Five lifestyle quirks from Africa that I'm packing in my carry-on.

After spending another month in Africa, I am beginning to switch gears in preparation of returning to the United States.

Something interesting has happened to me since processing this information.

I have been struggling to breathe.

Now, I don’t know if this happens to others, but I know myself and when I have shortness of breath, I am stressed about something.

I know exactly what it is.

The only way I can describe it is there is an atmospheric spirit of anxiety over America.

I feel like when I’m in America, if I have free-time, I am not doing enough. I am not successful enough. Not getting after it enough.

Don’t sit down to eat because you could be going somewhere and eating at the same time, accomplishing something. Which really doesn’t work for me because I spill food everywhere, even when I’m sedentary. I call it “last-child-syndrome”.

You always know where Em ate because of the trail of crumbs left on the table, on the floor, in the car, ect. Never grew out of that stage.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I am a Minnesota-raised young woman that knows the importance of hard work. Hard work, kiddo, is what life’s all about. Without it, you ain’t getting nowhere in life.

This is true.

However.

In the excessive process of chicken-with-its-head-cut-off business, what are we losing?

Special time with family? Time to ourselves? Time to induce creativity and allow the sparks to create flames within the patchwork of our day?

At home I throw my clothes on the ground, I eat cliff bars, pretzels and peanut butter as my “staple foods”. I drive to work when I could easily bike or walk the half-mile distance. I skip out on meeting up with friends because I just “don’t have the time”. I don’t write.

And these are all things coming from a girl that prides herself on “taking life slowly”.

It’s all too friggen much.

There is anxiety, worry, and fear.

Now, I know my Father and he told me, many times, “Child, in this life you must not have worry or fear, because fear cannot add a single moment to your life.”

 I also like to think of Jesus as having dreads and he would actually speak like, “Child, stress ain’t doin’ nothin’ for you so juss let it ride, ya feel?”

In Africa, hakuna matata. It means no worries...for the rest of your days.

Rush nowhere. Get everywhere. Always spend time greeting one another.

I am going to propose just 5 things I am going to change about my life back in the US. If you always feel stressed, I invite you to join me on these pledges.

1. Meditate.

Meditation rewires the brain. We are not only physical beings but also spiritual. Without acknowledging the spiritual side of creation, we are missing out on half of life.

2. Give it up.

I am a single, young woman whose friends are (mostly) married and have children. Hakuna matata to that. I trust that God will bring the right person when the time is right.

Our culture places a solid load of heavy bricks on young people in their mid-twenties to thirties. If you ain’t married by 28, your life is over.

I believe this season of singleness is meant for developing myself. Knowing myself and who God created me to be. Without that time, how can I ever be invested in another? For life?

3. Enjoy the food.

Since being in Africa, I can actually feel a difference in my body.Now, granted, the vegetables I’m eating here in Africa are from the bush...outside the house.

The food here is extremely nutrient rich. But I can take a Sunday night and actually cook meals for myself throughout the week. Maybe even use some spices. Wow.

4. Use my legs as a mode of transportation.

When I was hiking to some waterfalls in Arusha, we passed through a Massaii village. The women had large bundles of sticks and hay atop their heads and they were hiking up a very steep incline. Building the village. I thought, “I live two blocks from work and I typically drive to work...”

The guide said, “In Tanzania, your body is your machine.” Marinate on that.

5. Trust in the process.

Hakuna matata.