A couple of years ago, we lived in a very nice house; but like many homes on the West Coast, the lot was small. The house had a wall fairly close to the back door that ran the length of the property. I use the word “property” loosely because it really was just a patio, and property makes the space sound larger than it really was. Directly behind the wall was a hill that went up and obscured our view of anything behind us except the shrubs on the hill.
We made our “backyard” as beautiful as we could. We put in pavers, a covered structure, a BBQ, patio chairs, some potted plants, and a little bit of grass. It was a nice space when we were done. We also had a couple of medium sized dogs who allowed us to use the space with them, because really it was theirs. Adopted at 2 and 4, both dogs had spent a decade in this domain. We walked them often, but this space was their home and where they spent most of their time.
Due to odd circumstances, both my husband and I changed jobs within 5 months of each other to the same city approximately an hour away. After much deliberation, we decided to move to a less expensive area, closer to our new jobs, which would allow us a larger yard. As luck would have it, there was an opportunity to buy a home with, as a realtor would say, “lots of potential.” It was a fixer upper type of opportunity with lots of potential projects. The type of opportunity with gold cherub-studded chandeliers over rose colored bathtubs. The “opportunities” abounded in this house, but it came with a large yard, and was on the top of a hill so that the property provided us a view as well. Both things neither of us had ever had. The decision was made.
The dogs had been a consideration as well. Our older dog had stopped eating well and had become lethargic. We were worried he wouldn’t even survive until we moved. On moving day, the last thing we moved were the dogs. Our older dog stepped out of his crate when we arrived and tentatively started poking around, slowly inspecting the area. We busied ourselves with the unpacking process and left the dogs to roam. A few hours later, we decided to take a break and sat down on the patio overlooking the yard. Something had run past, a blur in the corner of my eye. What was that? To my amazement, it was the dogs, both running past us at full speed. They were playing, chasing each other, exploring every corner of the yard as quickly as their legs would carry them.
It is now two years later and our old guy (referring to the older dog, not the husband,) the one we were concerned wouldn’t make it until moving day, trots around regularly, runs up and down the driveway, a master of his new domain.
As I watched my dogs run around, I came to a realization. The space we had been in before was small and limiting for the dogs and us, and although we had done everything we could to make the best of it, it was still confining. Now I sit on a patio and look out over an endless vista, with the dogs running faster than ever before. It is often the same with our jobs.
Are you making it pretty and pleasant, fooling yourself that it is what you want and need? Are you making the best of a sub-optimal situation? Are you allowing yourself to be held back, unable to realize your full potential? We get comfortable, we get into a routine. We allow ourselves to become lax and settle for many years into jobs that confine us, that don’t allow us to stretch ourselves. Ones that cause us to get lethargic in our careers. Yes, we love them, and yes, they were right at some time; but are you in the right place for you, right now? Are you energized? Still exploring new skills and taking on new challenges? Stretching yourself?
If you take that leap and make a change, the chances are you will work harder. With more possibilities and potential comes more work. But like my old dog, I enjoy seeing what I can do with this space, re-energized and learning new things about my environment, and myself as I try new things. I am proud of my blisters and sore muscles, and what I am creating.
How about you? Are you making the best of a confined space, or are you enjoying an endless landscape of possibilities? Is it time for you to move?
