How Do You Know Where To Go?

How do you know where to go, when it’s time to move? Most of us have had the experience of picking the next place. How do you know which one is “the one”?

 

A totally new location?

Earlier this year, I decided I wanted to move. But I didn’t know where I wanted to go! I thought of all the options out there – even had an astrocartography reading (if you don’t know what that is, look it up! Fascinating!) I eventually thought I might like New England or the mountains in North Carolina or Virginia. So many people commented on how cold the winters are in New England that I began to have second thoughts about that. And the more I thought about mountain areas, the more I wondered if I really wanted to do another major move after this one, in case it wasn’t a good fit.

 

Or someplace familiar?

I finally chose to go back to my hometown, Richmond Virginia, for several reasons. I like the four seasons there: just enough winter for contrast and to have a decent spring and fall; I have family there; I have long-term friends there; and I already know how to get around and where to go for what I want. A lower risk and easier choice.

 

Which type of place?

My plan is to move into an apartment on a temporary basis, until my house sells, and then figure out a longer-term option. I had a list of “must-have” features. I poured over various places online, seeing what they looked like and what kind of reviews they had. I narrowed the choises down, went to Richmond, and did a whirlwind tour of 9 places in 2 days.

 

How to pick the one?

While those two days were intense, I was really glad to see each of the places. There were some lovely apartments that I knew I didn’t want because it was a really long walk from the parking lot to an elevator and then to a probable specific unit. (I wouldn’t have known that from the virtual tours.) There were others that were in high-density mixed-use neighborhoods, and those didn’t appeal to me. One tour revealed heavy wear and tear on the common-use areas – which made me uneasy about maintenance and upkeep there.

 

Ta-da!

I finally narrowed it down to two. They each had a setting that appealed to me, amenities that were important to me, and a certain vibe about them that was attractive to me. The one I ended up choosing was the one where I could see myself being completely comfortable both in that complex and in that specific floor plan. It resonated with me.

 

About the process

This approach is one that can be used for many of life’s choices.

• First you have to know what you don’t want. This may be determined by the amount of effort needed, your tolerance for risk, or a combination of many factors.
• Then get a good idea of what you do want. Identify key features that are important to you.
• Finally, think about the details. What do you want this to look like specifically? How do you want to feel? I recommend coming up with at least 3 examples of how life will look once this is in your life.
• After that, figure out what steps you need to take, to get from where you are to where you want to be.

 

And if you need help?

Sometimes, even when you do this, there is something that holds you back. Maybe it’s just too scary. Maybe you start to self-sabotage. Or you can just keep putting effort into it, but nothing happens. When that happens, there are usually subconscious beliefs that are blocking you. That’s where I can help. Schedule a call if you want to know more!