Moving On

When is it time to move on, away from the familiar and the safe. When do you take that leap of faith and not look back – even if that means you will lose something along the way. I think this happens when your heart grows so full of something that it inevitably pushes something else out. After all, if your heart is not in it, you may be wasting precious time.

Any time I try something new, I throw it out there to see if it sticks. Instead of looking before I leap, I sometimes leap first without a pause or so much as a how-do-you-do. This approach challenges me to rise to the occasion, forces me to reach out and grab at something I may not have tried before. But it’s still scary – and failure is not something I do well. However, I realize that if I push myself and fail anyway, I am one step closer to success because the fear of failure is far greater than the reality.

So this is the year I made the leap. This is the year I cut the apron strings and will learn how to fly as many times as I fall down. And when I fall, I will lick my wounds and get back up again. I will push towards my goal even if that means walking up, over, and around the obstacles that will get in my way.

Here's my story: I have hung up my hat as “designer”. After 20 years of working with clients, schlepping paint samples and pillow cushions, I will no longer take on design work. I said “no” to the million-dollar property just up the street, I threw away the commercial bid from a local college, and I feel light as a feather. The good news (for all of you who think I’ve finally lost it) is that I still get to work in this field. I still get to make pretty and create, only as a teacher and a writer. In fact, I’ve lightened up my class load, too. I have a new project in the works and my mornings are now spent writing articles and posts like this. I have re-done one website and my webmaster is working on the changes to the other one. My blog has shifted its focus to include more thoughtful posts (like this) to broaden my readers idea of home and living well. I feel like it’s finally all coming together.

I'm looking forward to the next chapter, a new chapter. Moving on doesn’t necessarily mean moving away from the person you were, it means moving toward the person you’re becoming, towards something and someone closer to your heart.

Photo: La Tartine Gourmande