Celebrating Change: How to Navigate the Next Chapter in Life

From the title of this post, you might assume I have the answer to that question. The truth is, I’m still trying to figure it all out. It’s my hope that by sharing what I’ve learned so far, you’ll be prompted to do the same!

Starting a new chapter in life is never easy. It inevitably brings unforeseen challenges, all while holding the promise of amazing opportunities and adventures ahead. Navigating your way through it all can be daunting to say the least! I have found that taking a look back and drawing on your experiences can help you see the path forward with greater clarity.

Getting married, starting a family, then learning to let go when the time comes… all difficult chapters to work through. The rewards are incredible but sometimes hard to see when you’re in the thick of things. Compromise, sacrifice, and an enormous amount of prayer is key at this stage of the game.

Then comes the empty nest phase. Transitioning from the one who holds the permission slips to the trusted friend whose advice is sought but rarely followed is a tough one. Nerves of steel and a whole lot of patience will be needed here.

This chapter, where we are today… requires a whole other skill set which I am trying my hardest to develop. After years of honing my planning abilities, fine tuning my talent for problem solving, and mastering the art of juggling 10 different earth shattering situations at once… I am, quite simply, learning to “go with the flow.”

Westward Bound Towards New Beginnings

As most of you know, we put our home of twenty years on the market this past year. Not an easy decision by any means, but one we felt was necessary. Every day seemed to bring a new challenge for us in the home we had loved so much. Too big and way too much yard to care for. The stairs had become an actual obstacle and the thought of another winter weighed heavily on us both. With that decision made, the question of where was still on the table.

We spent most of the summer and early fall renovating, weeding out, and packing up. We spent countless hours talking about “the where.” In the end, we made a list of “maybes” and decided to combine exploring those places with a much needed, and long overdue vacation.

Sunny and 75

There was no question where our first stop would be. Seeing Katie was first and foremost on our minds. We made it there in just in time to spend Thanksgiving with our girl. Although the San Diego area topped our list, we knew we would be returning for Christmas as well. This visit was strictly for some R&R.

We loved just being with Katie and spoiling our grandpups. We spent every day by the water and let the stress roll away with the waves. Katie took charge of the holiday and for the first time in years, we did not prepare Thanksgiving dinner. It was amazing! Leaving her is always hard but we knew we would be back soon enough.

Living on Lake Time

From there we visited my bestie in her beautiful new home in Lake Havasu. Spending time with Rhonda was exactly the therapy I needed after the chaos of this past year. To say she grounds me might just be the understatement of the century!

We had a fantastic time. She showed us all her favorite places, got us out on the lake a few times, and introduced us to some amazing new friends. Loved seeing the London Bridge and the Christmas Boat Parade! Although we couldn’t see ourselves in Havasu right now on a permanent basis, it remains on our list for the future.

Christmas by the Sea

We returned to San Diego for Christmas. Realizing saying goodbye to Rhonda again so quickly would not be good for my soul, we talked her into joining us for a Disneyland visit. Always a favorite place for our family, the park decked out for the holidays was so amazing to see. Such a fun time!

I knew Christmas would be hard not being at home and not seeing Wes. We wanted there to be no room to compare with years past. For Christmas Eve, we took a catamaran tour to spend some time on the water. It turned out to be a day I will never forget. We are thinking this will become a new holiday tradition for us all!

Then it was time to get serious. We visited several areas that we thought might be the place for us. We’ve spent a lot of time in California over the years and it has always felt like our second home. But this time felt different. It was harder for us to shrug off the crowds and the endless traffic. I’m not sure if our age has made us less tolerant or if the thought of fighting this on a daily basis was just too overwhelming. We left feeling a bit deflated and a little bit lost.

Land of the Endless Sun

When all was said and done, we did what we considered to be the safest bet. We moved to Arizona. This is not foreign territory for either of us. I have lived here before years ago. My husband’s parents as well as my own called this home in their later years. We still have family and friends here. We know the pros and cons.

That being said, it has been quite a few years since we’ve dealt with an Arizona summer for more than two weeks at a time. While we couldn’t bring ourselves to pull the trigger and buy a home here, we did commit to living here for a solid year. We’ve rented an adorable little home with a pool out back which we hope will help us adjust. It’s a gorgeous place and there is not a single set of stairs anywhere!

More importantly, it is a morning’s drive to visit Katie in San Diego, a short flight from Wes in Denver, and a stone’s throw from Rhonda in Lake Havasu. To make it even sweeter, my other bestie is right here in the same city that we moved to together right out of high school! Connecting with her for the first time in ages made the years melt away and I’m so happy to be together again. For the first time in forever, I will be able to get together with my sisters for their annual birthday celebrations too!

I think the key to navigating through whatever chapter you’re in at the moment is to celebrate the change. Every chapter is a crucial part of your story. Some are harder than others but there is joy to be found in each and every one. Pray through the hard times, rejoice in the good times, and if all else fails, just… go with the flow!

Stay Tuned…

We moved in February 1st and thankfully Wes flew down to help us get settled. It was such a joy to see him again. I miss having him so close by! We are finally settled in and it’s beginning to feel a little more like home everyday. I’m so excited to share it with you in the coming weeks!

I’ve got just a few finishing touches to take care of but I’ll be back soon to invite you inside for a visit. In the meantime, be sure to check out my latest post, Springtime Printables to Brighten Your Day. Always free to subscribers, simply head to the Library to download and print your favorites. You can find your password in the latest newsletter in case you’ve forgotten.

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Thanks so much for stopping by. See you soon!