What I tell myself when it’s time to move on to better things…

I’m a huge music fan.

I’ve been to 80+ concerts.

One dude I like but have never seen live is Tom Petty.

He’s got so many great songs.

My favorite is called Time To Move On.

The chorus says it all…

It’s time to move on, time to get going
What lies ahead, I have no way of knowing
But under my feet, baby, grass is growing
It’s time to move on, it’s time to get going

(I suggest reading the rest of this post and then listening to the song at the very bottom.)

The rest of this post is me talking to myself. There is no advice for anyone, just me, talking to myself.

Feel free to stick around…

I’ve done some of the things mentioned below and I’m currently doing others.

I can’t imagine what my life would look like today had I not made some really big changes over the years.

I’ve done my share of moving on. But it’s not always easy. I need these reminders myself.

Perhaps some of this will speak to you and encourage you to move on to better things.

It’s okay to move on

It’s okay to move on from a relationship that is no longer working and is draining you.

It’s okay to move on from people who are no longer (or never have) supported you and your goals.

It’s okay to change even if others feel threatened by it. Changing and growing isn’t a prideful thing and it harms no one.

It’s okay to leave a job or “quit a boss” that you can’t stand anymore and is making your life miserable.

It’s okay to move away from a city that is no longer inspiring or that you have outgrown.

It’s okay to start to say no to things and people that aren’t a good fit in order to start saying yes to things and people that will help you move in a new direction.

It’s okay to admit this isn’t working.

It’s okay to admit you are stuck and need to change.

It’s okay to admit it’s hard and you are scared and you don’t know what to do next.

Where are you going?

It’s okay to have goals and dreams that are more ambitious than the goals and dreams you used to have.

It’s okay to be more ambitious than the people around you.

It’s okay to have new goals and new dreams that represent a new you.

It’s okay to start behaving differently and making different choices. Even if people are watching (and judging and doubting).

It’s okay to admit you want more, better, different, new.

It’s okay to take a GIANT risk.

It’s okay for this to be scary.

It’s okay to feel vulnerable.

It’s okay to start becoming the new you.

It’s okay to move on.

What lies ahead?

If you told me just five years ago that our life would look like it does today I would not have believed you.

There’s no way to know what’s ahead. (That’s true if you are staying still or making big changes.)

But that shouldn’t stop you from running as fast as you can towards your new goals.

What lies ahead is most likely amazing.

You don’t have to know all the steps involved in getting there, you just need to take the first step.

(Still talking to myself here.)

If you aren’t pulling ahead, you are falling behind.

You can’t just stand there and maintain the status quo and expect things to change.

Repeating yesterday over and over isn’t much of a goal and it won’t produce much of a result.

It’s time to move on. Time to get going. What lies ahead I have no way of knowing.

Thanks Tom! (Send free concert tickets to PO BOX 32485, Kansas City, MO 64171)

Good talk Derek.

-Derek