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!

A Purpose

"Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction." -John Fitzgerald Kennedy

Purpose and direction, two of the things that can be essential to living a happy life. Where are we headed and why? It is a pretty simple question but can be very difficult to answer. We question ourselves over and over trying to figure this one out. So much that we can become mired in the muddiness of the question itself.

As we try to answer the question, we work hard in trying to get somewhere. We say if we just work hard enough, put out enough effort, we will end up where we want. But where is it you will end up if you do not have any idea where "that place" is?

You may be asking yourself now, "gosh, he always says that we need to get up and move in order to make change." Am I saying that you should sit still until you figure out that purpose and direction? Of course not and traveling in circles is not a good idea either.

What I am trying to tell you is that you need to get up and move. Change will come as you head off in one direction. The idea though is to examine the direction you are headed. You may find that it is not correct, but at least now you know what "is not" the purpose for your life.

I liken it to someone giving up everything to minister to the poor, sick, orphaned, and dying like Mother Teresa. You may find that once you start heading in that direction, it really is not using your abilities very well. It could be that you were meant to make millions of dollars in the business world like the author J. K. Rowling whom has contributed tens of millions to fight poverty.

While Mother Teresa has passed on, what she left behind continues to accomplish a tremendous amount. What Ms. Rowling is doing will also live on for a very long time. Both created purpose and direction in their life; they are examples at both ends of the spectrum. You can accomplish an awful lot somewhere in between as well.

As you can see, it is in getting up and moving that starts to create change. You examine that change, evaluate it as you move and then change direction until you one fine moment realize, "this is my purpose and direction." It will happen when you least expect it. And above all, stay inspired my friends.

Don't Hold On, Get Moving

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known." ~Carl Sagan

I am currently away this week but will return next Monday. So please hold if you wish, but I would recommend getting on with something great for your life.

I'll be back soon to encourage you along the way. So get moving, keep moving and have a great week as well.