From stress to
adventure
by Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D.
Ten tips to transform your move
into a creative life transition.
1. Ask, "Who am I? What do I need to be
happy?"
Sometimes you don't realize what you love
until it's gone. My
book has several exercises to help: Weekly wrap-up, Protected
Witness and more!
2. Hire professional packers -- or be
your own pro.
When you pack, you open up the hidden
places. Packing up the attic, basement or messy kitchen drawer, will
force confrontation with a part of the self that has not been visited
for years. Often "I have" means saying "I am."
Professional packers do not make
judgments. They do not sort through your closets, sighing over the
pants that won't fit anymore. They pack everything.
If you pack your own household, follow
the example of the pros.
Pack everything. Pack fast. And don't
judge.
3. Pack an emotional first aid kit.
Packing your best intentions isn't
enough.
When you undertake a voyage into
the unknown, you pack sunblock, Band-Aids, and insect repellent, as
well as the basic medications for unexpected encounters with local food
and water.
For your first six months, prepare an
emotional first aid kit to deal with stresses you are likely to
encounter.
4. Honor your new home.
As you unpack, play your favorite music
and enjoy your favorite foods.
Arrange one room -or one corner of the
room-to look familiar. Some people create a ritual of settling in to
make the new house their own.
5. Create your own tugboat.
Think of a tugboat that guides an ocean
liner out of the harbor. Ocean liners are designed to move smoothly on
the high seas and they need special handling while they're close to
shore. For the first six months in your new home, create your own
tugboat -- a temporary identity that can be released with gratitude
when you reach cruising speed on the high seas.
6. Make new friends by doing what you
love.
Fill your life with activities that will
be creative and fulfilling. When you nurture yourself, you communicate
strength and confidence to others. If you are seen as vulnerable and
needy, you will attract negative people and negative experiences.
7. Be your own best camp counselor.
Camp counselors, boarding school
directors and drill sergeants know: If you fill the time, newcomers
won't have time to be homesick. Fill your own schedule!
8. Celebrate everyday life.
Think small.
A walk around the lake.
A perfect cup of coffee in a nearby
coffee shop.
A friendly face at the local
hardware store.
Listen for the moments when you say, "I
could get used to this..."
9. Ask The Big Move Question: Can I still
be me?
Moving interrupts identity. The secret to
a successful move depends on how you answer the question, "Can I still
be me?"
10. Embark on an adventure.
Believe it or not, many people love to
move and describe their relocation as a great adventure! I like to
compare moving to time travel. After the moving van has been loaded,
you go to sleep in a bare room. The next morning, you wake up to a
world of exciting possibilities.
No matter what happens, you will find at
least one pocket of joy in your new life. Everyone I've interviewed
said, "Even when I was happy to move, there was always something I
hated to leave behind.
"And even when I dreaded moving, there
was always something wonderful that I had never expected.