It hit me hard.<\/p>\n
Because for most of my life, I hated change.<\/p>\n
I wanted to know exactly what was coming, when it would happen, and how it would all work out. I wanted my calendar tight, my routines consistent, and my comfort zones undisturbed. If something disrupted that? It could throw me into a spiral.<\/p>\n
And now?<\/p>\n
I just arrived in Idaho after leaving behind 20 years of city life in Baltimore. It\u2019s a major transition\u2014and we don\u2019t have it all figured out. There\u2019s uncertainty about the weather, our horses, how to maintain a ranch and pretty much everything about this new way of living. The old version of me would have been spiraling out of control.<\/p>\n
But this version of me? I felt Calm. Steady. Aligned.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/ci3.googleusercontent.com\/meips\/ADKq_NaEl48dhc2pz84iQskIoXSki9CxDYPtj7SkJkKnlL67FDiP3Nphtd3LDtGgkokSnNF4cLpwrQR0Ywp_O0eh7WCmd2XkgJdyDvjDjf1Wxh7QDeqWXvR9Y4WrLl2NfMz7evuO1H7GOVS3GLkrie19O7FkuJa3kQLOgIO3vkorrQo=s0-d-e1-ft#https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/5d0a4840c5dd6be7963fa35c3\/_compresseds\/4258e82a-1ba5-c164-dd68-6235f8343c95.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
That didn\u2019t happen by accident.<\/p>\n
\n
From Control to Curiosity<\/strong><\/h3>\nI\u2019ve done a lot of work to be okay with change. Here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned:<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t control change. But you can choose your response to change.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\nAnd that’s how you build resilience and toughness.<\/p>\n
According to research from McKinsey, over 70% of people report feeling overwhelmed during major life changes, even when they are positive.<\/strong> And a Harvard Business Review study found that when you resist change, it\u2019s usually because you fear uncertainty, not because you believe the outcome will be negative.<\/strong><\/p>\nI get it. That used to happen to me a lot. And still does at times. I definitely had anxiety and overwhelm present during the final days of leaving Baltimore, wondering if everything was going to fit in the car and if we were going to get everything done in time to leave.<\/p>\n
But I have learned that each time fear arises, it gives me a chance to practice being an island of peace in a sea of chaos. Because you can\u2019t just flip a switch and have it disappear, it is a practice. And most of us were never taught how to be the calm in a storm.<\/p>\n
However, the more you practice, the more resilient you become when chaos arises in the future.<\/p>\n
And sometimes we just need to be reminded of what humans are capable of. Which a family member did before our trip. She said our move out west reminded her of when people sailed across the ocean or took a covered wagon and migrated west in search of a better life.<\/p>\n
That really struck me.<\/p>\n
Humans have been doing this\u2014braving the unknown\u2014for centuries. We are wired for exploration. For movement. For the call of something more.<\/p>\n
That conversation made me realize something powerful:<\/p>\n
Our decision to move to the mountains wasn\u2019t just about logistics\u2014it was about activating my core value of Adventure.<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n![](\"https:\/\/ci3.googleusercontent.com\/meips\/ADKq_NYYSGiNX90L_JdFZpu4FMoSU_dxGELzvUjICtXkf087QIn24GVwQ0SPf4JYfFI_sG8KdQwbaaWILvKD_HoaGs3KH3MTt0-XxCz5DggRY1T7Arx5Hr7S_gVxPfhUEyLzJsqOMFJU4f54SCKj1fnF7VA2Z5qgFJiJKnvOIIPw4uE=s0-d-e1-ft#https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/5d0a4840c5dd6be7963fa35c3\/_compresseds\/2305e2cc-b755-ee3e-9249-043472945f70.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Just like Unity with Nature, Growth, Learning, and Connection, Adventure lives deep in my heart. And when I live from those values, I don\u2019t just feel aligned\u2014I feel the most alive.<\/p>\n
And that\u2019s how I know this change was the right one.<\/p>\n
Your values show you where change is possible.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve also come to realize that the most important skill in life isn\u2019t knowing everything\u2014it\u2019s being willing to learn and grow.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s how I taught myself to cook (after some pretty bland early attempts).<\/p>\n
That\u2019s how I built a successful career in finance without a traditional background.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s how I learned to run a business without any entrepreneurial background.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s how I\u2019m now learning to care for horses, upkeep a ranch, and live in a way that\u2019s totally different than before.<\/p>\n
The secret?<\/p>\n
