goals

Moving Part 5: Follow Through

Samantha Gratton

Packed Truck | Moving Peaces

It’s been awhile since the last post on the moving process due to the 31 days project in October, but I’ve still got a few more steps to talk about. After our move from Iowa to North Carolina essentially on a whim, we got a lot of questions on what all went into the process and love hearing about the moving experiences of others.  If you’re new to the series and feel like starting at the beginning, here’s Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4.

Part 5: Follow through

The divide between steps four and five marks the difference between dreaming and doing. If you are going to move, then this requires actually moving before claiming a new home or state of residence. Granted, this can take months or even years, depending on the circumstances.

This part can be exhausting and stressful. It requires a lot of decisions, details and money. There are all sorts of tips and tricks you try to implement as you stuff boxes, pack the truck and drive off toward your new home.

To make it happen, we were constantly burning the midnight oil as we tried to finish up our obligations, make lasting memories and gain closure, all while seriously preparing to move halfway across the country.

To keep your sanity, here’s what I would recommend doing in the biggest stage of them all:

  • Make a list – there will be far too many details to keep straight and this will help you sleep a little better at night
  • Reduce your haul – have a garage sale, donate items or have your friends over to pass along anything you no longer need
  • Say goodbye – we invited everyone we knew to come over for one last barbeque at our house the day before we moved…some might find that crazy but it gave us some closure
  • Set a date – it has to happen and you will need a date to start sorting through the details of the moving truck and places to stay as you transition
  • Don’t rush into a housing decision – there are so many decisions to make and you might not be ready to finalize the place you want to live for the next several years, especially from afar. Consider short-term housing, a storage unit or extra trips beforehand to visit the area and confirm the right place to go.
  • Plan for leeway – the schedule might get thrown or your stress level might require a few extra take-out meals and chocolate so try to budget in as much extra time and money you can to alleviate some stress when something inevitably comes up

Hidden Dreams

Samantha Gratton

I think we all have some untapped passions in us. There’s a side of us that we have that plays out from time to time, but we never see it until we go after something that almost falls into our laps.

If you had told me three years ago that thing would be women’s ministry at church I would have never believed you. But if you ask me to stop and consider it–how I love connecting women to each other, I love talking about real life and why our stories matter and how I care so deeply about the relationship between people and church–it starts to make more sense.

A little over a year ago, I jotted down some dreams for what women’s ministry could look like. In the middle of the night I wrote down all sorts of thoughts and ideas, never thinking it would amount to anything. I shoved that notebook back into a drawer and didn’t give it much thought. I didn’t think it was my thing or that I was the right person for the job. Months later I came across an opportunity that I had to bring up. I wanted to shake it and go on pretending it didn’t matter much to me, but it did.

I’m excited to tell you we are less than a week away from a women’s event that I’ve been helping plan at church. And oddly enough, a lot of it is in line with those hopes and dreams I wrote down ridiculously late that one night. There’s still a bit to do, but I’m eager to see how it might impact those that attend (if you’re reading this and local, please consider yourself invited)! While I might not have wanted to claim this part of me previously, I know now that it is a huge passion of mine. It may take a different form than others, but it is something I’m so glad I pursued.

 

IF Promo Video from Lifepointe Church.

I believe God gives us dreams and passions for a purpose. I’m still learning and discovering what mine are, but I know they are intended for use. So even though I didn’t realize this was something I would be involved in, I kept putting those different skills and loves into practice and tried to stay open to what that might mean down the line. Anyone else had a similar story? Found yourself in the midst of something you never would have imagined and then looked around and realized it all suddenly made sense?

 

31 Days: Finding Self | Moving Peaces

This post is a part of the Finding Self series for the 31 Days of blogging in October.
To see the all posts in this series, check out the Finding Self page.

Behind the Blogging

Samantha Gratton

Sun's Behind a Rock

This is my blog post about blogging. It’s about dreams and big goals that are scary to exclaim to the world. Maybe I’ll fail or maybe I’ll succeed.

