And Starting a New Chapter
Over the past few months, I have been largely silent on social media and my blog. I have been relocating with my wife and dog to New Mexico from Washington State, so I’ve been a bit busy.
It was a decision we didn’t make in haste, but after thoughtful consideration of where we were in life, it seemed like a good choice for us.
My wife and I work remotely, so nothing was tying us down to the state of Washington except that we had a network of friends who feel more like family. That was the most challenging part about leaving.
Purging, packing, and moving had me in moments when I was alone and had time to process and think. Going through all of your belongings has an effect on you that is unlike any other experience.
You have feelings of nostalgia for items with great memories, excitement when you find something you were looking for, and sadness when you pick up things that remind you of loved ones.
What feelings or emotions do I have when I am alone?
In the process of moving, I also released my second book. I didn’t do a big to-do about it because I didn’t have the time. I didn’t want to lose my sanity in the process of moving.
It left me feeling like a little bit of a failure because I didn’t launch my book the way the experts tell you to. Ideally, they say to engage a launch team, be visible on social media, and bring lots of hype.
I didn’t do any of those things. I promoted a little bit before I released the book to let people know it was coming, but that was about it. Over the last few months, I realized it was okay to do exactly what I did.
The question I asked myself each day was…
“Am I holding myself accountable for my actions?”
I needed to ensure that I was confident that I was fulfilling my decisions to ensure our move went smoothly. But, unfortunately, the book’s timing coincided with the move’s timing. And in the end, it was essential to get the move done right.
I have spent a lot of time with people from different backgrounds and job types, and I don’t hear many genuinely say that they want to hold themselves accountable each day.
When I reflect, I think that is one of the missing ingredients to finding work:life harmony. If you aren’t holding yourself to a standard to finish the things you start, you will find very little fulfillment in life.
This week marks the first week in New Mexico and the first week in the next chapter of my and my wife’s lives. We are excited about the upcoming opportunities and look forward to hitting the reset button.
You rarely get the opportunity to do that, and if I could change anything about my life, it would be to hit that button.
And so, here we are, resetting and changing direction. Sometimes the reset brings anxiety and uneasiness, but all things that are unknown to us can create those feelings. It can also be challenging to start over in a new place. Building a new community of people and including some of the old can also be difficult.
But in the wise words of the late Miyamoto Musashi, “It may seem difficult at first, but everything is difficult at first.”
Be well, my friend, and if you’d like to pick up a copy of either of my books, I have included the links below.
The War Within Us: https://amzn.to/3Kne8Qe
Always Improving: https://amzn.to/3OLjp60
Steve Beauchamp 