good life with brittany kurtz
Part of cultivating a good life is letting go. Sing it! “Let it goooooooooo, let it gooooooo!” It feels so good, doesn’t it?
I run two businesses out of my home, and I have 4 boys (did I mention that? FOUR BOYS)? All you boy moms out there, you get me, right? This means there is ALWAYS pee on the toilet, always stinky shoes in the entry, and always the need for copious amounts of cereal in the pantry. There are always bikes and basketballs scattered all over the front lawn, always food tucked away in hiding places in bedrooms, and always tools all over the garage floor. Always. I tried for years to control it all. I tried to hold up the image of a well-behaved, orderly home with a seasonal wreath on the door and at the very least furniture that would stay in tact.
And then, I let it go.
I LET IT ALL GO!
Giving myself permission to NOT have it all together was the best gift I gave to myself! I wasn’t raised in a home that portrayed perfection, but somehow as I grew into adulthood, wife-hood and motherhood, I started to load those pressures onto myself. I felt that my value was in how my life was portrayed. I watched the highlight reels of so many others through blogs and social media and never felt that my chaotic life was enough. And then . . . I let it go.
Now, my house is a mess at most times, projects are started and not always finished, we go in and out of consistency with things like Family Home Evening, date nights, and one-on-one time with each child. We shop Goodwill and Craigslist and find the things we need second hand so we can put our money in places like micro-adventures on weekends. We eat out more than we should some weeks, we swear sometimes, and we don’t make our beds every morning. I don’t keep up on manicures, pedicures, or definitely fake eyelashes (never, ever could I keep that up!). I wear the same clothes over and over and use dry shampoo a lot. To some it may look like I have “let myself go,” and in truth I have. I have allowed myself to let that stuff go -- peace out baby!
Now before you think that all is utter chaos at the Kurtz home (which it often is), there are a few things that I have to have in place to be able to keep life afloat. Deciding on the things that are non-negotiable for me is key. These are the things that I absolutely need to feel sane, level, and content:
Sleep
Exercise
Prayer
Time with girls
They are in no particular order of importance. In fact, those few needs change up all of the time, but for me they are all critical. I have learned that if I can make sure that those few needs are met, I can show up in the ways that are most important for my husband and our man-children. Usually. And with God and my awesome husband by my side (both of whom are utterly patient with my chaos), I can not only make it through the difficult times, but thrive and move forward!
Cultivating a good life is a consistent journey full of inconsistency. I am happiest when I am submitting to what life brings my way and letting go of the things that I somehow place unnecessary importance on.
For me, learning to go with the flow, follow the path that presents itself in the moment, and let go of (self-imposed) expectations, I allow myself to see daily that stinky boys are in fact a gift, and life is SO SO GOOD!
a note from becky
We first met Brittany when she trekked to Arizona to be a part of our 2nd Favorite Things Boutique that just happened in the Spring. She preaches "Do Good, Be Kind" -- something that resonates with us very, very much -- and you know what? She lives it. She is innately GOOD. She is unquestionably KIND. I am grateful for our new friendship with Brittany, her desire to do so much good in the world, and for her honest and unapologetic way of sharing this message on our blog today.