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The Big Shift

Making big relocation changes in midlife is very different than it once was in my youthful 20’s, 30’s and early 40’s. Reality dictates: Time is a diminishing asset. It always has been. I just didn’t get that truth in the same way as I did when I turned 50. Now in my 60’s it’s my daily contemplation. In our youth it’s not such a big deal to change our minds and move on … even to return again. Now I feel an urgency to dig in and make my new home-base “home”. But caution rules since I want to limit the number of mid- and later life relocations ahead. I’m not looking for where to retire, but where and how to live my greatest life yet. I know I’m not alone in this pursuit.

Is this up for you too? I’d love to hear about your big shifts!

When I’m in the midst of a major shift, it’s terribly important to listen to all my inner rumblings as well as the real facts. I have to avoid getting intoxicated by what I want versus staying conscious of “ what’s so”. Thankfully my dreamtime has been rich. My body’s truth verifiers have been alerting me to when I’m drained and when I’m juiced. More importantly I’m noticing what causes each. Critical in midlife…it’s such a visceral transition whether you are just starting in your 40’s or fully engaged in your 60’s or 70’s.

With kids on either side of the country and grandkids enjoying our company as much as we do theirs, this is not an easy choice-making process. I keep asking myself, “Am I country or a hip city gal? Can I live and work far from Manhattan, long the center of my Universe?

Too much either/or can really bring me down. I’ve been watching my duality struggle play out before my eyes. In my middle years I yearned for my quiet time in nature reconnecting with deep soul currents within. Being virtual and near an airport it worked. I never expected this quest would be not only restorative but also transformative. Now I want to be where the action. I know for sure that I’m not going to leave my “being” state in the countryside. In the words of Frank Sinatra, I’m ready to “do-be-do” again. After all, being in a “being state” contributes to our collective harmony as much as offering my gifts to the collective. I will have to be on my toes to maintain my still-point in between as I move from countryside to city, city to desert-scape. I know for sure that to engage life fully for me is to have both. Glad that’s clear.

With the clarity of a “Newbie”, I realize that I want to continue feeling “awe” every day and to breathe deeply. Nature here in Litchfield County and in the western desert feeds me. Suddenly it became crystal clear. I can have both/and versus living in either/or. There’s no rush but time itself. So our main property and dream house is officially on the market. Having made the choice to keep some acreage to come back to its okay now to move on. Arizona will be our new home-base so we can enjoy our son in Phoenix and summer back east near our daughter and long time friends. Now that’s a plan! Knowing where we are headed, we can put the wheels in motion and let the Universe handle the rest of our big shift.

True to my stage of mid mid-life, I still want to keep accomplishing and making sure we live well as we grow older. But more than ever before, what I do has to matter and make a huge difference in how you and I move into our collective and personal futures. It’s no surprise that this is true for me. I suspect for you too. Esteemed gerontologists and developmental experts like the late Erik Erikson refer to this midlife task as moving from “stagnation into generativity” and in later midlife and beyond, into “ego integrity” as wisdom keepers. For me it’s all about moving from success into significance…leaving our footsteps in the sands of time for generations to come.

Planting the Seeds of Possibility

My time out west brought blessings far beyond my expectations. I was constantly in a state of attraction at warp speed. My new Tribe kept showing up. I re-met high school friends I haven’t seen in decades. I don’t even remember if we were teenage friends, but we clicked like we were best buddies. I met others who I know will be new long time friends and colleagues.

As I told a group of new colleagues, I’m the “wandering crone in the desert seeking my tribe.” Thank goodness they laughed with me. It is a big thing to own “her” publicly. But what became sharply apparent is how important finding my Tribe really is for me.

Have you your own tribe? How did you find yours?

Trust Walk

Synchronicity was my friend big time in Arizona. Doors kept opening without my saying “Open Says Me”. Everyone was so welcoming. It was so easy, all I had to do was show up and say “YES!”.

I didn’t go unprepared. I did what I ask my clients to do: scan the situation. So I dug in to learn the down & dirty scoop on what’s happening in the Valley of the Sun. Timing couldn’t have been better. I met fellow futurists and signed up for workshops given by two of my dearest colleagues during my winter stay. (Read my recommendations to learn more.) Perfect opportunity to see who shows up since these great teachers and sig groups are most likely to attract my kind of people. Or as a friend capsulated for me: like-minded and like-hearted people, willing to speak from their souls. I figured if I can’t find my tribe with them, then forget about it.

Results Do Follow the Energy

But the blessings don’t end here. Every where I went, I met my reflection as elder mirrored back to me. Questions I posed years ago before Boomers were ready to hear them were now on the lips of the folks I met. Experienced seekers and accomplished professionals asking not only What’s Next?, but also how to make the big shift(s) in their middle years.

As a “Crone-in-training” for many years it appears I’ve now arrived solidly in early Elderhood. Now that is a big shift! Back in my Connecticut office I’m dusting off tons of material I’d relegated to the top shelves in my file room, marked “SAVE for the Right Time.” I’m now bringing forth a new book, keynotes and workshops so we can create the future together in a whole new way.

With so much shifting going on for all of us, time is of the essence to get our energies lined up with our intentions so we can create the results we envision for our greater future. If you have a moment, I’d love to hear from you about your big shifts.

Here’s to leaving our footsteps in the sands of time,

Karen Sands, MCC
Everyday Futurist^SM

© 2010 Karen Sands/Future Works Institute, Ltd. All rights reserved. May not be duplicated, retransmitted or reproduced without permission. Future Works® is the registered trademark of Future Works Institute, Ltd.

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