Moving is most often a reason to celebrate. A new season, a fresh start, a new city, or state, perhaps a new country. Leaving the old behind to pursue the new is what change and growth are all about. We are sitting on the cusp of summer, where the day runs a little hotter than spring (perhaps you will miss the freshness of warming weather), however the days run brighter and longer. The beauty of summer is the ability to do more.
Growth demands that we move out of the current place we are in. Sometimes we hold onto that space and try to rent it back to ourselves while we are growing. This is the essence of being comfortable.
To fully grasp change and growth, we must turn to the uncomfortable, yet when we embrace the newness of uncertainty, like moving into a new home, our perspective can shift.
Shifting Perspectives – Packing Up
One challenge we face during the changing seasons is that of comfort. Stepping out into discomfort produces more growth than anything else. Sure, we need to tend to (take responsibility for) the things we must for change to happen, however our perspective (mindset) while we are navigating change is where we will have the most breakthrough.
When it comes to moving, notice how it always tends to take longer to pack up than to unpack. This is because as we are boxing our belongings up, we are grabbing things that maybe we haven’t touches in years, or even seen. We begin to get sentimental, stopping movement to reflect on those past memories sparked by the item. We hover it over the box of trash (conveniently labeled “give-away”) frantically deciding whether it’s time to let it go.
We justify to ourselves, and sometimes other members of the family why we need to keep it only to go through the same process when we move again.
Moving Builds Stamina
On the other hand, when we move, we experience growth. Sometimes it is a physical growth of our muscles moving all the boxes we have. Sometimes it is the prolonged days and nights under tight timelines that develop our stamina by perseverance.
Regardless of what it is, we must embrace what is going on…. Change.
Each time we move into a new place, either physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually we engage ourselves at a different level. This engagement is exactly what we need to experience to embrace changing season and growth.
“But I Have Never Moved”
Some people have had the experience where they have never physically moved from one place to another. First off, bless you for that kind of simplicity in the physical. Moving is never easy. Secondly, I would say, you have.
Even if you have never had a major physical move, we have all experienced change. However, I would say that everyone has moved at least once in their life, even if it was from their childhood home into their adult home.
Change requires moving
The Benefits of Moving
For all the emotions we experience when we move, the ups and downs, from the high highs to the low lows and everything in between, the moment we unpack at our new place, we sit down on the couch and breathe a sigh of relief. That’s typically followed by a “this is great, let’s never do it again….”
Once we settle into the new place, we begin to see how wonderful it is. We have new angles, new views, new feelings, all that are required for us to grow.
Moving gives us motivation to embrace the new.