Choosing to activate my values and staying grounded along the way.<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/ci3.googleusercontent.com\/meips\/ADKq_NaFfj4ZzIgszVvdqAdN2fPsPZwOPz7pF8mng6bSDf_-LpP_TmuawPzKR7WbqOPl1wbqQpSGc2I8EEz0x9vgQ9n_F88f8HiN2XvajaSMGpEnqSIzLfSD3U4CJ0FaP47uXnfuz8sdCtAUR3zjflVQH8_NTExBFEdBpVWMGY7SwJ0=s0-d-e1-ft#https:\/\/mcusercontent.com\/5d0a4840c5dd6be7963fa35c3\/_compresseds\/5e187fd9-bc15-cd12-f047-61f7a607a06b.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\nBecoming an Island of Peace<\/strong><\/h3>\nThrough this transition, there\u2019s one phrase that\u2019s been my anchor:<\/p>\n
I am an island of peace in a sea of chaos.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\nBecause while the world around you is always shifting\u2014news cycles, technology, expectations, even the weather\u2014your inner state can remain grounded.<\/p>\n
Not because you\u2019re avoiding the storm. But because you\u2019re rooted deep enough to stand still within it.<\/p>\n
I used to crave control because I thought it would keep me safe. But I\u2019ve learned something even more powerful:<\/p>\n
When you feel safe inside yourself, you don\u2019t need to control everything outside of you.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest reasons I\u2019ve been able to embrace change, without spiraling into stress, is that I\u2019ve learned how to calm the chaos in my own mind.<\/p>\n
And that’s how you build resilience and toughness.<\/p>\n
According to research from McKinsey, over 70% of people report feeling overwhelmed during major life changes, even when they are positive.<\/strong> And a Harvard Business Review study found that when you resist change, it\u2019s usually because you fear uncertainty, not because you believe the outcome will be negative.<\/strong><\/p>\n I get it. That used to happen to me a lot. And still does at times. I definitely had anxiety and overwhelm present during the final days of leaving Baltimore, wondering if everything was going to fit in the car and if we were going to get everything done in time to leave.<\/p>\n But I have learned that each time fear arises, it gives me a chance to practice being an island of peace in a sea of chaos. Because you can\u2019t just flip a switch and have it disappear, it is a practice. And most of us were never taught how to be the calm in a storm.<\/p>\n However, the more you practice, the more resilient you become when chaos arises in the future.<\/p>\n And sometimes we just need to be reminded of what humans are capable of. Which a family member did before our trip. She said our move out west reminded her of when people sailed across the ocean or took a covered wagon and migrated west in search of a better life.<\/p>\n That really struck me.<\/p>\n Humans have been doing this\u2014braving the unknown\u2014for centuries. We are wired for exploration. For movement. For the call of something more.<\/p>\n That conversation made me realize something powerful:<\/p>\n Just like Unity with Nature, Growth, Learning, and Connection, Adventure lives deep in my heart. And when I live from those values, I don\u2019t just feel aligned\u2014I feel the most alive.<\/p>\n And that\u2019s how I know this change was the right one.<\/p>\n Your values show you where change is possible.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve also come to realize that the most important skill in life isn\u2019t knowing everything\u2014it\u2019s being willing to learn and grow.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how I taught myself to cook (after some pretty bland early attempts).<\/p>\n That\u2019s how I built a successful career in finance without a traditional background.<\/p>\n That\u2019s how I learned to run a business without any entrepreneurial background.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s how I\u2019m now learning to care for horses, upkeep a ranch, and live in a way that\u2019s totally different than before.<\/p>\n The secret?<\/p>\n Choosing to activate my values and staying grounded along the way.<\/strong><\/p>\n Through this transition, there\u2019s one phrase that\u2019s been my anchor:<\/p>\n Because while the world around you is always shifting\u2014news cycles, technology, expectations, even the weather\u2014your inner state can remain grounded.<\/p>\n Not because you\u2019re avoiding the storm. But because you\u2019re rooted deep enough to stand still within it.<\/p>\n I used to crave control because I thought it would keep me safe. But I\u2019ve learned something even more powerful:<\/p>\n When you feel safe inside yourself, you don\u2019t need to control everything outside of you.<\/p>\n One of the biggest reasons I\u2019ve been able to embrace change, without spiraling into stress, is that I\u2019ve learned how to calm the chaos in my own mind.<\/p>\nOur decision to move to the mountains wasn\u2019t just about logistics\u2014it was about activating my core value of Adventure.<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nBecoming an Island of Peace<\/strong><\/h3>\n
I am an island of peace in a sea of chaos.<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n