By: Alexandra Luna

The irony of relocating to a new place is that for each thought that is negative, there is an equal positive result. Adjusting to a new environment can be difficult, but if you look at the pros of moving you can at least equalize the cons.  

    In science they say for each reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction, this equation can be substituted I have realized can be used for most anything we do that has as they say pros and cons.

    I have recently been going through the highly stressful process of leaving my family home and moving to a new home that will eventually be far away from the safety and comfort that has been created for me in my current environment.  Moving physically from one area to another unlike the constant change in life as you mature is an abrupt change, which causes more and pronounced levels of anxiety and makes the process even more difficult.  One of the things that is assisting me in this move is that my family and my extended family are allowing me to have a mid-step in the process while I finish this school year out. The proverbial “Silver Lining.”

     This paper will outline the pros and cons so to speak of going through a stressful move and will hopefully help people understand what I am experiencing and learning how to deal with those anxieties.  Already one excessively big thing has been done to help is this mid step that has given me to have the opportunity of not leaving everything at once.

Starting New:

“Being in the Circle” As a shy person, I have been able to create a small system of friends that I can relate to, this took time and patience on both my side and the understanding of my friends that allowed me the time to feel approval by them.  I used to happy with being by the circle of people and at least being a part of the group. Now after time I am in my own small circle that I am about to physically leave.  My trepidation of course is that these friendships may go away, and I will be starting again outside the circle.  On the bright side, I have been assured by all my friends that they will remain my friends, and now I have learned that I have value when it comes to being a friend, and do not have to be afraid of making new friends, because I know I bring that value.

Leaving behind memories:

      I have spent countless time worrying about this move that I am going through.  I am leaving behind the safety net of my home, my friends, my extended family, and all the memories that go along with those things.  If I though look at it from a different perspective, those memories, that safety net has been a creation of my inner self, and exists not in a place, but in my heart. So, to look at it as a new start, gives me the opportunity to create myself as a confident young adult, instead of a shy child.  To take everything positive I have learned about myself and use it to make my new home that same comfortable and safe place.  I can show up as a terrific young woman that people would be happy to be around and leave behind the youthful fears and confining boundaries created by those fears.

    Family Dynamics:

     When you live close to your family, you have the additional personal awareness that is a part of having family close.  There is always a place to go, a person you know will be there for you in your times of need.  Moving to a new city, away from those people makes that a phone call instead of a hug.  The “Silver Lining” in my move is that I am moving close to another side of my family, where there are even more relatives to dole out those sometimes-needed hugs once I am there.

     The one thing that is always provided in a physical move of this nature that can only have a positive side is the shedding of unhealthy relationships.   This becomes almost like a new pallet to paint your life on.  You can control some of the out of your control things like seeing and having to interact with the people that brought negative things into your life, and while those types of people exist everywhere, being a bit more mature gives me the conditioning to recognize those traits and avoid those people from the start and have more trust in your new friendships.

     In conclusion, being stressed is fine as long as you understand the final outcome is going to be exactly what you create.