LIFE UPDATE 🌴 WE'RE MOVINGGGGG + battling FEARS that come with CHANGE

In this post we’ll chat thru…

① A LIFE UPDATE + where we’re moving next
② Fear and PLAYING SMALL
③ A few tips that help me navigate FEAR when I’m diving into CHANGE

LET’S DIVE IN. 🖤

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Okay. This week’s post is gonna be FUN ya’ll. It’s LIFE UPDATE time and we’re excited to announce the next BIG ADVENTURE.

WE ARE MOVINNNNNGGGGG to FLORIDA!!! 🌴☀️🍊

This isn’t the first time we’ve taken a leap like this, though. Charlie’s lived in many places from Austin to Phoenix…California to Dallas. And same for me. Coming out of college I moved from Michigan to Miami to start my ten year career as an elementary school teacher. Then in 2015, after Charlie proposed, I packed my life into a tiny 9 x 12 U-Haul trailer and moved from Florida to California to start our life together. Four years ago, in 2019, we heard a nudge from God to leave something really special for the next level and calling. And here we are now…the same has happened again!!! As you’re reading this…in real time…we’ll be ONE WEEK OUT from packing up the moving boxes and starting our next adventure in Florida.

FIRST OFF. Texas will ALWAYS be a special place.

And I think that’s part of this process…understanding that every space…every place…every season has lessons within it. When I look back on this season in Texas I see the blessings…

It grew and shaped our marriage and brought us closer than ever.

It was where we added our little Gracie Girl Squirrel into our family.

It was a healing space for me, personally.

And for Charles it was a season where he truly learned how to slow down.

It was where we were when a global pandemic shut the world down.

It was where we got to be close to Charlie’s family and be present for memories.

It’s where we built our first home and learned that we’re a pretty darn creative team.

And the same is true for you. Every space. Regardless of how long you’ve been there…how much you enjoyed that time…or maybe wanted to rush thru it…every season TEACHES YOU SOMETHING. Especially if you can get quiet enough to listen.

One of the responses I got on social immediately after sharing that we were moving were various versions of “OMG…I could NEVER leave that house you built…”

And yes. While that is challenging to do…I also know that 4 years ago this home was a pile of dirt. It was never meant to be our forever home. It was simply a leap of faith we took that has opened up our eyes to the next level we’re being called to.

This is where FEAR tends to stop most people. They don’t leap because of the inevitable unknown. They settle for playing small even if there’s a DREAM or VISION they have laid on their heart because the gap between where they are now and where they desire to go feels really freaking big. They live “okay” lives because the comfort zone has become their home.

If I could gently nudge you today… I’d ask…

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING SMALL?
WHERE HAS FEAR STOPPED YOU BEFORE YOU EVEN STARTED?
WHERE HAVE YOU OVERSTAYED YOUR WELCOME SIMPLY BC ITS “COMFY?”

I’m not saying you need to pack it up and move like we’re doing, but there’s something to the ebb and flow of releasing spaces and places that no longer serve this version of us to move on into something new…no matter how scary it is.

And because this is a COME WITH ME kinda space where we do life and our journeys TOGETHER…I didn’t just want to announce the move and make it look like it was easy. Friends. Success requires SACRIFICE…in ANY area of life. And let’s be real…it’s in those big-leap-kinda-seasons that fear comes knocking the loudest at first. So I wanna share with you in real time what has been helping me be BRAVE, BOLD, + COURAGEOUS in the face of the inevitable fear that surfaces with change.

FIRST. I’M NOT IMMUNE TO IT AND NEITHER ARE YOU.

I love to tell the women I work with that FEAR is NORMAL and it’s allowed to be present. I think the more we try to pretend like we aren’t afraid the worse it is. You can’t be BRAVE without actual FEAR, right? So those brave people you admire?! They can only BE BRAVE bc they HAVE FEAR to conquer.

Embrace that. Think of your journey like a fun road trip. Fear can be in my car but it CANNOT pick the play list. It does NOT get to run the GPS. And it CERTAINLY CANNOT DRIVE. Fear can be there. Keeping me safe and reminding me I’m brave. But it gets to sit in the back seat. Put fear in it’s proper place ya’ll. Don’t allow it to be the playlist in your head on loop. Don’t let it dictate your direction. Do NOT let it take the wheel.

SECOND. I ASK “WHAT’S THE WORST CASE SCENARIO?”

This is helpful for me because I’m a realist. Most of the time the worst case scenario in my life NEVER pans out. Think about it…I always envisioned the WORST when I’d get called down to my principals office (both as a student AND as a teacher in the building). And it NEVER was as bad as I imagined. Same for you?

