Moving Six Miles

"Don’t worry about being worried. You’re heading out on an adventure and you can always change your mind along the way and try something else." -Tracy Kidder

I found it kind of cool that on the same day our good friends Dave and Annie Spell talk about moving into their new home in Brazil; Laura and I are closing and moving into our new home. For both the Spells and ourselves, there is always a moment or two of anxiety and worry. It happens to all of us and it is usually the first hurdle to overcome when change is being contemplated.

If you follow David Spell's blog, you will have seen the great change he and Annie made. In a life changing move, they are now living in Curitiba, Brazil. For my wife and I, we moved six miles. But the point isn't to compare one to the other because change is a very personal thing to go through. The home we are leaving has been our home for over eighteen years. The familiarity of the the door opening, a creak in the floor or traversing a darkened room will all change.

I even found myself the other day wondering how will I drive to work or home from the new house. Everything is different and strange to the patterns established over so many years. And laying down deep, under the anxiety and worry is this excitement starting to boil up. An excitement that is being held down until the keys are in my hands. An excitement that waits until our old home is sold and I can truly release it.

There are so many times though when we keep ourselves from making a change because we either do not want the anxiety and worry. Other times because we are too afraid of allowing excitement into our lives. But change is how we move ahead in life. It is how we are able to accomplish the impossible. We become self-defeating before we even attempt the change.

To help you, Stan Goldberg, Ph.D. writes in Psychology Today about 10 major principles to help you with change.

- All Behaviors Are Complex
- Change Is Frightening
- Change Must Be Positive
- Being Is Easier Than Becoming
- Slower Is Better
- Know More, Do Better
- Change Requires Structure
- Practice Is Necessary
- New Behaviors Must Be Protected
- Small Successes Are Big

Each of these principles will help you look at yourself in a different manner, allowing change to occur, allowing you to move your life forward. Change happens everyday whether we like it or not. Some changes are big, some changes are little, but change does happen. Allow change to have a positive or better yet, an exciting impact upon your life.

And stay inspired my friends!