I’ve had several blogs dating all the way back to high school at this point. I also have a bad habit of starting a blog relating to some life event and then dropping off after I finished traveling or got married. This blog started when we first started working towards a cross-country move but after we moved and somewhat settled in, I knew it was time to hold onto it. Writing is second-nature to me, but I still have to sit down and actually do it. I have to will myself to find something to write about and have to consider writing to an audience not just to a diary. As I felt the lull in this blog, I instead implemented the Thursday Three posts to prompt something each week.

So just to make it all official, I wanted to inform you that my blog is different. It’s been a work in progress for a couple months now, and I’m still working on creating different categories and pages, subscriptions and eventually, a more custom design. But for now, I’m happy to have the freedom and flexibility to explore.

How did this come to be? Well, I hate to admit this but I’ve worked at a few different web/design/marketing agencies among some fairly talented web developers for years, but I was too scared to ask for help. There was a part of me that was too proud to ask, figuring it was such a small thing that I should be able to figure out on my own. The other part of me reasoned that they had better things to do in their free time and my little tiny blog was not worth bothering them about. Recently however, a friend (who happens to be a talented designer/developer) asked me about my blog and what I wanted to do with it. I told her about some of the limitations I was facing and she simply said, “I can do that.” I was so grateful to her for all of her help getting me set up and practically bouncing up and down when she told me. Just like that my world opened up, and I decided this was my opportunity to go for it. To truly go for it.

While I complained about some of my limitations in the past, they also made me feel safe. I didn’t feel like I had to keep up with blogging or really challenge myself to grow. I knew I could stay there, not try and it would never count as a failure. My small number of readers was fine because then I didn’t have to push to promote it or share it with the outside world. I felt comfortably sheltered in my bubble of friends who read it because that meant I didn’t have to completely face the reality of putting myself out there. But when it comes down to it, if I don’t commit to it, I’ll never really know what I am capable of as a writer or as a blogger.

As I (hope to) grow, there’s a few other things I’ve begun to consider. I want to find my voice and identity as a blogger, yet maintain the authenticity that comes from just jotting down the first things that come to mind from time to time. I want to be a bigger part of the blogging community by actually engaging with the many blogs I read on a regular basis. Likewise, I hope to engage more with my own readers and also further my reach through blogging. Maybe one day I’ll have ads or sponsored posts, not just to drive you crazy but to further push myself to discover and define my voice as a writer.

Last year at a conference, everyone in the audience was encouraged to write down a creative dream or goal. Personally and professionally, I was at a weird place but a true dream of mine still managed to seep out. My dream? “Writing on a large platform about life, pointing to God and healing hurt for others.”

So there it is. My goal is no longer the secret that it has been for the last year. I want what I write to matter–my lessons learned to help someone and my silly stories to encourage someone. I want to inspire and support someone. Here I am now, facing the world with my thoughts and ideas, struggles and candor. And I’m asking you to join me. To share it with others and to stick with me along the way.

Living the Dream

Samantha Gratton
So now what? It’s been weeks since I’ve posted my Thursday Three and blogs are few and far between this month. Yet I have so many thoughts festering inside. Ideas and inspirations, pains and longings, goals and insights. But where to start?

I’m a fierce dreamer.

I mean this both in the literal and metaphorical sense. By night, I am running from science, secrets and gun shots but by day I am thinking of all I want to do and accomplish. The past week I’ve had so many harsh dreams (or nightmares) that it makes me wonder why. Why do I have such vivid and crazy dreams, so much so that they alter my days and throw me in such a deep daytime trance? What adult has nightmares several nights in a row or dreams that stick for years and still ache to remember? Does anyone else have dreams this intense and frequent? Is this just the way it is and something that will always happen? Or does it indicate something else?

During the day, I am constantly looking for what’s next. What great feat can we accomplish? If we plan to do XYZ by X date, then that will still leave time and money for something more. I daydream about what life will look like if I pursue certain passions. What it would be like to say that I’m published or what kind of mom I might one day make. Where I want to go and who I can help. I’m constantly pushing myself and even some around me to do things, maybe to a fault. While my intentions may be good (growth, experience, interest, knowledge, accomplishment) it can be a dangerous trait. It can mean I never follow through or rather, that I am so focused on achieving said dream that I overlook the costs and sacrifices required by myself or others. As we near the end of the year and I consider some of the resolutions/goals I set for 2013, I’m reminded of this. Some of these happened and in the right way, some became less important and still some frustrate me so since they are nowhere near what I had hoped.

