We have been on the road for just over three months, leaving Ohio on November 8, 2014. We made the BIG decision early February last year. The nine months it took to actually move out of the house and into the Big Rig were a blur. Three months on the road, and beautiful sunsets, have given me a bit of perspective on what it took to successfully turn our lives upside down.
The hardest part was making the decision. Our decision came clear once we acknowledged ‘the thunk.’ As empty nesters, we were figuring out our next move – small house, condo, and/or warmer climate. We even started looking at real estate. Then we acknowledged the thunk – that empty hollow feeling you get when you’re trying to be excited about something that you’re really not. We both felt it. When we came around to the idea of the Big move into the Big Rig, no more thunk. We were both excited. Pay attention to the thunk. It’s telling.
Your decision will have ripples. We expected our family to be surprised, and because they love us, to be supportive. They were. We expected our friends to be the same. They were. My sister Cindy was our biggest supporter throughout the process. When cold feet mixed with guilt slipped in, she helped us realize, “If it’s the best thing for you, it’s the best for everyone.” (Whether they realize it or not.) This has proven true in surprising ways.
Give it a name. We lived in a large house with a full basement. We were not hoarders, but we had serious STUFF. Lots and lots and lots of stuff. We’re at the age where downsizing makes sense, but that doesn’t make it’s easy. I dubbed the process, “Curating Our Crap.” Not that our stuff was crap. It wasn’t. “Curating” made the process more about selecting the best rather than eliminating the crap. Made me feel better.
Start with the easy stuff. That’s what we did. We started by hauling off the Goodwill stuff that was already piled up. We had been ignoring the piles. Not exactly a big step, but it was a step. After lots of talking about the best way to start we decided it didn’t matter where we started. It just mattered that we started. Just start.
Change pushes you, whether it’s a BIG change like we’re in the midst of or a minor one. It doesn’t matter. It starts with the decision and goes from there. We all need a push now and then. It tests your resolve. That’s a good thing.
In whatever change you may be considering, my best advice is to pay attention to the thunk. When what you don’t want gets clear – it makes what you do want a lot easier to recognize.
More to come … in the meantime, enjoy the Mallards and the rogue Seagull. I find great joy in wildlife of all kinds. Here at Mission Bay in San Diego, we’re enjoying an abundance of waterfowl.