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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

Living With Intention : What Italy is Teaching Me {Notes from a Blue Bike Blog Tour}

This post is part of the Blue Bike Blog Tour, which I’m thrilled to be part of. To learn more and join us, head here.

Let’s talk about living with intention.Living slower and simpler.

These are things I’ve really been mindful of in the past year. But wait. Here’s what i want to talk about.

I want to talk about what Italy has taught me in the past six months.

You know what I’ve learned from living in Italy?
Truth be told, I’ve learned a lot in the past half year. I’ve learned about prosecco, bigoli, and handling produce with gloves.

I’ve learned many new words, several hand gestures, and how to drive like a maniac.

I’ve learned about the bella figura, how to own a crosswalk with authority, and the zillion different ways to say hello and goodbye.

But above all? I’ve learned to slow the heck down.

It’s been a big adjustement. I won’t lie. Moving from the land of 24/7 and go, go, go! to the land of simmer down and wait has been a work in progress.

But it’s also taught me a thing or two. Like the art of sitting still and enjoying the scenery, like the gift of savoring a good meal.

No mommy wars, no competition, no hurry up and go.

Just good wine, delicous (whole and fresh) food, and the art of being present.

When I got the email asking me to read Notes from a Blue Bike I immediately knew the topic was one I’d connect with. And I really truly loved reading this book. I connected with so much of it.

I connected with the idea of celebrating the art of slowing down.

Notes From a Blue Bike is written by Tsh Oxenreider, founder and main voice of The Art of Simple.

It doesn’t always feel like it, but we DO have the freedom to creatively change the everyday little things in our lives so that our path better aligns with our values and passions. Grab your copy here.


SO so many passages from the book resonated with me. I want to share a few of my favorites with you.

“To love the world and to drink it deeply. I couldn’t imagine not raising kids to do the same.”

“People are willing to be brave when they admit their smallness within the enormity of the world, and the best way to understand our smallness is to leave our comfort zones and start exploring, one foot in front of the other. When we go on an adventure, we’d better understand where we truly belong.”

“Once they’ve traveled, kids have permission to question the how and why of their surroundings, because they’ve tasted and seen that other people live differently. While it may not be the most comfortable way to go through life, it’s the most honest—and this honesty opens the door to making life choices that feel right in your bones.”

Yes,yes, and YES!!! I found myself nodding my head in agreement almost all the way through the book.

Thanks to Tsh for allowing me to review this book and be a part of the blog tour. Again…to read more reviews and learn more, go HERE. To grab a copy of the book, go HERE.

xoxo

S

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a free review copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed (as always) are totally and completely my own.

Comments

  4. What a wonderful post Stephanie, I’m so glad that you are becoming a little more Italian! I love hearing about your life in Italy, you do seem to be enjoying it. Slowing down and being present is something I’m striving to do more of.

  5. “People are willing to be brave when they admit their smallness within the enormity of the world, and the best way to understand our smallness is to leave our comfort zones and start exploring, one foot in front of the other.”
    That was one of my favourite quotes from the book too! The travel section was so inspiring, can’t wait to get back traveling again, this time with my little girl!

  6. People are willing to be brave when they admit their smallness within the enormity of the world, and the best way to understand our smallness is to leave our comfort zones and start exploring, one foot in front of the other.”
    This was one of my favourite posts from the book, too! Loved the travel section, so inspiring to see families like yours traveling and living overseas with kiddies. I can’t wait to travel again and introduce my baby girl to the big wide world.

  9. Thank you for this. I will be purchasing this book. I have a daughter who clearly has this spirit and she has helped me find my own. We went to Spain on a mother daughter trip and became friends. She is currently in Russia for the second time working as a guide for Olympics. At age 20 she has seen more of the world than I ever imagined and she loves traveling and learning about other cultures.She is a junior at UIC,balancing all like a pro. She has truly opened my eyes to the importance of following your heart and being brave.

  10. Steph- good read and good thoughts. I’ve been dying to know what life is like for you without a target and Starbucks in your backyard? And also, what it’s like without thrifting/junking? Have you found other things you love just as much or do you still find all these things accessible to you online? Or is it a strictly “when I live in America” thing. Maybe an idea for a blog post…
    Happy happy to see y’all are soaking it in and living it up (and a little jealous too!)
    Jan

  12. To drink deeply and to raise children to know the same is a reality that completely alludes me. Can’t believe I am even confessing it here. Perhaps this is a needful read as we desperately need to discover this. Would appreciate any other suggestions with this in mind.
    Glad I stopped by.
    ~jamie

  13. You know, I’ve been to a city where everybody is walking at leisure. I literally stopped walking and looked at all the people around me. I was the only one who was in a hurry. That was when I realised that that city has a laid back style.

  14. By the way, do you think it is advisable to get the cheapest holidays in Italy? I want to save on accommodations so that I can still have money for shopping. 🙂