The Costs of a Long Journey’s Change

“Returning home is the most difficult part of long-distance hiking; You have grown outside the puzzle and your piece no longer fits.” – Cindy Ross

So often I see folks in my office fighting for a different life. They face their fears with trembling bodies and sheepish eyes, yet they somehow find the courage to lean into it. They let go of what was consistent, even if miserable, and reach out for something they cannot fully see or understand. Confidence builds slowly, and hopes become realized one increment at a time. 

The unfortunate reality of these changes is that many times they come with additional costs. Systems that once supported them, as well as their homeostasis, no longer seem to fit. Conflicts increase, painful deconstruction attempts can seem to come from all sides and from once trusted sources. These people who were partially the motivation for the change are now beginning to be more abrasive and less accommodating. One’s sense of belonging just does not seem the same, and somehow even when connections are made there is just something about these embraces that illuminate the reality of mismatched puzzle pieces. 

As many pitfalls are lying in wait for folks that are trying to make healthy changes in their lives, this loss of support seems to be the biggest crevice to cross, the most treacherous to navigate, and one with the most cost, one barrier that is often perceived as too dangerous in which to engage.

Decisions…………

What crevice are you facing? What is the cost of crossing it? What is the cost of not crossing it?