“Fear and anxiety many times indicates that we are moving in a positive direction, out of the safe confines of our comfort zone, and in the direction of our true purpose.”
― Charles F. Glassman, Brain Drain The Breakthrough That Will Change Your Life
Many of you know that we have sold our home in Grandview, WA, so we can move to Tri-Cities, WA, where Dennis has been working for two years. He won’t have much of a commute time and it will open up more business avenues for me. Although, the moment we put our home on the market, I acquired more clients here. Go figure.
As a recovering control freak, who likes to have her ducks in a row—well, I can’t even hear them quacking. We’ve been looking these last couple days, since our home deal closes this August 30! Of all the homes that we looked at, the only home that I wanted to move into was the model in a brand new subdivision and they wouldn’t sell it to us. And I begged. We could have a home just like that…in January 2020. Fine.
Where do we live? How do we move all this stuff? What needs to go to Goodwill? Do we hire a mover, if so, which one? I am definitely out of my comfort zone. Dennis and I know that part of our purpose is to make the move, but there are so many unknowns. Anxiety surfaced. Anxiety makes me grumpy. Well, maybe it’s not the anxiety, it’s probably lack of control, that makes me irritable. Not only that, but this situation took my appetite (and nothing ever does that) and gave me a tightness in my stomach.
I am a life/business/executive coach who collaborates with my clients so they can crush limiting beliefs and mindsets to achieve their full potential. Geesh, I needed my own strategy to conquer anxiety and it took some reflection (and coaching,) but here’s my game plan:
1. Trust God. Since He formed my life and all the days ordained for it before the foundation of the universe, He knows my future. He’s happy to make it known to me…in His timing. I looked back to all the people in the Bible who faced unknowns, Rahab, Abraham, Noah, Ruth–the list goes on. The futures of these people who trusted in God turned out way better than they ever dreamed. God hasn’t changed, either, AND His faithfulness to me has been outstanding.
2. Stay focused. I can look at homes and help the agents get this deal closed. I also need to stay focused on my clients and their needs. Of course, my close relationships still need to be nurtured, as well. I can’t allow this home-selling-buying process to be a distraction from my priorities.
3. Change my perspective. I decided this on my drive home from Tri-Cities this morning. I can focus on all the homes that are out of my price range and get depressed. I can view this home-hunting as a chore, a necessary frustration. Purging and packing–meh! I decided to start looking at this whole move thing as an adventure. The home we are supposed to live in is out there…somewhere. I need to joyfully search through homes that others have loved to find that perfect one for us.
Will being anxious or fearful about the unknowns impact the outcome? Not a bit, so why bother. I am making the choice to live in expectation and excitement for this new chapter in our lives. That perspective just feels good all over. Will I always choose this new perspective? Maybe not, but I have experienced that peaceful feeling when I make that choice. Since I have successfully achieved that good feeling, I know how to get there again! Perfect practice makes perfect.
I hope you can use these steps, and maybe even add to them with your own, when the unknowns in your life try to rule your attitude.
Peacefully typed,
Jan
Jan McDonald
The John Maxwell Team
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