“A body continues in its state of rest, or in uniform motion in a straight line, unless acted upon by a force.” Newton’s First Law of Motion
It was the end of October and I had recently returned from Trip No. 3 in a little over a month. First it was a family visit to the Burgh, followed by a friend’s wedding in Austin, with the crescendo being a real estate conference in Vegas.
There were great moments, but there was also a healthy dose of grit and discomfort. Traveling isn’t as fun as it used to be and I didn’t realize how cozy I had gotten in my Portland COVID “Jammies.”
About the time I was ready to sit down and pontificate about the “forces” that push us out of our comfort zones and create change the bigger !#@* hit the fan…
On what began as a lovely stroll home on a sunny morning, my sweet dog True was attacked by a huge male Rottweiler. In my efforts to pull the dog off of her, the force of the dog twisted and broke my finger and badly injured my right hand. Surgery followed as well as the lack of use of my dominant hand during what has been the busiest time of my my 17-year career. Suddenly I was learning to tie my running shoes with the assistance of my teeth. Thank you yoga :).
I don’t share this for pity or sympathy. True is thankfully great and I am healing. I share it because my experience is EVERYONE’S experience. This massive, global “force” of COVID has pushed us all way out of our comfort zone repeatedly. We have been forced to get out of our jammies, change and grow.
And so it is with anyone who has entered the force of the Portland real estate scene recently. This market is swift, ever changing and intimidating to most. Sellers are as nervous as buyers as they leave the comfort of the familiar entering a yet-to-be-defined new place and space. There is no end in sight for the housing shortage which drove prices to appreciate 16.7% in Portland this year. The country is on the MOVE.
When knocked down and injured, I found myself in an ocean of gratitude. Gratitude for True being ok. Gratitude for not being harmed more by the dog. Gratitude for a job where I can continue to work. Gratitude for the love and support of my family, friends and clients. Certainly the force of change will continue. It is how we respond to it that defines our experience.
