Happy Monday of a brand-new month full of possibilities! It’s the perfect day to start new practices that will become habits that will greatly improve your life! I had put on the Hopefulist group page asking for topics that you may need a little work on and I’d like to get to some of those this week.
My cousin visited us here at the Jersey Shore over the weekend and there are a couple of things I wanted to address as a result of that. First, he made a comment that he couldn’t understand how I have managed to become a Hopefulist in the midst of my life here. He was being sarcastic as we had friends stop by on their boat to chat before they headed home. An impromptu boat ride after dinner on Saturday night from my neighbor and just the fact that we live on the water and live a really great life. But here’s the thing, the only reason we are here living our best life is because of all the decisions we made. I wanted to make this our full-time home and my husband was on board. I wasn’t sure how we were going to make this happen but I knew that was my ultimate goal. Something I have learned along my path is you don’t have to know how you will get there….you just have to ask the universe for what you want and the path will reveal itself.
Here is how we unexpectedly ended up living at the shore full time. We had been lucky to have a couple of year-round rentals on LBI along with our condo in Bucks County. I was going through one of my many job losses and we had to give up the shore rental. We left on Labor Day and I had no idea when or if we would return. That fall I tried not to wallow in the fact that I wasn’t at the shore for my favorite time of year there. So, I took the dog to the park and went on long walks. I marveled at the leaves changing and thought we don’t get to see this as much at the shore so I was focusing on the good.
That winter, around January, the condo board was giving me a hard time about a couple of silly things. They really as difficult as they could be when it came to any request or question. And they raised our fees or put an assessment of additional money whenever they wanted and there was nothing any of us could do about it. I had had about enough of having my world ruled by a bunch of miserable old sacks. I put our condo on the market at a price that would allow us to break even and walk away without a profit. But the asking price was still much higher than the current market due to actions taken by the condo board. (They plunged all of our values by about 40 grand overnight with some of their idiotic decisions…again, nothing any of us could do about it.) But luckily our home showed well because I keep a pretty nice home and we got our asking price within 5 days of being on the market. As great as this news was it was completely unexpected and we had to find a place to live. I proposed moving to the shore full time to see how my husband could handle the commute to N.E. Philly every day. He said he was willing to give it a try. We found a place to rent in Beach Haven West which wasn’t on LBI but right before the bridge and on the water. I wasn’t crazy about not being able to live on the island but we ended up loving it here. Not only was it on the water but it’s much more reasonably priced on this side of the bridge. In fact, we purchased our own little slice of heaven within two years. Long story, long…I had no idea how I was going to get back to the shore when we left the Labor Day before. Not only did we make it back but even before summer started. We moved into our rental at the end of March.
The other thing to keep in mind is that I made living at the shore my top priority. I was willing to give up everything else in order to get here. Including my radio career which is the only way I knew how to make a living. There are not a lot of radio jobs in this area so I figured I would take any job I could get until I figured out what my next career would be. I worked as a receptionist for several different companies, I worked for a cleaning company washing windows, I started a career in insurance sales. I hated all these jobs but I was coming home to a place I loved every day so it was worth it and I made the best of it. Then something amazing happened. A morning show co-host job opened up. I inquired about it and was hired immediately. Now, I had it all. A wonderful husband in a home that we love and doing a job everyday that I loved.
I’ve also made a concerted effort to make friends here. I talk to just about everyone and that is quite helpful when it comes to making friends. I have joined Facebook groups that have opened up a whole world of new friends in my neighborhood. I got in touch with some of the friends I had when I lived in this area full time before. I try to make friends wherever I go. The people that stopped by to chat on their boat on their way home when my cousin were here is someone I had met a locals bar a few years back. He seemed to know a lot of the same people I did so I introduced myself and said hi whenever I saw him again. I noticed one time him driving his boat by my house so I told him I think he goes by my house on his way out to the bay. The next time he went by he slowed down to say hi and introduced me to his wife. Since then they often slow down to at least say hello. I’ve seen them a parties with mutual friends. And his wife Linda is a loyal follower of this blog and podcast. She often sends me a message complimenting the show. Which I appreciate more than she can imagine.
Also, while my cousin was here my neighbor across the street was out on his boat and sent me a text asking if we wanted an impromptu night boat ride. I said; Shells yeah! I didn’t even know Mike until we had our annual neighbor BBQ last September (another way to make friends, throw a party!). It was our second year doing it and all the neighbors I did know knew Mike but we had never crossed paths. So I put an invite the BBQ in his mailbox and he decided to partake in our party. He is the nicest guy and I just love him and his mom so much. Such good people! Ever since attending our BBQ he has invited Joe and I out on his boat often. Usually every weekend. This would not be happening if I wouldn’t have invited someone I didn’t even know to the house which has now turned into a wonderful friendship. And the boat rides are a huge bonus!
One more funny story about asking the universe for what you want without knowing how it will manifest. You’ve probably heard how I typically fail miserably at growing tomatoes every year. The plant I purchased already planted and caged is doing okay but the ones I planted out front are basically dead already. I think my decorative sea grass took up too much room and it was a bad spot for them. So I said to my husband, next year I will go back to putting them in a planter and keeping them in the back yard. Then it occurred to me it’s only July 1st and there is still plenty of time to get some big, juicy tomatoes. So, I asked him to get the planter out for me and I planned to go buy a couple plants today. I asked my neighbor is she knew of the best place that was close to get plants this late in the season. She walked over to the back of her house and grabbed a tray of tomato plants she didn’t have room to plant. She handed them to and said I’ve been looking for someone to give these to. Call me silly, but I think that is an amazing coincidence. Now I don’t even have to get plants. This just asking for what I want is too easy. Hmm…I wish someone would clean my house for me every week. I will keep you posted!!!
My point (finally) is this….you have to do the work as well and think the thoughts or it won’t happen. Someone had mentioned the book; “The Secret” and how it didn’t seem to work for her. My question is this…have you really put it into practice? You can’t just read it. You have to do what it says. You have to write down the things you want and you have to imagine them happening. You have to make it the focus of your life and make sure all your decisions will take you in the direction you want to go. Do the work. Nothing will change by merely reading a book. You have to put their advice into practice. You have to do it every day…several times a day. If you can’t find the time, then you don’t want it bad enough. It’s really as simple as that. You have to put in the time to figure out what it is you really want and then go after it like you’ve never gone after anything in your life. And you will attain it. All of these practices work. I’m living proof of that. So do it…write it down, read it over and over. Wait to see how the path will unveil itself and get to it. And you will be on your way to being as annoyingly happy as I am. This is my dream for you. Please make my dream come true!
It’s a new week and a new month. The perfect time to write down everything your heart desires. Now go make it your best day, week and month yet!
Listen to me discuss this topic today on my daily podcast available at Hopefulist.com, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and TuneIn. Just search for "The Hopefulist"!
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