One of my best friends from my hometown and I used to always go on random drives, just to talk about life and everything we were going through. Usually around sunset, we would stop and clear our minds outside and then just turn around and go home. One fall evening driving to one of our favorite lookouts, we were talking about who of our friends we thought would move out of our hometown. I remember saying, “I think it would be cool to move, maybe even out of the country.”

There was a pause and then I remember her saying, “yeah… but no one really moves away from here.”

Then silence for a little bit. I’m not sure if she knew or not but my brain was so full in that moment. Thoughts like, but why not?! If that’s what I really want, then why am I so terrified to do it. I couldn’t even move for college, and there would be so many people around me… why am I stopping myself? I went back and forth for a few moments on ‘I’m going to do it… no I’m not… yes I am, watch me… I’m going to do it… no I can’t, it’s too hard.’ AHHHHHH.

If I could go back in time I would tell past me about all of the accelerated growth that happened when I finally took the plunge to move. I would say do it, and then do it again. Move frequently, get into a new environment often. The fear only exists because it’s new, not because it’s wrong. Then again… if we change one move in our past, the present may not look the same at all.

So instead of trying to communicate with past me, I want to help YOU if you have been dancing around that thought pattern I stewed over in the car and for weeks after that.

I just worked through a powerful book on environment, Willpower Doesn’t Work. The book discusses how important your environment and everything in your surroundings are for your growth. And the basis is that willpower does not work. I have to agree and disagree at the same time. I think environment is one of the most important factors in your growth and development but without the mindset shifts, you won’t even want to change your environment. See: when I said I wanted to move but then didn’t have the drive to do it.

I also do have to say, I’m not actually a fan of “willpower” in itself, I think as humans we easily hide from our own desires in growth because no one will know and often we fight any strong discipline, because we are all a bunch of little rebels. It’s about deciding what are your priorities in life and what is going to support you in the highest level to get there.

I say the move was the best thing for my growth because of the environment shift it brought with it. My hometown is a great place, great people, and opportunity; but my growth paused, my connections grew closer and closer together and my inspiration slowed to a halt. It was here I lost my drive to be more, lost my creativity, and became a story I wrote in my own mind. Did I have the power to release from this? Absolutely. Would I have done it? Without the right surroundings for me, probably not. My life was on one path there and it dramatically shifted in one move south.

Would this be the case for you? Let’s find out! Should you stay or should you go, is a move right for you:

Feeling a little too comfortable?

There’s comfy on your couch with your favorite Netflix show and there’s too comfortable to try anything new. Too comfortable to challenge yourself or expand in any new way might be a sign it is time for an environment change. Take some time to notice your surroundings and your daily routine is it getting a little too familiar every single day, imagine what a change could shift for you.

Is there a lull in motivation?

What drives you? What inspires you to do more every day? To be the best version of you there is? The way you vibe in your environment, the way your surroundings drive you to operate are a huge driving factor in your daily motivation to create. I even use this measure to check in on my day to day motivation. For example, I’m sitting in a coffee shop typing up this post as I stared at the screen for hours too long before typing the first few characters, and here we are nearing the end in just less than an hour. Now a state to state move or moving house is a little bit of a bigger decision then just popping into the local coffee shop for a afternoon work session, so you want to watch for patterns. If the environment you’re in is making you feel a general okay-ness, not a pull to do everything in your full potential, it might be time for a move.

Have you been dreaming a dream?

And have you been dreaming that dream far too long? This was one of the number one factors that made the decision for my move final. I was always a big dreamer, but I realized I was never actually making those dreams come to life or even attempting to turn those into a reality. The factors that were surrounding me in my environment did not match the dreams that I wanted to accomplish. Could I have made it happen there? Absolutely. But by changing my surroundings it happened at an accelerated pace. If you’ve been holding onto a dream for what feels like too many years, you might consider what a change in view could do for you. Think, where are you most inspired, when you go on vacations is there a certain place where the ideas just really seem to flow?

Have a lot of stories written?

I walk the line of this tip #4 carefully, because of course I absolutely think it is possible to rewrite your stories in life and change your course from anywhere… it’s kind of what I do. And there is quite the difference between running and hiding from your story and using a change of scenery to heal. There is no escaping your past, but the present is far more powerful, the past does not actually exist right now. So instead of dwelling in stories and having constant visual reminders, what could a change in environment do for you in your healing process? There is a sweet balance in starting a new chapter and leaving the past where it belongs. My hometown is full of joy, bliss, celebrations, and it is also where I endured some of the hardest hurts of my life. And through my healing journey, leaving it in the rearview mirror was something that served me in my highest good. Now I can visit my family and friends in complete serenity, knowing everything here and now is powered by bliss. Would it do the same for you?

Is the only con “because it is unknown.”

Have you gone over the pros and cons in your head over and over, maybe even written them down? Is the only con you can come up with because you don’y know how it would go? Or what if you fail? Or maybe, it’s just really scary? See point one… you’re just feeling the comfort vibes. Of course it is unknown and scary, the only reason for that is because it is NEW! All things you’ve never done must start with something out of the ordinary and that sure will give a jolt to the subconscious! Good, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it means you’re alive! If you fail? Well, you can go right back. But would you rather get to a point in your life where you can say “I know I gave my dream and life purpose my all”, or would you rather wonder “what would have happened if I moved? Would life look different then it does now?” I know i choose option one over and over again.

BONUS: For if moving is completely out of the question, but you’re feeling too many of these

Sometimes a move feels right, but life doesn’t have it in the cards for you right now. The first thing I say to that is, circumstances are temporary if you want them to be. The job you’re in, you can change it. The relationship you’re in too, or new compromises can come to life. If moving is high on your heart, don’t dial it out yet. But if the present isn’t working with you yet then I bring you back to tip #2, what CAN you change in your environment currently to boost up the joy a little more?! A new hobby, a new friend circle, a new side hustle, a new work spot, a rearrangement of the house, new morning rituals, the possibilities are endless, a session to heal some old stories you’re hanging onto. There is always something to spruce up your circumstances!

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