Most people I know hate moving. It’s a physically and emotionally taxing process to have everything in your home packed up and moved into a new home where you have to spend weeks and months setting everything up again before you feel truly settled in. The amount of work it takes is incredible, but there are huge benefits to creating such a big change in your life.

The truth is, I like moving. It gives me a fresh start and a chance to re-evaluate everything in my life and an opportunity to make changes to improve my life. I find that most people don’t share my sentiment, but because I know my mission is to truly create a life I love, I am ready and willing to make any drastic changes necessary in my life to create a better future.

I just recently moved to a new place just a few weeks ago, hence the delay in posting. Thanks for your patience! Moving is a lot of work, especially with a baby, but looking back, it was worth every ounce of effort.

We were nervous about how the baby would adjust to a new home and a new daycare, but it was absolutely seamless that it truly surprised us! All the effort it took to find a new home that fit the criteria we was looking for, get all the paperwork together to apply, find a new day care, and logistically schedule movers and time off to make it all happen was all worth it.

Practically speaking, our family did not need to move. We were only moving one neighborhood away, a 10-15 minute walk. Everything was situated… day care, my studio nearby, we were in an elevator building and located right next to the train, making it a very convenient commute to the city. We had everything we needed when we moved in a year ago.

But, I had a gnawing feeling in my heart that said that although we had an amazing setup, there was something out there that would fit our needs better. We just weren’t utilizing our space or my studio well, and I wasn’t quite living up to the lifestyle I had imagined for myself.

I had a feeling that my environment was a big contributor to how I was feeling. Our needs were changing as my baby was growing, our family’s goals were changing, and as we were learning what we truly valued and what we didn’t.

Sometimes what you think you want is not actually what you want. What you really, REALLY want is something else.

A fancy kitchen is nice, but what I really wanted was space to bring my studio inside my home so that I can work in the evenings when I had time after the baby went to bed. What I wanted was more living space and less bedroom and bathroom space since that’s where we spent most of our time. I wanted to be closer to the the areas I walked to every day. It seems like little things, but a lot of little things can really impact your lifestyle.

What you want one year is not always what you want the next. Things change over time and it’s important to recognize that and adjust accordingly. If things are working for you, great. But, if they’re not, even if it will require a lot of effort, it may be worth it to make a change.

Rather than settling (if you can really call it that), I decided to really create the life I really wanted. The amount of effort to create this big change in my life paid off in more ways than I could have imagined. Despite all the work it required to research and visit places, find a new day care, sell stuff we don’t need, find movers, find a new renter for my studio, etc., it brought in a renewed sense of energy, excitement, and big positive changes to my life. We are just steps to absolutely everything we need and wanted. I even have a gym a block away. No excuses for not working out anymore!

This move taught me a very important lesson. Just because your current situation seems perfect doesn’t mean it actually is. All the little annoyances and things that you wish were different add up to feelings of being “stuck.” Changing your environment can be a lot of work, but can definitely be worth the effort if you know it’s not fueling a productive and happy life.

Your environment has so much influence in your life.

• Neighborhood – What you see in your neighborhood during your daily commute to work affects your mood.
• Furniture Layout – The way you set up your furniture affects the way you use your space and the way energy flows through the space.
• Decorations – The way you decorate communicates subconscious messages that affect you every day.
• Location – Proximity to stores, the gym, grocery stores, coffee houses, and other places determine how frequently you will visit these places.

Colors, shapes, sounds, layout… all of it impacts your lifestyle. And most of all, how you FEEL in the space will determine the state you will be in as you do everything else in your life.

Benefits of Moving

Cleaning Out Your Stuff
One of the biggest benefits to moving is it forces you to go through all of your belongings and really evaluate what you want to keep in your new life. It gives you an opportunity to give yourself a fresh start.

Uncovers Hidden Emotional “Junk”
One of the things I have noticed time and time again with each move is how much moving shifts energy in such a way that it brings up latent issues to the surface. As you clean and organize your physical things, you will find that unresolved problems and issues will also resurface, giving you an opportunity to face them and address them.

Although this process is not pleasant, moving provides an opportunity to clean out emotional junk. Don’t be surprised if there is extra moodiness or fighting between family members shortly after a move. There is a lot of energy being shifted and old issues and problems will come up. By addressing these issues you will be clearing out emotional junk and paving the way for a brighter future.

Renewed Energy
The feeling of starting new brings in energy and excitement. New energy will give you the motivation to be more productive and make positive changes in other areas of your life.

Ways to Create a Supportive Environment Without Moving

I know moving is not a practical for everyone, so if you aren’t ready for an actual move, think about what’s not working in your life and how shifting your environment a little can support the lifestyle you want for yourself.

Some things to consider to create a more supportive environment:

• Do you have pieces of furniture in your home you don’t use?
  What you actually use can give you insight into what you actually need. Perhaps a new furniture layout can help you create a more welcoming environment that encourages the use of all your furniture.

• How do you feel in each of the rooms in your home?
  It’s surprising what a new color scheme, new pictures, or rearranging objects can do to make a space feel great. Add object or image to your home that inspires or uplifts you every time you see it.

• Is there clutter in a certain area of your home?
  Chances are that area corresponds to an area of your life that feels stuck. Clearing out clutter in all areas of your home will give you back your energy rather than tying it down in clutter.

• Are there things you don’t use in your home?
  The things we own that we don’t use take up mental and physical space in our lives. By letting go of these things, we will feel lighter and have more space to bring in new opportunities.

• What does the artwork you have hanging up in your home say about you?
  Remember that the pictures you hang up on your walls speak to you subconsciously every day as you see them and pass by these images. Analyze each images and see if it represents what you want to create in your life.

One way to really look at your space objectively is to take photos of it and see it from a photograph. You may notice things in there that you don’t see every day because you are used to seeing things where they are.

Our physical environment is a reflection of our mental state. By changing our environment we can help change our mental state, and vice versa. When we change our mental state, we naturally clean up and improve our environment.

Wishing you a healthy, happy, and productive life! May your environment support everything you wish to accomplish and do in your life!