I took my restaurant team to a llama ranch outside of Galena last week. About 20 of them were able to make it over the course of the trip.  Today, I’m beat.  My vertigo is still making the world spin, and I feel like I could nap forever.

But I’m happy. 

One of the biggest take-aways from the trip is that money didn’t buy the best parts.  The nice meals and hot tubs were no match for hiking up random hills and finding our own swimming holes in the Apple River. 

At a time when everything we read makes us feel like we need more and better versions of what we already have, it was sweet to remember that making memories costs nothing but the willingness to show up and make them.  Our team made some unforgettable memories, just by getting back in touch with the basics of nature and friendship.

Because I love making resolutions beyond the New Year’s kind, this week, I’m making a resolution not to let my means play a part in my happiness.  I can want money and do my best to earn it, but I won’t let the lack of it stop me from enjoying my life.

Wishing you a week of seeking out and appreciating the basics too, Reader.  See you next Monday. -Em