It’s been awhile, I know, but as you can imagine, sometimes life just gets in the way.
Relocating to Florida has been an extraordinary, life changing journey. Realizing a decades old dream has been surreal. I truly, never thought (a) I would be able to retire……. retirement was for other people not necessarily me and (b) moving away from New York, the only place we’ve ever lived, was daunting and a little unnerving.
I’ve realized over the years that inaction breeds more inaction and in order to experience change you must become a change agent, however uncomfortable that may be at times. But surprisingly finding my own piece of paradise was in all actuality effortless. It seemed like every step, from finding the builder in a part of Florida that I didn’t want to relocate to, to discovering there was a sister development in the area I did want to relocate to, to finally pulling the trigger, a year later, was kismet and simply meant to be. Selling our own Long Island home, once we put it on the market, surpassed all of our expectations. I guess all of the years, love and renovations we did to turn our first home into our forever home paid off. I still think about the new owners and hope they love their new “forever home” as much as we did. Leaving was bittersweet but closing that door for the last time felt oh so right.
Making our new house a home is still a work in progress. Who would think window treatments could cost a small fortune, forget about the other particulars….. light fixtures and furniture anyone? But it’s all worth it. On even my worst day, all I have to do is look out of my front window as the blue skies, billowing clouds, and sunshine meet my gaze and I am in heaven. All negativity vanishes and I just can’t believe how blessed I am. A lifetime of hard work, perseverance, and focus really did pay off.
Life now, is different, fun and exciting even in the mundane. We’ve both opened ourselves up to the universe as we embrace the change that surrounds us. Reconnecting with lifelong friends and meeting new friends has been an added bonus. The move, as well as retirement, has yielded a totally unexpected surprise. Moving to a new community, 1,200 miles away, without the normal distractions and activities of our prior life, we find ourselves exploring our new life together. We actually marvel at the fact that we’re probably spending more time together, just the two of us, than we’ve spent in years and years and guess what? We still like each other!
As we enter our fifth month of living the dream, my wish for you is that, regardless of how old you are or what stage of life you’re in, you never stop dreaming. Remember, the only difference between a dream and a goal are the steps you take to get there.
What are your dreams and goals for the future? If you too are living your dream please share in the comment section below.
rainbowkinect 