Change is good. Some people don’t like change, but I do.

As life happens, we go through different changes. Our bodies and minds change. Our relationships change. We move homes. We change jobs.

I remember when I first discovered all the possibilities of the internet, I belonged to message boards. This was pre-Facebook. Those communities were amazing and offered a lot of support to those of us who, otherwise, felt somewhat isolated. One of the things we used to do was post questionnaires like, “Where were you 10 years ago?” Or they were even more specific about marital status, children, location, job, etc.

I think about those questionnaires. Where was I forty years ago? Ohio. First grade. My best friend was Amy and we had three dogs: Muffin, Kelly and Penny. I played outside a lot. I don’t remember who else was still living at home, but there should have been at least Dottie, Bill and Jim. What about 30 years ago? We were in Pennsylvania by then. I was a junior in high school. I was the only kid left at home. My best friends were Kris, Clare and Colleen. I was a study-bug with zero self-esteem. And then 20 years ago? After college and much moving around, I was back in Oakmont. I was married and taking fertility drugs in an attempt to have a baby. (My mom likes to comment on how strong those drugs ended up being lol) And finally, 10 years ago! I was a single mom, living on Virginia Avenue. My divorce was not yet final. My kids were busy and challenging and they made my whole world complete.

That’s just a short history of change for me. I could write volumes about all the changes I have been through. Jobs—friends—relationships—homes—change.

The thing I want to say is, change really is good. It can be hard. It can hurt. But it is the thing we need to embrace to keep from being stuck.