As a continuation of my series about moving, here’s a little lesson on breaking the news. If you missed earlier posts in the series you can check them out here: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3.
It all feels like a dream until you start telling people. It should feel like a dream for a little while. Dream away. Because once you start spreading the news, people will have questions and even more so, they will have comments. For instance, one friend told us we were crazy, to our faces and then walked away. Someone seemed to hardly find it interesting and kept talking about how good their soup was. Others were shocked and said very little, but some immediately celebrated with us and for us. We just never knew how someone would respond.
So, think through what your plan is and then tell people in stages, starting with those closest to you. I had talked about the desire to move for years, so to some it was not much of a surprise. For others, sharing the news about a move can seem monumental to those first hearing about it. It’s important to get some feedback along the way though, which is why it is helpful to share it with those you trust and love first. The more you share your plans and story, the more you will get a better idea of just what you are about to do means to you.
Further, don’t just think about what your plan is but have an actual plan. Without it, people will quickly tire of this “official” stage when you haven’t yet hit the “it’s really happening” stage.
Somewhat contrary to what I just said, here is the order in which my husband and I broke the news.
- Landlord (our lease required a 60-day notice, but otherwise, he was not the closest person in our lives)
- Parents
- Close friends (limited details)
- Siblings
- Close friends (extensive details)
- Friends
- Employers
- Commitments (i.e. utility company, volunteer organizations, bands, book club)
- Extended family
- Social media
The order of your list might be different but it is good to consider what your timeline will be based on your comfort and your responsibilities.
Have you had to break the news about a move? How did you do it and how did it go?
