. In the past two years I feel that a change of scenery would do me good. 
“Maybe we can stay in England for a few months”, I said to Bram. He wasn’t keen. He’s not very good with change and this was a bit too much of a good thing. Maybe someday, I thought. 

I came home one afternoon. I still had my coat on and I hadn’t even put my bag down yet.
“I asked my boss. I can temporarily go to England, I have already found us a house,” said Bram. He was so excited that barely allowed for me to see photos of the house, I had to book it immediately.  

North Yorkshire it will be. Never been before, but that doesn’t matter. The little cottage we rent is in a small, typical English village with a bakery, post office and four pubs. On the edge of a large nature reserve and a small river that runs right through the village. I made a drawing of the village, so that I can get a bit more familiar with it (see image on top).  

Even if it’s only for a few months, this is exactly what I need. A change of scenery to get out of my entrenched routine and reset my brain. To get some rest and recover from being terribly overworked, go on walks in nature, explore… I can’t wait!

This helped me make the decision:
1. Write down your dreams/wishes.
2. Next to your dreams, write down the reasons why you believe it’s not possible (right now).
3. Check your reasons: is it legit or is it an excuse? Strike through all of the excuses. You can ask a friend for help with this, most often they’re more objective than you are. 
4. See if there are solutions for the legitimate reasons. Can you ask others for help to figure out solutions?

Not everything is (immediately) possible, but maybe you can keep it simple and see what works. A vegetable garden, a solo vacation with only your backpack, taking painting lessons, or something bigger like a career switch. 

I hope this helps you a bit to maybe do something you’d really like to do. Do let me know when you have!

PS Knowing myself I will document the experience in Engeland in some way. Not sure how yet though, drawing or filming. Just make sure you subscribe to my newsletter below to receive updates on everything, or keep an eye on my blog.