Focus on Perception

Moving house is often framed as a logistical challenge—boxes, paperwork, changing addresses, registering with a new doctor, dentist and vet. But after 18 and a half years in one place, the decision to leave becomes far more than practical: it’s deeply emotional.

When my husband first suggested we should consider downsizing–or rightsizing–it felt like I was being torn from something sacred. That house wasn’t just walls and a roof—it was a part of me. I had raised our family there, renovated every room with care and filled it with memories. The perception was clear: moving would mean loss. Loss of familiarity. Loss of comfort. Loss of home.

Then life nudged me forward. Financially, the move made sense. The kids had grown, the rooms echoed more than they used to and the idea of simplifying began to whisper louder. Still, the fear clung tightly. Would I ever feel the same connection again? Then came reality–and with it–a welcome surprise.

The new house, smaller on paper, is far better than I ever imagined. The garden, vibrant and alive, brings a sense of peace I didn’t realise I needed. The views are stunning and already I can envisage how they’ll shift with the seasons revealing new light, colour and texture each day. Walks from my doorstep take me through countryside trails that reset my mind and soothe my spirit.

That grief I expected to feel? It never arrived. What I thought would be a long road of nostalgia and regret has been an unfolding of joy. I haven’t just accepted our new home; I’ve fallen completely in love with it. The peace. The simplicity. The sense of new beginnings that don’t erase the past but build gently and respectfully on top of it.

This experience taught me something crucial: perception isn’t always reality. We brace for the worst because we fear change but often the reality, once we let it in, is far better than we imagined. My last home will always hold a treasured place in my heart but this one is already becoming something just as dear.

Sometimes, what feels like an ending is really an invitation to fall in love all over again–with life, with change and with the unexpected beauty of starting anew. So if change is calling, don’t fear it. Walk towards it with open eyes and an open heart.

Focus on Perception. Focus on Why.

REFLECTION WITH ACTION:  What might you discover on the other side of letting go?