Jump in and swim like hell

or just stand there and do nothing?

I have started taking steps before I see a place for my feet to land and somehow it’s happening. Like magic. When there is nothing in front of you to catch you it makes all the sense in the world to feel stuck in one place. It’s like feeling trapped on an island without the means to build a boat. Eventually you either acknowledge that your life will not change—you will be stuck here until you’re rescued—OR you jump in and start swimming, trusting that the universe will catch you and carry you. The chance that you might drown is also very real, but sometimes we get to the point where we can no longer survive just standing still being burned by the sun. By life.

Matt and I did this with our home in Florida. When we moved back to Nashville we so wanted to keep our house, but we are definitely not in a position to be able to pay for two homes. We planned on listing it as a long-term rental, but out of the blue there were so many other LTRs listed in our area and the prices were dropping too low. We could short-term rent it, but there was no way we could furnish and decorate it. So alas, we had to make the devastating decision to sell the home we love so much in one of our favorite places in the whole world, County Highway 30A, Florida.

But guess what? It didn’t sell. So here we are, ten months of paying for two homes (one owned and one rented) and trying not to suffocate underneath the weight of life’s expenses. We were standing here burning up in the sun on this island we never expected to find ourselves living on. Panic attacks from feeling like so much was out of our control. So we made the decision to pull the house off of the market and get it on Airbnb. A scary decision for sure, but making enough money to even cover half of our mortgage payment is a lifeline that we haven’t had for almost a year now. The decision was the first step. Then we dove in headfirst and opened a credit card for West Elm/Pottery Barn. Step two. Scary. Then we discovered we could get floor models, mark downs, and outlet stock. Wow. Found decorative items wholesale. Ok! And here we are, finally getting ready to launch it. It took so many hours and fear and excitement and trips and unexpected repairs and and and… but we’re deep in this and we’re still afloat somehow.

I won’t get into the details today, but I’m going through this process on so many things simultaneously. Opening our first retail store, doing photography professionally again, transitioning from homeschooling with only one kid in school to seven kids going into four different schools. There are lots of days when Matt and I both feel like it’s all too much, but we’re doing what we can by just taking the next step and hoping we’re moving in the right direction.

There is one thing I have noticed. Movement creates a current. Going forward in one area helps me to continue to wake up and keep moving in a positive direction (most days at least).

In case you want to treat yo’ self and book our beach house for a dreamy late summer/fall vacation, I will share the link here as soon as it’s live! It really is a special place.

Is there something you need to jump in on and just start?