Change can be a good thing.

Change can be fearful,sad,exciting or any number of things, but for me, change has always been for the best and it has always been fearful and usually sad. Sound like an oxymoron? Let me try to explain. (it would be helpful to read my previous post) I loved the place I called home for 15 yrs. but I had recently retired from teaching and suddenly had nothing to hold me down. My Son and wife live in NYC and were expecting their 2nd baby, they needed help. What an opportunity! So yes,that 'change' was both sad (leaving my home) and good (Being close to my Son's family and experiencing life in New York) Now I am embarking on another chapter in this journey of life. I had planned to stay in New York for one year to help care for my two little Grandchildren, but that year turned into three. As the 1st year was drawing to an end I realized that was definitely not enough time. My montra became: "I will leave when I am ready." The primary reason I am 'ready' is that right now the children's energy levels are really high and mine is getting really low. Two things are working together to let me know this decision is right: My body and my desire to 'create' art full time. Will it be sad? It will break my heart! I love my New York family and I adore my little grandchildren, and life in New York is exciting! But I will also love living in beautiful Mpls. completely retired and ready to focus on myself and my three families there.(of course there will be many flights to NY and lots of Skyping.) Change can be a good thing. Every time I made a major decision to change something, it opened an entire new world to me: places,friends,and experiences. These changes never replaced my past, it is a part of my journey. My life is a book and there are many chapters in it. Each chapter has tears and joy. Don't be afraid to start a new Chapter if you are feeling a need to change something in your life.

Are you afraid of change

I want my posts to be about something I have some knowledge of, something credible to share and hopefully, can help someone along the way. Believe me when I say I really know something about 'Change'. This subject is high on my mind these days because I am about to make another big change in my life. Here is a 'quick list' of major changes in my life. NO CHANGE (nice and comfortable) 31 yrs of marriage,4 kids, owned a business, same town, same friends. 1. Ended marriage (talk about Change! Scary and sad) 2. Started college(at 48 yrs of age!Talk about scary) 3. Sold house (sad, but necessary) 4. Sold business (relief) 5. Graduated from college.( WOW!) 6. Moved to new unfamiliar city to start a new career: teaching.(scary) 7. 15 yrs later: Moved to NYC(Exciting) This is the important part, the part I want to share with you, the part that can help you if you are afraid of change. Decide on the 1st step! It would be overwhelming, if not impossible, to plan all of the steps at the beginning. (personal note:I wanted a happier life, I knew I needed to take the first step toward that goal) The first step is ALWAYS the scariest, and the hardest. KNOW that the other steps toward your goal will happen in due time. TRUST yourself and LIVE your life. (personal note: I couldn't have done it without Prayer and Faith) My next post is going to be about this next big change in my life. P.S. If you want to talk about this and prefer not to comment, feel free to email me (details in my profile)

STOP acting like you are old!

This is the first in my series of posts on aging. This isn't just about 'old' people because all of us start aging the minute we are born. I think most of us agree that we never feel as old as we are, I remember my Mother saying, "I don't feel any different or older than I ever did." I completely agree with her. Excluding people with health issues, it is my opinion that we have control on how we age. We hear it all the time; Eat healthy , exercise, everything in moderation. Of course I am not denying that, but what I think should be on the top of the list is Attitude. Have you decided to stay interested in others lives? Have you decided to keep on learning? Have you decided to remain physically active? Have you decided to continue looking good? (hair makeup, clothing, weight) Have you decided to have a sense of humor? Have you decided to find joy in life? Have you decided to keep things simple? Have you decided to remove stress in your life? Have you decided to see the good, not the bad in people? Have you decided to keep children in your life? I am sure there are many more, but you get the idea, if you don't want to feel old, then stop acting like you are. For me, one way to stay young is to allow change in your life,either natural or self induced. I will write more on that later, but for this post to be helpful and fun, I need comments and sharing. So please tell me what you think and what else I should put on that list.

'Change' can be a good thing.

This post, and those to come, are for me. But if there is anyone out there who finds that they are in a ‘rut’ and don’t know how to get out of it, you may be interested in my story.

I am about to embark on yet another huge adventure in my life. I am currently making plans to move to New York City, from a small town in Iowa, to live for one year as a Nanny for my 2 yr old granddaughter and yet-to- born, grandson.

The ‘theme’ of this first personal post is change. I will begin with a brief history of my past, but I will continue to journal from where I am right NOW, in the present. I intend to journal my way from here in Iowa to my destination in New York, and how a youthful 66 yr old handles life in the BIG CITY as a Nanny .

This is not the first time I have made a decision that completely changed my life as I knew it. At the age of 51 I moved from my hometown in So.Dak. to a small town in Iowa that I had never heard of, to begin a new career. Now, 15 years later I am going to do it again.

Here is my story and why I consider myself a 'Spokeswomen for change':


When I make a big change, there are many decisions to make. So many in fact, that I find it necessary to make a list and then deal with each; one at a time. I always start with only ONE thing on my list. Trying to project into the future and make every decision at once is too overwhelming. ONE item on the list is 'do-able'. That isn't so scary. I have faith, the next step will be there for me when I am ready. I make no decisions without prayer.



Change is very scary. It is the unknown, it isn't familiar. Change is uncomfortable. I think that may be why many people play it safe and don’t go with change. Thank God, literally, that I am not one of those people. Change has opened my world, and I have grown in every way. Sure, I’ve made some bad decisions, but have come out so much stronger and wiser because of the experiences.

Change brings growth.

Growth provides important lessons to be learned.

Contentment and happiness are the results.

This is the list I faced 20 yrs ago:

End a very lonely marriage of 31 yrs.

Find an apartment.

Move out of the house. (he wouldn't)

Begin college as a 48 yr old freshman.

Plan a class schedule to ensure a graduation in 4 yrs.

Sell the business I owned for the past 21 yrs.

Apply for a teaching position.

Make the decision to accept the offered job.

(difficult choice since I knew no one in the town and was alone)

Rent a U haul

Move

If anyone reading this needs encouragement, continue to log in. Maybe I can help you, or you can help me.

I have started a new list. The first item is done, I AM moving to New York. I am just pondering the 2nd item on the list, but that is for my next post.

Keep the faith and read today's quote.

Thanks for stopping by.

Diane