I moved a few weeks back. I’m still in California, but it’s a new town and new digs. I felt disoriented at first, like a fish out of water (or is that ‘monkey out of the jungle?’), even though I had email, social media, IM, and texting to keep me in touch with friends and family.
I got lost a few times exploring my new surroundings (“Where’s a good, local restaurant?” “Where’s the nearest coffee shop?” “Where can I pick up groceries?” “Is there a gym close by?”) as well as my internal space (“Where’d I put my cell phone charger?” “In what box did I pack my socks?” “Where’s the light switch?” “Where’s my tooth brush?”)
Needless to say, I felt out of sorts, uncomfortable, as though I had lost my “mojo.” Simple things that were once routine, such as getting across town, became more complex (“Do I turn left, right, or go straight?” “Can I even get there from here?”)
At first, I was frustrated, but then I started to wonder if what I was feeling was a bad thing . . . or a good thing? Forced out of my comfort zone, everything was new; the opportunity for discovery lurked around every corner.
As children, we are naturally curious. Every thing and every day is a new experience, an opportunity to learn and to grow. Even as young adults, away from home for the first time, going to college, starting careers and families, most of us embrace the excitement of the journey. It’s what stimulates creativity, innovation, and leads to success. We sort of lose that as adults. We settle into routines, habits, tedium.
Moving changed that for me. It required me to shift my perspective, to see things through “new” eyes. I just didn’t realize it at first. You see, I wasn’t getting “lost,” I was simply discovering places I’d never been and learning new things along the way. To me, that translates into opportunity: new places to explore, new relationships to cultivate, new prospects for personal and professional growth.
You never know when opportunity might knock and if you should open the door and step on through—you only need to be aware of the signs . . . and remain open to the possibility.
