Having a clear vision of what you want can help you overcome obstacles and keep you motivated when times are tough. It will guide you towards opportunities and steer you away from things not meant for you. My wife and I were constantly reminded of this wisdom when we faced the challenge of moving half-way across the country.

After backing out of a deal to purchase a home near our daughter in Missouri, we had no place to live, since our house in New Jersey was already sold. Having limited options, my wife and I temporarily moved in with our daughter, even though this living arrangement was anything but ideal. It was my wife and I, our two cats, and our daughter…all crammed into a small, one-bedroom apartment! It’s amazing that we survived such close proximity without clobbering each other…LOL!

Each day, the relocation specialist took us out to view properties. Despite seeing everything that came on the market and exploring a variety of neighborhoods, we still couldn’t find what we were looking for. The real estate market was very active at the time, and houses were selling almost as soon as they were listed. It felt like our search would never end!

The combination of living in cramped quarters and the frustration of not finding a house were definitely taking a toll on me, both physically and emotionally. I had trouble sleeping and often didn’t feel well. I was irritable and felt an almost constant buzz of anxiety. I wasn’t the easiest person to be around during this time.

The one thing that seemed to pull me out of my rut was visualizing my goal. It sounds simple, but it really made me feel better and helped me stay focused. As HSPs, it can be hard for us to transcend feelings of overwhelm and see what’s on the other side, but with effort and intention, it can be done. No matter how uncomfortable it was to be in transition, I was determined to find and go after what I wanted…and to NOT settle for anything less! This home was hopefully going to be a place where we would live for a long time. It was far better for me to suffer short-term inconvenience than long-term regret over buying the wrong house.

My wife and I came up with a clear vision of our ideal home. The more houses we looked at, the more we clarified this vision. We pictured a ranch style home with three bedrooms, an updated kitchen, a dining room, a garage, and a finished basement. I wanted a “man cave” where I could display my collectibles, an office where I could do my writing, a library space for my books, and preferably a downstairs bathroom. Also on the wish list was a nice yard where we could plant flowers and have friendly neighbors. It was essential that the house be move-in ready. After all the hassles of renovating our home in New Jersey, we were NOT looking to deal with contractors or engaging in any home improvement projects!

To accomplish great things, we must first dream, then visualize, then plan…believe…act! Alfred A. Montapert

While we were undaunted in our resolve to find the right house, we also kept our expectations realistic. We knew that we may not find a house that met all of our criteria, so we made sure to prioritize the things that were the most important.

One day, out of the blue, my wife saw the perfect house on the internet. Since we had spent so much time thinking about what we wanted, we immediately knew that this house would be a top contender! We called our agent right away, as we were hoping to be the first buyers to view the property.

The house turned out to be everything that we had envisioned and more! It was reasonably priced and located near our daughter. The owners had recently updated the house, and they had impeccable taste. As an added bonus, the house had a sprinkler system all around the property, a stamped concrete patio, and a yard that was easy to maintain. We would save thousands of dollars in property taxes, when compared to what we paid in New Jersey.

We did not hesitate to jump on this deal. Our offer was accepted right away, and the sellers were willing to accommodate our accelerated timetable. It couldn’t have worked out any better! My wife and I were delighted, as this was a huge milestone in our journey! We couldn’t wait to get our belongings out of all the storage locations, which spanned three states. You would think that this would be the end of our problems, but I guess you’ll have to stay tuned to find out!

Have you ever had a vision of something you wanted and got it? Have you ever used visualization as a motivational tool or to guide you in the right direction? I’m interested in any thoughts or comments that you have.

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The next post, (14) Pay Attention to Red Flags!, is about the problems we had with our mover and the folly of ignoring your gut feelings.

About Cliff’s Big Move Series: In this series of blog posts, I chronicle a really “Big Move” that my wife and I made to move halfway across the country to be closer to our daughter. This was a HUGE change for us, as we had lived in our home in New Jersey for over 30 years! My mother had recently passed away, and our only daughter had moved to Missouri. It is my hope that this series will motivate you, as a highly sensitive person, to take on something that’s truly important to you. I tell the story sequentially in 23 posts, with each one numbered. It’s best to start at the beginning. You can access all the posts by clicking on the Cliff’s Big Move category in the sidebar.