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Change is extremely important as it brings new or improved to the table. (Note that I put or in the middle there because people that say new AND improved drive me nuts.) But how far are you willing to go for change?
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Change is extremely important as it brings new or improved to the table. (Note that I put or in the middle there because people that say new AND improved drive me nuts.) But how far are you willing to go for change?
When I was a teenager I was very ( for the lack of a better term ) Punk Rock. I had the baggy ripped jeans, I went to metal shows, I skipped gym and hung out in the back with the kids who smoked cigarettes and was into art. Pretty much the definition of every teen movies alternative best friend.
Then around 17 I started working at Blockbuster Video. And for those who probably will never see the inside of a Blockbuster the uniform was a blue polo shirt, kaki pants and you had to wear your shirt tucked in and have a belt that didn’t have chains or metal studs in it. All things that were the exact opposite of what was in my wardrobe. But I loved the job and I really wanted to fit in there so I went to the mall and skipped the Hot Topic and went to Abercrombie and American Eagle and bought a whole new wardrobe of beige and other neutral colors. And I did everything I could to be the model Blockbuster Employee.
Customers loved me. I had a few regulars that would only come in to the store on days I was working because I knew what they would like and what they should skip. I became friends with the managers and even started hitting the gym that was part of the plaza where the store was. I felt good and time went on I started to hang out less with the kids behind the school I started wearing kaki pants on days I didn’t have to work, I began getting involved with school and working on what I thought was growing up.
Then before I left for college I stopped and took a look at how much a year had changed me. I wore button down shirts I was the skinniest I have ever been, all my pants cost more than I paid for my first car and I tossed in the adidas sneakers for dress shoes. When I looked in the mirror I felt like I was an adult but I didn’t feel like me.
There was a lot of stuff that I used to do that I missed doing. I wasn’t playing guitar as much. I had pretty much stopped drawing ( though I wasn’t very good I used to enjoy art. ) I missed hanging out in the coffee shops with my old friends talking about absolutely nothing for hours on end. I missed a lot of the old me. And suddenly the person that I saw wasn’t me but a shell that just looked like me. And that freaked me out.
I really worried that this path towards being a grown up meant that I was going to have to erase parts of myself that maybe I didn’t want to. So on my 18th birthday I walked into the closest tattoo parlor and got a wildly animated character tattooed on my back. Hours later I emerged bruised, bleeding and wrapped in cellophane. but I felt a little better. I felt like well at least if I do grow up and loose touch with parts of myself I would at least have this one permeant reminder that I once used to be wild. That I once was a creative person, and that I once had things and ideals that I really believed in.
The longer I’m in the corporate world I feel like I’m watching those parts of creative process that I loved slowly fade away in my friends and co-workers. And more and more conversations become about demographics, and market shares. Not about creativity. And I see more and more people make those self compromises to create things that will sell not what they would enjoy and it makes me sad.
Change is inevitable. And as time goes on I imagine that there are a lot of things that will get pushed to the wayside of life. But take a moment and think about what it is that makes you, you. And create something that reminds you of the things you really value. I’m not saying it has to be as drastic as getting a tattoo. But something that reminds you “Hey I used to be this person and do these things.” Because we all need a little reminder from time to time.
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Change your perceptions to the positive, and raise your vibration and the world around you will meet up to it.
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What a blessing that you are getting to see this beautiful world! Are there other military spouses close by? You would likely find some who are feeling the same way. Get involved, be proactive - invite them over to start a book club, or pack care packages for soldiers who are deployed. There is a great new book by Lisa Nichols (from The Secret) called, "No Matter What". In the book she talks about building your bounce-back muscles - your Understanding muscle, your Determination muscle, your Faith in Yourself muscle. Sounds to me like this is just a wonderful opportunity for you to build your "muscles." The Universe thought you needed this experience, and that this experience needed YOU!
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Don't look it as being outside you comfort zone. Think of the many new and, possibly, exciting things and friends you can do and make.
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Easy I have move so many times in my live form one country to another having friends and respecting your surrounding is key .So act as a tourist in your free days go to a touristic information centre and ask for information , go to the most interesting places .Join a clubs base on your hobbies, and meet new people , talk to the neighbours.
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Life is all aboud embracing change and going outside your comfort zone. The more you move out of your comfort zone, the bigger that zone becomes. Just look at moving to Alaska as a new adventure. Make the best of it, and explore the new world up there. We've only got one life to live so make everything count. The way I see it, moving there means you get to meet all new people and make a new memory book.
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Make up your own little traditions in your new surroundings and celebrate them wholeheartedly. All the best!
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I lived in Alaska as a child. My father had a saying: "Alaska is 9 months of winter and 3 months of relatives." Making an adventure (and thus lending excitement to) out of where you are can offset some of the initial feeling of being out of place. Alaska is vast. Wherever you live is likely close to wilderness and magnificent natural scenic beauty. In sum, embrace the remoteness and know that it's not for ever. Take advantage of chances to change and grow.
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Make the best of what you have. Sure your in Alaska, but you also have a husband who you care bout enough to move halfway around the country for, and at the end of the day that is a lot more than some people can say about themselves. I believe that when you have a positive mentality, everything around you seems that much better.
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I have had to make a few moves for my husband's jobs, leaving my home town and family. It may sound counter-intuitive, but I did well by declaring that my home town was our home and that is where we are from. That made living any other place an adventure, albeit a long one. Go out, meet people like you're on vacation, have fun and make new friends in the process.
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Living outside of your comfort zone is the way to go! If you spend your life inside a box, you'll never know what it's like to be out there! Once I graduate college you better believe I'm going to be outta here and off to explore the world! Prope for exiting your old life and starting a conquest towards a new!
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Build a snowman, duh! I was stuck in the middle of West Texas last year (about as desolate as Alaska on a good day), and I realized that the people living here can't all be miserable, so how do they find the fun. Once I put myself in their shoes I began to enjoy my stint.
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Throw a party!
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Throw a party!
Embrace the new reality that you find yourself in and milk it for all it's worth. You already know about life in Ohio (something many of us wonder about!;) So now look to see what life in Alaska is all about.
(Just remember to take a rifle if your party is going to be out in the woods!)
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you build a fort in your living room and live there for a week....sing your old high school fight song every time you leave it...make exploding noises when you get in it...this won't make the change any easier...but it might give ya a laugh have a good day
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Think of what you DO have...
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Think of what you DO have...
At least you have each other, being in the military is a challenging and demanding thing to place on a service member and their family. Yet many Soldiers are living alone; electing to have their families live apart from them--back in their comfort zone. You are lucky to have each other and to be able to face this change as a married couple.
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I'm almost in the same boat. I moved from Vancouver BC to Northern Alberta to be with my boyfriend. He's also military (air force)....it's a whole other culture out here, than what i'm used to....but I think just focusing on how wonderful things at home are helps me. If I'm having a bad day with home junk, I'll just focus on other great things in life. We might be far from where we call "home" but really, home is where the heart is.....and we're there already. :) Chin up, girl!
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think of the positives ... health, family, a job... make it home. network. it is never about the place it is about what you make of it.
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