There's similarities between moving cross country and labor/birth.
I recently had this realization as our move date is creeping closer and started freaking out a bit.
There’s this massive life changing event that is coming up that you may not or don’t feel in control of. I know I sure don’t at this moment. There’s so much to do and prep for. So many things to sort through or even just throw out. And we can’t forget lists…SO MANY LISTS.
But it’s like, how do we even begin to sort through all the things we need to care of? Where do we start? How do we compartmentalize the seniority of things?
starting off
With any overwhelming thing, I like to start off with education and learning your options. With birth it’s choosing out of hospital education classes. What method speaks to you? Then it’s finding that class and the instructor that you connect with. Once that’s sorted, you attend your classes and realize how many more options just opened for you 🤯
With moving cross country, you need to figure out if you want to move yourself, or do you want someone to do it for you? Depending on which one you choose, start getting estimates of a rough cost. That being said, you should know when you’re going to move. Typically the closer to your move date your hire a moving company, the more expensive it’ll be.
tackling things
This is where your lists will come in handy.
During and after your birth class you have options: are you going to birth in a hospital? Have a doula? Hire a birth photographer? Have your placenta encapsulated? Where is baby going to sleep? If you have animals, who is going to watch them while you’re in labor/at the hospital if that’s where you’re birthing?
For your cross country move, seriously purging all the useless shit that you’ve accumulated before even thinking of packing. Like no really, go through each room and purge the fuck out of it. If you haven’t used it in a year and it’s not a family heirloom, chuck it. If you haven't used it in the last 6 months and it’s cheap, chuck it, you can replace it when you need it again after you move.
Once you’re lists are created, I personally like the write them in the order of smallest to greatest task. It’s been shown that tackling the smaller things first make tackling the larger/more intimidating tasks easier. It’s the same with debt, they say to tackle the small debt first before tackling larger debt.
when the big day comes
Let go.
Trust that you’ve done what you could and things are going to happen that are not in your control.
Your labor may be longer than you anticipated or your water breaks with no surges in sight, or it may even be super quick and you birth before you get to your birth place. Movers could break a vase or lose a box or be delayed by severe weather.
Whatever happens, once things are rolling, or the truck drives off with your stuff, letting go and trusting the events that are about to unfold are all you can do. Enjoy and laugh through the experience. Make it memorable, sight see as you’re traveling to your new city/state. Watch a movie in early labor or do a date night.
Know you’ve prepared yourself and you are educated.
You got this! And so do I! 💪🏻