You know what? I’d rather be a dreamer than live a stagnant life. At night my dreams are interesting, exhilarating and exhausting. By day, I’ve learned and experienced things I might never have otherwise, and it gives me a purpose and a goal to work towards. But some dreams are easier to give up than others and in the end, you can’t keep them all. So while I’m a dreamer and will inevitably continue to be, I’m going to try and focus more on what those dreams mean. What they require, why they seem important, and what they say both about me and to me.

Finish Year

Samantha Gratton

It’s 2013. People have mostly made their resolutions and maybe even already broken them. That’s the beauty of holding out a few weeks. I can hopefully have better luck sticking with it. While I haven’t set all my goals yet for this year, I did dig up last year’s list. How I managed to locate the page in the middle of one of the dozens of miscellaneous notebooks is beyond me but I was glad to find it regardless. It’s titled Finish Year based on a little Jon Acuff encouragement, but otherwise, it’s a resolution list by any other name.

So how did I do? Almost better than I could have hoped! Woot! Here’s the list from last year and how I tackled it.

  • Music: Record 2 songs. While they weren’t the songs I thought they would be, the hubby and I did put out some Christmas songs this year as well as a few other originals. He did most of the heavy lifting, but hey, it happened!
  • Exercise: 500 Miles. While the miles could be anything (elliptical/biking/running/etc.) I quickly realized that biking was my favorite. It led to a day of Ragbrai—a long time goal of mine—and I was so glad for the opportunity! I kept a tally on the fridge and hit 500 miles even without the 85 at Ragbrai. I’ll admit to losing count after 500, but it did happen. Not to mention, I really got into the habit of going to some fun classes like Zumba or weight lifting and that didn’t count towards anything. Extra bonus: the hubby got into it too and we got to spend plenty of weekends biking around town together.
  • Spiritual: Bible reading. Alright.This happened but not to the extent that I wanted it to or would like it to. I’d try and commit to a book of the Bible and then get distracted or find excuses. So, this was not one I’m checking off the list, but one I will pray to be better at. In high school I made the resolution on year to read my Bible every day—and I did it too. But I noticed then that it became something I did out of obligation. This year I’m praying to find the right balance. I want it to be part of my daily life but I also want it to be real and focused. 
  • Cleaning: Purge all things not wanted in a potential move. Yes, this was a goal well before we knew we were moving. We knew we wanted to move but had no idea if it would be in 2 months or 10 years. So can I get some credit for moving? Yeah! We did do some major purging, or so I thought before we moved. And then we got here and said, we need to do that again (the purging part). So this is a little like the last one—it’s moving forward and I’d say it happened but it’s a work in progress. This week I’m hoping to do some major clearing out of our closets.
  • Photography: Build a portfolio. I’m still figuring out what part photography will play in my life. At one point I loved it. And then I found myself inhibited by my own fears and expectations. Is it something I should really pursue? Do I like it as a business opportunity or just as a hobby? I did do a family shoot in 2012 and am considering what to do with it this year. 
  • Food: 1. A week-long juice and raw foods fast. 2. Go two weeks without chocolate or sweets. This happened! I did the raw diet. It was tough but did help. I learned later though that the juice should be more veggie based than fruit to be really effective and also that it takes a while for your stomach to adjust. I did notice that during the weeks I went without chocolate/sweets I felt good. I’ll probably try to do short-term detoxes again but let’s be real, I have a sweet tooth and the idea of cutting more out of my diet permanently is just a little rough.

Earth Shattering

Samantha Gratton

As I lay on the couch surrounded by tissues and cold remedies, watching yet another documentary on Netflix, I am guessing you are not jealous at all of my “adventures.” Oh yeah, let’s also remember to add the fact that I am currently searching for a job. Living the life.

Okay, so maybe my life isn’t awe-inspiring today. Despite a move without security, some bold decisions and my proximity to the mountains, here I am, struggling to breathe out of my nose. Impressive, huh? Maybe paying the bills and doing dishes is inevitable. So succumb to the mediocrity? No. But don’t be inhibited by it either.