I’ve found there’s three scenarios when it comes to worst case:

① You imagine it and it never happens…which is most common.
② You imagine it and it does happen but it’s not that bad. Life goes on and you learn.
③ You’re actually already LIVING a version of WORST CASE SCENARIO…so why not freaking go for it?!

I can remember a time not too long ago where I realized I HAD to take a leap because I was actually LIVING my worst case scenario and I actually think that’s helpful when fear is roaring loudest. Like…what do I have to lose?! I’m already living a life I’m not happy with…why not try something NEW?!

OKAY BUT THEN. I ASK “WHAT’S THE BEST CASE SCENARIO?”

This is ALSO REALLY HELPFUL. When fear gets loud it’s easy to gravitate towards the worst case scenario but what if we flipped that on it’s head and asked “WHATS THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN IF I TAKE THIS CHANCE or MAKE THIS CHANGE?!”

Imagine that playing out. Imagine the people you might meet. The opportunities that might open up. The visions that could come to fruition. And then take it a step further and DO ONE THING that would help you move in the direction of that best case.

I’M ALSO REMINDING MYSELF THAT WITH CHANGE YOU GET A CHANCE TO TAKE INVENTORY OF WHAT COMES WITH YOU INTO THIS NEW SEASON + WHAT DOESN’T.

Environmental self care is a THING. And I talk about it in depth HERE, but we don’t do this enough as adults. Think about it. As children we ADAPT our ENVIRONMENT to the exact GROWTH + DEVELOPMENT we’re experiencing. We get a big kid bed when we’ve outgrown the crib. We move to college when we’re ready to experience independence. We evolve and grow into our new homes and jobs. But then something happens as adults and we get stuck. We stay at that job even if it doesn’t serve us. We keep living in the same home and never think to redecorate or rearrange to suit our new goals + needs. We talk to the same people even though the conversations are filled with negativity and don’t encourage us to grow or stretch.

Every time I take these leaps it’s almost like a fresh chance to take inventory of my environment. To adjust and make tweaks that help me continue to make PROGRESS towards my best self.

NEXT. I CONTROL WHAT I CAN CONTROL.

There are VERY FEW THINGS within my control and same for you, sis. But there ARE a lot of choices we make day in and day out that we are very much in control of. It’s all about taking ownership and being INTENTIONAL through transition.

As I’m moving, I’m looking at being in CONTROL of what gets my YES on my calendar. If it’s not a HECK YES it’s a NO THANK YOU for me right now. I’m also looking at how I can make the move less stressful by breaking things down into BITE SIZED CHUNKS.

When fear is loud it’s easy to look outward at what’s not working and the things that are standing in our way, but it’s WAY more helpful to look inward at what we can control + contribute in any given situation.

AND LAST. I MAKE IT FUN.

I was getting SUPER stressed about the size of the house when we first put in our offer. It’s actually what stopped us from initially going for it. But I realized that I could either live with this stress OR I could make it fun. I decided to embrace the latter. What’s fun for me is designing and creating so I decided to embrace the small space challenges and I’ve been LIVING on Pinterest for inspo and ideas.

The fear is totally gone now because I have something to look forward to and I’m making it FUN. If fear is holding you down…what is something about your shift that you can find the FUN in? Maybe your new job offers the chance to get involved in happy hours with your co-workers and THAT is fun for you. Or maybe your new season of motherhood makes it FUN to do mommy and me things…go do that. Or maybe you have a side hustle and you update a fun home office space to make it feel professional to sit and work on your dream….

IDK what fun looks like for you in this season of change or in the leaps you’re taking…but you do. Release the fear and the stress by embracing the FUN.

So there it is friends! WE. ARE. MOVING. God called us out of California to Texas as a STEPPING STONE to the next space…we always knew this. So we spent the last four years building something SPECIAL here and savoring the moments. Building our skill sets. Trusting God in the waiting. And growing day by day into versions of ourselves that would be READY to take the next leap. Which really means it’s that much sweeter to say goodbye, right?

I seriously CANNOT WAIT to take you on the journey with me. For all the behind the scenes stuff be sure to follow me on instagram @inspirebeautybritt and reach out and connect. I love getting to do life and journeys TOGETHER.

Saying goodbye is always hard but I keep reminding myself that 4 years ago…this home was simply a pile of dirt and a dream (see above pic 🥹) and if god moved in our lives then…can you imagine what he will do in this next chapter?

SEE YOU SOON FLORIDA. 🌴☀️🍊

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