I think one thing we can all agree ranks fairly high on the stress-o-meter is the buying and selling of houses. Both Pippin and I have sold homes before, and high stress has always been a given. Even when we were late getting out of the house during the winning bidder’s showing, they said to us as we exited, embarrassed: so sorry for the stress.
So we decided this time we were going to try to do it differently: stress free. I invite you along for the ride.
Last Friday we closed on the sale of the home we have shared for the past five years. It was nothing special – really only one real bedroom and one bath. We essentially shape-shifted the rest, turning the living room into a shared bedroom for the two youngest girls, and coaxing a few more out of the large basement. The market is booming in Portland, and we sold in the first weekend. Now we have less than a month to get out.
True to form, we have no idea where we are moving. I should be nervous as hell, cause I’m not that chill about the unknown, but I’m not….yet. Pippin and I had a conversation in advance and agreed that it could either be stressful or stress-free—that the road would be the same on the way out and the choice would be ours if we wanted it to be enjoyable. He makes a good point—but it’s not easy to just switch to that mindset.
To be honest, It takes great effort to push off the fear that keeps trying to creep its way in. I am forcing myself into mind over matter mode, because if I don’t there will be a guaranteed meltdown by yours truly, which I just don’t have time for. In addition, and ssshhhh…we haven’t told the kids, but our vacation might need to be delayed. Living stress free doesn’t come without compromise. Anyhoo…I decided it’s time to start the search.
That’s step one. But if we really are serious about purchasing the lot we’ve had our eyes on, we oughta start doing the research about home building in Portland. At this rate, I’m concerned that we won’t even have time to build. In any event, we need a Plan B. I know enough that we aren’t rolling all our new cash into a house rental with no equity.
Of course I know that building a home is expensive, but I still have faith in our collective resourcefulness. Portland is currently experiencing such a boom, there’s nothing remotely in our price range. I’m convinced we can build something far more space-efficient and have exactly what we want.
It’s a pleasant change telling my habitual free-ranging stress to take a seat. I’m going to join forces with Pippin’s unbridled enthusiasm for this up coming year. So this morning as Pippin fantasized about finally having a garage and a shop to work out of, I decided to join in and imagine what it would feel like to have enough space for everyone, and everyone’s accumulated life-stuff.
How lovely to be able to imagine spreading out a little more. For now, at least, our world is wide open.
Deliberately Stress-Free,
So Called Mom
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