Trusting that Change is Good

I’m writing this as I sit on my porch, trying to stay out of the way of the movers who are loading our belongings onto a truck. My husband begins his new role as president of Georgia Tech next week.

I feel like I just wrote a blog about our last move and how I tried to stay focused on the positive. I’ve done my best to do the same this time, but some days it’s easier than others. I think moving is like jet lag. No matter how often you experience it, you never get much better at handling it.

This time I’m relying more on trust. Our last moves have been good for me personally and professionally. I trust this one will be no different. I trust that I will also experience the factors that positively impact my well-being in Atlanta.

• Relationships – I’ve been blessed with amazing friendships everywhere we have lived. My friends in Spain were so supportive when I was struggling to combine work with motherhood, as I mentioned in my TEDx talk. I also made lifelong friends in Arizona and Virginia. The nice thing about moving to Atlanta is that I already have close friends there, including my college roommate and several sorority sisters. I know some people at Georgia Tech and I trust I will make new friends as well.
• Meaning – I have found meaningful work in all of the places we have lived. I achieved one of my biggest career goals of becoming a tenured professor in a university in Spain. In Arizona I conducted research on women’s careers to help them thrive despite the challenges they face. At George Mason I became a Senior Scholar in the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being where we work to improve the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. I also pursued various projects to promote well-being in the workplace. I trust I will find opportunities in Atlanta to use my knowledge and experience to continue to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
• Growth – The relationships I have made and the work opportunities I have had in Spain, Arizona, and Virginia have all helped me to learn and grow. I’m a very different person today than I was when I moved from Atlanta to Madrid 24 years ago. I trust the experiences I’ll have when I move back to Atlanta will allow me to continue to evolve.

I look forward to returning to Georgia Tech, where I met my husband and we began our great adventure together. As with all moves, I’m experiencing a mix of stress, excitement, and sadness. But I have learned that embracing the full range of emotions is good for my well-being. So I’ll smile through the tears and feel grateful for all of the wonderful experiences I have had so far. And I trust that the good times will continue!