The Moving Blues
If you have ever moved your family and your business half way across the country, then you probably have experienced the moving blues or even stronger depression. There can often be a sense of loss over routine, familiarity, and a sense of impending failure as a business owner. I was recently talking to a fellow photographer, military spouse, and college friend about moving her family and business. They had moved from one end of the country to the other as her husband retired and for them there was a huge sense of the moving blues. She asked me if I often experienced the same thing and to be honest, I have. It can be lonely and frustrating to be in a new place with no sense of roots but it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are our three easy steps to sweep out the moving blues and bring in a sense of excitement and adventure to a new place.
Research
Research doesn’t sound like fun to me. It never did, except when you are talking about a move. I get ridiculously excited about researching for our moves, so excited in fact that my husband feels the need to reign me in a bit, but who can’t get excited about the fact that there is a Hobby Lobby a mile from our new house. Ok, so that may be a little bit extreme but you can kinda get where I am going with this. Here are a few of the things we research ahead of time:
- Places we like to shop (especially when our current town doesn’t have it) – Anthro, Target, Pottery Barn, Hobby Lobby, Whole Foods
- Lists of the best places to eat in the area – We use Food Network and other online lists of 50 best places to eat in the state we are moving to.
- Wedding Venues – One of the best things about moving is new locations to work with and shoot at. Hello pretty new Cathedral!
- Fun museums and activities to go to as a family
- Farmers Markets – have I mentioned we are foodies
Plan
The more you plan out your impending move, the more smoothly it should go for your family and your business. Reach out for help from family and friends to make this easier if you have young kids and plan fun activities as you settle into your new place. It is really easy to try and make your move into a marathon of unpacking but don’t. Actively make a decision to take breaks and reward yourself for accomplishing big tasks (including the ones for your business)
Get off Your Butt
Getting off your butt and out of the house is seriously the best thing you can do for yourself, your family, and your business. If you normally work from home, go to a local library or coffee shop. Learn as quickly as you can how to be a “native” of the area you are in. Do things you keep saying you want to do but don’t. This sounds like such simple advice but our first move as a business owner was really rough on me. I didn’t handle it well and because of that my business and family life suffered.
Change Your Mindset
Moving doesn’t have to be hard or depressing. It can be an adventure and a big gateway into new opportunities for your family and your business. When you make a determined effort to shift how you view your upcoming move, you will be amazed at how everything else changes. It is easy to cling to how perfect the last location you lived in was or how undersaturated the market was but the reality is where you are is where you are supposed to be. Make the best of it and bloom where you are now planted.
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