Article by Wendy McCance

One of the biggest lessons I am working hard to instill in my kids is to follow the path that calls to them. I am always telling the kids, you get one life so live it well. Go after your dreams, face your fears and don’t let anyone tell you you can’t because this is your life to live, not theirs.

It’s not just talk either. I demonstrate how to follow the path calling to you each day. The kids have seen me achieve success time and time again no matter how many obstacles were placed in front of me (and trust me, there have been some big hurdles along the way).

When I talk about following a path, I am not just referring to career choices either. I am looking at the big picture. Right now, it’s where do I want to live. I have often thought about how the people and places surrounding me impact my life. Along the way I have made adjustments. I have weeded out toxic people from my life, I have changed careers when they no longer suited me and I work hard to create a cozy environment at home.

I have often wished to live in a place where my soul feels most content. A place that speaks to my personality and feels made for the type of person I am. For me, my list is to be in a place that has an abundance of creative people. A place filled with natural beauty where I can walk, bike and swim daily. A peaceful calming environment where people are more laid back and accepting of each other. It may be a tall list, but I have found a place that seems to fit the bill. I am moving to Oregon.

I want to experience an adventure. The type I can write about. An adventure worthy of great stories to share with grandkids one day. Another opportunity to demonstrate to my own children how to live your life fearlessly, authentically and meaningfully.

I am lucky to have a husband who is onboard with this idea. In fact, he seems to be just as excited as I am. He loves where we are planning to move. He can’t wait to start over fresh and have a ton of new experiences.

Thankfully, I found someone to share my life with who has the same types of interests and goals and wants to live in the same type of area as I do. I seriously feel like I won the lottery. I mean, talk about compatibility. It’s crazy.

For my husband, the idea of going out each day to take a walk in the woods, or go to the ocean or windsurf each day thrills him. He is just as anxious to get moving as I am. So, we have created a plan and we have begun the process of making it happen.

We have a 3 year to get everything done so we can move. We are going to stay in our home until the kids graduate from school and get settled in college, an apartment or decide to come with us. The whole family knows of the plan so each child is taking a look at their future and figuring out what will work best for them.

In the meantime, we have been getting to work on the house. We are getting everything in tip-top shape so we can sell our home right away when we are ready. Everything is being considered so that the home will knock people’s socks off when they look at buying it.

We have already painted the outside of the house and bought a new front door. We have updated our kitchen and appliances. Currently we are working on the front entrance. We want to create a huge impression the moment a potential buyer walks through the front door. We have repainted the hall, are in the process of adding wainscoting in the hall and up the stairs, will be adding a new banister and we are ripping up the carpet to expose hardwood floors which we will add a runner to.

I am currently working on connecting to people in the new state we are headed. We are getting several magazine subscriptions about the state (a business magazine and a few local here’s what’s happening in the community type magazines) in the mail. We are also looking into real estate and RV’s (so we can drive cross-country).

3 years. That’s all we have. It feels like a long time, but I am grateful to have that amount of time to get everything planned out and in perfect shape before going.

I see the impact all of the conversations and activities have on the kids. There are more discussions about their own plans for the future. Everything is discussed. Where they want to live, what type of job they are thinking about, if they will go to school or not and where they will go if they do decide school is for them. They even talk about if they are dreaming of owning a home or just travelling the world. Their eyes are wide open, the dreams are big and everything is possible if they want it badly enough.

For more about our plans to move, you can read the following:

Be Brave and Turn Your Dream Into a Reality

Planning a Move Across the States

Are You Living a Life That Makes You Happy?

When All the Pieces Fall Into Place

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Wendy McCance

Wendy McCance is a Michigan based freelance writer and social media consultant. Wendy has gained attention as the founder of the popular blog Searching for the Happiness which can be viewed in 9 local papers online, including the Oakland Press. The combination of writing skills and social media knowledge is what makes Wendy such a powerhouse to work with. Stay tuned for opportunities to advertise, guest post and as always, have your questions answered.

To contact Wendy McCance about a writing or social media assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]

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