The Great Transition...

So many things have happened in the months of silence that have plagued my blog lately.

We finally sold the house in Texas, after paying for it to sit (empty) for about seven months.

Of course, it wasn't that simple. Life seldom is. We also had to sink thousands of dollars into repairs.

Houses don't like to sit empty.

It's almost as if the building itself took on an incredible case of depression. It was family-less. It was alone.

As I mentioned in my last post, I took a job that brought us back home. To Utah. This new job is not perfect and there are so many things I miss about my old job. There's been plenty of travel for training, and it's been very demanding.

Now, more than ever, I find myself asking where I see myself in the future. Where will that road lead? Will I ever find the time I need to really push my writing? When will I take control over my headspace and push forward with my personal goals?

That's when I have to stop myself.

I am nearing the end of my first novel. Yes, it's taken longer than I wanted. But I've continued to write despite working full time, traveling for business, and pursuing a second master's degree.

Sometimes we focus so much on the destination that we forget what it means to be in the moment. Time and time again, I end up burning myself out over regrets of not accomplishing more. I spin endless cycles in my mind worrying about my professional life, counting the number of assignments that stand between where I am and graduation, and thinking of all the missed writing opportunities.

None of it changes anything.

This recent transition has been hard. It's been trying. As a man of action, I've had to explore the depths of my patience as I've waited for things that have been out of my control and reacted to events from afar that would've been so much easier if I'd been there. But the experience wasn't without its worth.

Through many trials and a few tribulations, we were able to find a new home here in Utah that my wife loves. The views are amazing and it feels so good to see my kids putting down roots. When we take walks around the neighborhood, it feels like home. We're filling up our food storage and planning for a long future here. We've got trees to plant and raised garden boxes to build.

Do I wish I could have accomplished all this without having to change jobs? Of course I do. But that was out of my control and I had to make the best decision for my family. Now I have to make the best with what I've got.

So, what's next?

I'm very close to finishing Second Chance, my first GameLit/LitRPG book in my Battlemage Reborn series. I plan on finishing it up very soon and getting it published and on the Amazon market.

I've started working on the cover for the next in series, but had to fire my artist due to a severe lack of communication. I did speak to another artist regarding future covers, but I wanted to give the guy who did my first cover a chance to make good on his commitments. Sadly, he did not.

School is still a priority, but I should have everything completed for my MBA by the end of September if everything goes according to plan. Once I'm finished, I anticipate I can dedicate more time toward my writing.

Unfortunately, my health has been suffering lately. I had an EKG performed yesterday and an ultrasound on my heart and kidneys this morning. There will probably be some lifestyle and dietary changes ahead of me as I work to get things back under control. It's scary, and I don't know what the future holds, but I turn 39 this year. I'm too young to live in fear of having a stroke or a heart attack.

I currently don't have an answer as to why my blood pressure is as high as it is. Hopefully that will change soon. Still, there are some things I can control. Right?

This means I'll likely be out in nature, hiking with my wife and kids, and doing my best to take my mind off work some.

I like it here. Now that we've found our home, I hope I can stay a long while. I'm not quite ready to go just yet. Maybe when I'm 105. 🙂