If you can’t escape the difficulties, you can learn how to effectively handle them. Moving without madness is not trying to avoid the roadblocks that are bound to get in your way on the journey to your new destination. It will depend on how well you take care of your needs. The book focuses on meeting needs basic to survival. There are five --physical, emotional, social, achievement, spiritual. Satisfy your needs to thrive and flourish.
These suggestions and skills are condensed from the book.
MEET YOUR PHYSICAL NEEDS
Moving means you need to take special care of your body. Moving can be stressful. Plan for rest, relaxation and time out, even a five-minute break.
Breathing can save your life. Deep diaphragmatic breathing increases oxygen intake, feeds the brain, body and balances immune system.
MEET YOUR EMOTIONAL NEEDS
What human being has not felt a tug on their heartstrings when faced with losing something valuable and basic to their well-being. Moving brings up similar emotions as looking for a new job, getting a divorce or going through a major illness. Understand how they are triggered. Moving is a time of leave-taking and the separation from family support and love is bound to bring up feelings.
MEET YOUR SOCIAL NEEDS
It’s hard thinking of leaving your loved ones behind and making new friends. However, we are “social animals” and naturally gravitate toward each other. Like the pioneers of old, you can make your way to a new home
Talk out your feelings with an objective friend or family member or make an appointment with a professional counselor if you don’t have anyone who will just listen and accept your feelings.
Plan good-bye dinners, brunches or coffees with small groups of family and friends or one at a time and make future plans to visit.
Have a ceremony to commemorate the occasion - a moving party to mark both the ending and the new beginning.
Visit the new area to get accustomed to being part of the community Visit the library, chamber of commerce, place of worship and social clubs. Get information about new social contacts.
MEET YOUR MENTAL (ACHIEVEMENT) NEEDS
We all have work whether a hobby or career that provides us with achievement, a sense purpose and is rewarding. Keep your mental ability sharp to use during moving to solve problems.
MEET YOUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS
There are people in this world that consider moving to be an ordinary affair or a lark, and thought nothing of it. Others don’t. For some it is a spiritual experience and one that merits prayer. The act of letting go of control, of surrendering can be our greatest ally during times of stress.
To sum up, moving is also a metaphor for life. Both can be painful or a joyous event. It’s all in your perspective. I am grateful for the wisdom I have acquired that I can now share with you. I know now that we live life the best we can and take care of ourselves to the best of our ability in the moment. We need to forgive ourselves a lot for being ordinary mortals with tempers and touchiness, and then go on with our lives.
I hope that as you go on with your life you always have steady wings to fly with and a safe nest to come home to.
