Tag Archives: change

Happy New Year!

1 Jan

Champagne by Anders Adermark on Flickr

We stopped making New Year’s resolutions long ago.  There came a time when it started to feel absurd that we would resolve to change something just because of the time of year, but I suppose it’s as good a time as any to really sit down and really evaluate yourself and your life.

One of the major things Justin and I have done differently in the last few years is to make a conscious effort to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations.  I know, it sounds strange, but it’s been one of the best things we’ve done for ourselves.

It started when I stumbled across a little graphic that looked a bit like this:

Magic

This idea resonated so completely for me that I still use it to help guide my choices.

For us, stepping outside our comfort zone has meant a lot of different things, ranging from small steps, to huge leaps.

It was uncomfortable to quit our jobs without any real plan for what we’d be doing in the future.  It was uncomfortable when I finally decided to quit smoking.  It was uncomfortable when Justin went back to school full time and still had to have a full time job.

All these things were difficult for us, but all of them have ultimately resulted in us being happier and more at ease with ourselves and where we are in life.

Stepping outside your comfort zone could mean lots of things:

  • Taking up a new hobby or sport.
  • Putting aside a shy nature and introducing yourself to new people.
  • Getting rid of things that are cluttering up your home.
  • Leaving a relationship or job that is no longer fulfilling.

It can be difficult to take risks to change your life, but isn’t now just as good a time as any to decide you’re worth it?  We think it is, so we wish all of you a Happy New Year filled with all kinds of magic!

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Time To Move On

19 Oct

It seems like just a few days ago that we were packing up our apartment and driving out of NYC, yet here we are, at the end of our 4 months in Vermont.   In exactly two weeks we’ll be on our kick-off flight to Peru for the first leg of our round-the-world trip.

I’ve had the pleasure of living in many different places over the last 15 years, so I’ve had a lot of practice at saying goodbye to people and places I’ve fallen in love with.  This time it’s different.  This time I have to say goodbye to our home in Vermont, a place that holds some of my most cherished memories.

We spent summers here when I was a child.  In college we invited friends up and had rambunctious weekend festivities.  It was our escape from the grime and the noise of New York.  It is where we were married.  This home feels more like ‘home’ to me than any other house I’ve lived in.  We’ve always had a hard time packing up to leave after being here, but this time is different.  This time we are leaving for good.  The house is for sale, and by the time we return it very probably will belong to someone else.  Saying goodbye sucks.

Just the other day So Many Places wrote this post about the odd combination of paralyzing doubt and manic excitement that comes with this type of journey.  It could not have more perfectly summed up how I’ve felt over these past months, and especially the last few weeks, as we make all the preparations for this journey.

It’s the opportunity of a lifetime, but it’s also terrifying.   There are adventures to be had, beautiful scenery to witness, and interesting people to meet.  In order to do this we have to let go of the sense of control we normally have.  We had to find a temporary home for our kitties.  We had to give up our notion of what adult life is like.  We had to embrace a huge amount of change, and change is hard.

The thing is, without change, well, nothing actually changes.  So, tonight we will spend some time remembering the joy we’ve experienced here, and tomorrow we’ll welcome the next step.

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