I think sometimes we can let passion and excitement get away from us. We start dreaming of greatness and impact. The vision can seem so clear in our minds. It’s awesome, too. We need that vision, that drive, that passion. But when life throws something more mundane our way, we can get completely thrown off track. For some, that means not ever dealing with the chores and responsibilities of life in order to keep on towards the dream. For others, it amounts to being bogged down so much by the monotony that we lose sight of the dream. Both are terrible pitfalls.

We have to fight through both to achieve anything. And the word is fight. It can’t happen without insane effort and perseverance. I’m also of the belief that it can’t all happen at once and it can’t all happen (more on that later). There’s going to be lulls and there will be peaks. But I truly think that consistency makes all the difference. The continual push, the major and minor decisions. Keep pressing forward.

What does it matter?

Samantha Gratton

Lately, the hubby and I have been on a total documentary kick. We’ve always loved them, but I think we’ve watched somewhere near 15-20 in the last month or so. It’s getting a little excessive but somehow, each time it gets going I can’t help but get sucked in. There’s something about them that make you want to take over the world for good or at least commit to doing something absurd for a little while, just to try it.

We’ve watched ones about top ballet dancers under the age of 20, what it means to become “Santa” in the eyes of others, bike riding through the continental divide, using Craigslist to live and create community, what makes a man a man when it comes down to body hair and all sorts of others. Tonight, we watched No Impact Man, which was about living off a sustainable environment and giving up things that created waste and poor energy usage. They made a lot of sacrifices but also brought on a lot of new and exciting experiences.

Throughout it all, you’ve got to wonder…what REALLY matters? Is it washing your clothes in a bathtub and forgoing packaged food? It is setting a challenge of physical strength and endurance and fighting through? Is it restoring the magic of Christmas? Is it saving the turtles? Going gluten-free? Adopting ten children? Wearing your retainer every night?

While these all might be good things for you to do and commit to, you can’t do it all. It’s not possible. These documentaries often showed what people gave a major portion of their life to. What’s the cause that really matters? Why should we care about any of it? Should we continue to stand by while a few people put their dreams to the test?

I am always a “late bloomer” with resolutions/goals, as I tend to set them sometime between January and February. But these are some of the questions I am considering while I create my list. To wrestle with what’s worth it, or even what’s more important…

Face It

Samantha Gratton

I have a love-hate relationship with Facebook.

Now that I am at least a thousand miles away from most of the people I know, it seems like a great way to keep in touch. I love the connection it helps me to feel and the easily organized way to categorize photos and “share” them with those I love. But you want to know what I hate? I check it daily. Sometimes I’m on it as soon as I wake up and right before I go to bed. It has me in shackles, armed with all of my personal information to boot. 

Due to a variety of reasons, I toy with the idea of giving it up or at least going on a long hiatus. I haven’t been able to take on such drastic measures yet. Instead, I have periodically been deleting old acquaintances and removing more personal data. The messages with friends and collection of photos keep me there. In chains. Wasting my time.

Regardless of how I decide to proceed, I’d like to think that by the time my hypothetical-and-distant-future-children are around, I won’t be showing them my Facebook page as a way to reflect on the past. “Look! This is when your daddy first commented on my wall!” Not happening. I do however want to preserve some of the memories that are currently only housed (sadly) on Facebook.

Therefore, I would like to make the following pledge:

I, Samantha, vow to be better about photos. Better about taking them, but more importantly, better about organizing them. This means, printing them, framing them and/or placing them in photo albums. Not the kind online, but real-live-turn-the-pages photo albums. 

To start, I will print and frame some wedding photos to adorn our wall. We’ve passed the two-year mark, and I have yet to print a single picture from our lovely and symbolic day.

Following this task, I will sort and print out study abroad photos. China, Greece and a whole lot of Europe are fading fast in my little brain and I’d like to remember my days of adventuresome gallivanting. Finally, I would like to catalog year one and year two of our marriage.

Not only will this provide me with a different pastime than Facebook, but I’ll have something to show for it when it’s over. Literally.