Where’s your Vida?

What is Vida, KJ?

Yes Friend, I knew you were going to ask that. Vida in both Spanish and Portuguese translates to Life. Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary defines Life as:

• the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the existence of an individual
• one or more aspects of the process of living
• a way or manner of living
• the period from birth to death

Not much I can add to that, Friend. Webster said it pretty well himself 😉

To be honest, I struggled in how I wanted to share this with you Friend. I chose to call it Vida and not Lifestyle because it is so much more than what that word connotes. At least to me. It made me think of Pinterest pins of vacations and dinner parties. And since we are being so honest here, that was what I thought life was really about. It was perpetuating an image of success and luxury. It was making sure the highlight reel of my best moments were all people saw or knew of me.

Now, none of those things are wrong or bad. But I have to ask you the same question I asked myself… Is that all I am living for? Is that the One Thing? Am I using all these things and places and people to fill a void in me? The harder question I have wrestled with of late is, what about others? How am I living a life that will help others or is it really only just about me?

This page may just be the hardest to write. Because it will challenge you. It could offend and it most definitely will get uncomfortable. I know this because simplifying and minimizing my own life and shifting my own perspective from myself to others has left me challenged and uncomfortable. But then again, Grace.

My Instagram profile includes the words Living BETTER. But what is better? Better is being present,  purposeful and with legacy in mind. Better is saying no to my own consumption and level of comfort for someone else’s opportunity for Grace. Better is letting Grace guide me each day, in every relationship and in every decision. Better is choosing balance and knowing when to say no. Better is thinking long term; what will my kids and grandkids think of So´ Karis? Better is Legacy.

Again, I do not have this figured out and I mess up. A lot. But it’s the heart that matters. Where is your heart? Where your heart is, that’s where your Vida is.

beijos,

kj ♥