Today's blog challenge: What are you looking forward to?
As most of my blog readers are aware, today is our last official work day at our properties. I still have to come in on Sunday to complete my month end and deposit any last minute invoices, and we will be here most of the day on Monday to acclimate the new ownership group and new on site staff to the property, but really, this is it. My office is bare, as I have loaded my belongings into office boxes that are loaded into my car. My desk is empty, the building is organized and ready to go. I have submitted report after report, am currently loading my work life onto a jump drive, and by the end of today I will really have nothing else to accomplish here. Part of me is sad to be moving on...I have an amazing support group here in Vancouver, as well as the best staff I think I could possibly ask for. I also have been blessed with an incredible owner.
While I am sad to be leaving the place I have called home this year, I am very excited about my next opportunity with the company. After a lot of frustration and stress over not having a position available that was right for me, I found one early last week. I will be moving from Washington, where I know the Landlord-Tenant law like the back of my hand, to Oregon, where nothing makes sense. I will be the property manager at two small properties - Cascade Woods and Brackney Estates - with a 131 unit count between the two. I have my new apartment all picked out and am moving in on November 10th. Its exactly what I want - ground floor, right outside my office, with a slider patio door for Juno to sit in, and several upgrades for me to enjoy. I was asked for a 12 month committment and was also told that the ownership group was considering adding some properties to the Riverstone portfolio, which gives me some promotion opportunities before that 12 months is up...so it sounds like I have no danger of settling in just to discover they're selling the damn thing.
I am really, really looking forward to living in Beaverton. I know, I know, no one says that. Driving on highway 26, and even within Beaverton, is a bitch. But I will be living on site, so that will not really matter. And my new property is only a mile from Stacey's house, which I love! Since college, when we were roommates in Monmouth, I have not lived within 30 minutes of Stacey, which makes it hard to hang out. Its like, if I want to see her and Blake, I have to commit to a whole day to make it worth the drive. This way, I will be able to pick up Blake from day care to come over and play, have Stace and Juli over for girls' night after the boys are all in bed, etc. I am just really excited to be close to them out there. Stace and I drove Blake through the property last weekend and he was excited to see Auntie's new house. I will be living in a two bedroom instead of a one bedroom, so for the first time I will have guest space, which is awesome for all of my friends who live in Vancouver and like drinking wine with dinner. I bought a queen bed for my second bedroom already, so I have room for sleepovers.
Outside of work, where I am just looking forward to change, growth, and opportunity, I am also looking forward to whatever else is coming next for me. As a challenge to myself, I am really focusing right now on embracing change as it comes, as well as to pay attention to myself and insure that I am being completely honest with myself and with other people. Two things that sound so easy, right?
Embrace change as it comes: I am a planner. Always have been. I make lists every day. At the end of each list, I mentally write, "write tomorrow's list." I never leave work without writing the next day's to-do list and cleaning up my desk. Otherwise I would get home and just think about remembering all the stuff I have to do tomorrow. When it comes to big changes, I tend to stress and worry. I am really trying to pay attention to my responses to change. Why does everything have to stress me out? I should be able to look at a new property and be excited about my new office, new staff, new residents, and new challenges...and so my focus is on looking at the positive sides of things changing. Am I sad to be moving away from the amazing friends I have made in the past 12 months that all live in Vancouver? Yes. But we are no longer in high school, so I don't have to rely on physical closeness to maintain my friendships. I have wine, I have a guest room. My friends will visit. I'm not moving to Mars.
Always be honest: I am not a liar by any means. I don't mean this at literal face value. What I mean is, I have never been super great at expressing my true feelings about something to someone...this may actually be surprising to some people reading this, because I do tend to vocalize what I think. But while I may say what I think, state my opinion, and argue my "side" of an issue, I am less vocal about my feelings. I was born a Whitmore, and one of our genetic traits seems to be, when someone hurts you, be mad. I am guilty of this and have been my whole life. When I am really sad, I express anger, and that's seriously not healthy. I would be a much more put together person if I was better at recognizing what feeling my anger is taking over, and acknowleding that feeling. So right now I am focusing on taking the moment to stop, think, and ask myself what is really going through my heart when my head says I am pissed off. And it already feels better. I feel less wound up, and I feel closer to my friends because I feel better able to express myself. By focusing on getting past the feeling of anger, I am finding that I am just more able to communicate in general. Is it scary? Sometimes. But at least now I know that when someone hurts my feelings once, and I've told them so, if they repeat their behavior, they've deliberately hurt me because they understand what they're doing.
I have a lot to look forward to right now, and a lot of change coming my way. I am incredibly grateful for the people in my life who are currently supporting me as I am thrown continuous curve balls. I have an amazing support system with family and friends, and I think I am headed into another awesome place. Close to Stace, close to Blakey, a new job, another new apartment, stronger, healthier relationships, and amazing friends. Things are good great, and I will continue to look forward, never look backwards.
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