Road to minimalism

My road to minimalism started a few years ago, while dating a money hungry attorney. All my friends had 100K jobs, we went on vacations and had new cars. We were living the American dream, and all under 30 years old. I though this is what I wanted of my life. The guy I was dating would joke when I spoke of traveling the Greek islands, he would remark that he wanted to” buy the Greek islands”. I was getting deeper and deeper in debt and wasn’t happy. When that relationship ended I focused more on working hard and traveling. After taking a job as a travel nurse, I too was finally making 100k. With my fancy friends out of the picture, I had my sights set on traveling and finding myself. The job only lasted six months, being away from home was just too much to bear. Back to a staff nurses salary, I saved money to travel by living with only the necessities. While traveling I slowly started to learn what little I actually needed to survive. My luggage went from 50 pounds per trip to 10 pounds. But I was working two jobs and my quality of life between trips was nonexistent. My last, but not final trip was hiking the El Camino de Santiago in Spain. Where, I lived out of a ten pound backpack for weeks. This really made me realize what little I actually need to survive. Shortly after that trip, I was forced to cut my working hrs in half. I made myself sick from the chronic stress, long hrs, lack of sleep, lack of exercise and horrible diet. This wound up being a blessing. Working less hrs with less “stuff” has done more to find myself than all the traveling did. This is who I was truly meant to be. Working less hrs, making my physical and spiritual health a priority. I now spend my time in nature, journaling, eating clean and working out. The last and final steps have been de cluttering my apartment. I still have a wanderlust soul but I also have a minimalist soul, which craves love and simplicity.