August 2015 - The FoCuSeD™ Facilitator eNewsletter
On the Move Again | Gary Rush Facilitation
We recently moved from the city to a home in the country. This is the 15th move that we’ve made in 35 years (I know, some of you are thinking that we are nuts.) and none were for jobs or because we were in the military – we just decided to move. We’ve learned a lot from moving and I thought that I’d share some of what we learned.
“Stuff”
We learned that having “stuff” is nice, but quite a burden because moving it from place to place costs more than the stuff did in the first place. In addition, it takes a lot of effort and time to move stuff. Today, we have about half of the stuff we collected over the years. We sold, donated, or gifted anything that we didn’t use. We even had stuff in storage for over 5 years – how badly do you really need stuff that you did not miss for years? We kept the stuff that meant something to us and we use. The other stuff is now gone and if we really want to see the stuff we can visit our families and friends to whom we gifted some of the stuff. We feel lighter because we rid ourselves of the stuff and enjoy what we kept because we kept it for a reason.
My advice – get rid of stuff you don’t need or use. It simplifies your life and saves you a lot (time, effort, and money) if you do move.
Facilitation Skills
You may not think that facilitation skills come in handy when moving, but they do. I apply all that I’ve learned; planning, keeping people on track, and keeping focused on the end result. After all, facilitation skills are not shelf ware – they are skills you also can use in life. When we move, it requires planning what we need to do – it makes the move go smoothly and enables us to keep our business running at the same time. Keeping everyone on track requires a target of what you want to accomplish. It’s easy to stray when moving – there is so much to do and it gets exhausting at times. When you deal with movers, it requires leadership – ensuring that the loading and unloading go smoothly and that you don’t lose your stuff through breakage or misplacement. You are leading the movers to the end result.
You will also have difficult people to deal with – likely including yourself. Moving is exhausting, disruptive, and stressful. If you think that no problems will arise, you are mistaken. Remaining focused and patient is required, always reminding yourself and others what the end result will bring. Moving affects everyone; physically – it’s a change in location and routine, financially – it’s expensive, and emotionally – it’s exhausting and disruptive. When we moved this last time, we kept reminding ourselves that once we were settled, we would be where we wanted to be physically, financially, and emotionally – we are.
It’s been good though…
We plan to never move again, we like it here. We are making new friends, and found new places to visit, shop, and just hang. Our new home came with a family of Red Foxes much to our delight. We watch them every morning when they return from their hunt and every evening when they go out to hunt. It is soothing as nature has a way of putting things into perspective. We live in the country and sleep witout listening to the constant sirens, busses, and street noise of the city – very peaceful. So,
- Get rid of stuff – KIS. It’ll simplify your life and make any move you make less expensive and less burdensome.
- Plan it out. Moves are disruptive, but with a good plan, you can ensure that you don’t forget something and keep the move on track.
- Be patient. Moves are emotional. Keep the end result in sight so that you can refocus when you or someone else strays (it will happen).
Keep smiling – there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
I don’t regret a single move or decision that we’ve made. We’ve learned from it and seen places that I may not have seen otherwise. I’m thrilled that we are not moving again as we love our new abode – our oasis. After 15 tries, we are home. 
