Carpe Diem – Puerto Rico Edition

Maybe the phrase is overused, but carpe diem (often translated from the Latin as 'seize the day') can be a helpful reminder for us to heed the call to enjoy life's offerings while we can.

In other words, when opportunity comes knocking, open the door. Or maybe better, when your heart starts to get restless and there's a stirring of adventure within your soul, start opening doors regardless!

This is what Julie and I are doing right now, in fact.

We've always enjoyed traveling, experiencing the outdoors, tackling new adventures. But for the most part, we've ventured out from a fairly safe place. 

For the past twenty-five years, we've had steady jobs, lived in a stable community, been involved in the same circle of churches, have a wonderful set of friends. We could continue on this path for a long time.

Instead, we're moving to Puerto Rico for the next chapter of our lives.

Why? One reason is inherent in the phrase carpe diem. We have a limited number of days in which to pursue our dreams, goals, and aspirations. Circumstances, some of which are beyond our control, can conspire to limit our opportunities. If we want something in life, we often have to seize it.

So while the sun is shining, we're going to make some hay! (And yes, I'm relying on all the old clichés today!) We're relatively young (the last of the boomer generation); relatively healthy (some normal joint wear and tear); and relatively stable financially (conservative in spending and living).

Simply put, the time is right for us to make a move. And we're sharing our journey's progress in hopes that we might inspire others toward a fulfilling life of travel, wellness, and transformation (as our blog states).

However, the decision has not been easy. We've been thinking about this move for a few years. We've had doubts. We've had questions. We still do! Was this was something we really wanted to pursue? What challenges will we face? Are they insurmountable?

You'll likely have to make the same kind of self-inventory and evaluation. To get you started, here are some (dangerous!) questions to ask if you're considering a major life change like we are...

• If... [fill in the blank: money, security, status quo, what others think, etc.] weren't a concern, what would I/we do with the rest of our lives?
• What needs to happen for this new thing to begin?
• When do I/we want to start? What's holding me/us back?
• Am I or are we willing to experience short term pain for long term gain?

These aren't all the questions, obviously. It's a truism that 'we don't know what we don't know.' We'll face brand new questions and unexpected challenges in the days ahead, I'm sure. But for now, we're simply moving forward, pursuing a dream.

Of course, we may not live in Puerto Rico forever. We may not officially retire there long term. It may just turn out to be a ten year vacation for us. (But what a vacation!) There are a lot of unknowns. That's what makes an adventure exciting. So despite all that, we've decided to go for it.

Will you? What new excursion or next chapter journey is tugging at your heart? Are you willing to test the waters and see if it's really what interests you? Why not start opening some doors and see what's on the other side? Feel free to share your thoughts. And remember...

Carpe diem!

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• Introduction - Carpe Diem 
• Part 1 - The Brainstorm
• Part 2 - The Scouting Trip
• Part 3 - Saying Goodbye to Kansas
• Part 4 - Saying Hello to Puerto Rico