It was all too familiar.

Sometimes it went well…sometimes it didn’t.

At times there was jumping for joy…

Other times it was dreaded like the plague.

And on a rare occasion…

It was a little bit of each.

These were the entire range of feelings I’ve experience during my life when it came time to moving.

From the time I was born until the age of 11 we moved a total of ten times.

Included in that was an astounding 5 moves (one from New Jersey to California and back) in a seven month period when I was 9…in which I attended 5 different schools within one year.

At that point we finally settled down in Central New Jersey (Old Bridge) for the next 12 years.

Why am I bringing this up…and what does it have to do with you?

To start…

It involves where you call home.

Where do you call home?

Is it the neighborhood you grew up in? Is it where you live now? Was it the place you lived a few years ago?

Or possibly…

Is it everywhere?

Now as you’re sitting there reading this you’re probably thinking, “Yeah, there’s that one place I call home but what does Chaney mean by it possibly being everywhere?”

And…

“How can this help me in my life?”

All this talk about where you call home reminds me of the saying, “home is where your heart is.”

I remember my mother having one of those pictures hanging on the wall…a picture of a house…and a little sign saying “Home Is Where Your Heart Is.”

At first I saw it as the actual home you live in…which is true.

Then I began to see a bigger picture of it all.

And as simple as this saying sounds it is profound as it relates to your life.

Why?

Because when you’re living life from your heart you can look at wherever you’re at as being “home” in some way.

Yes…they’ll still be that one place that is your “home”…your main residence.

However…

By seeing that “home is where your heart is” you’ll be able to see the entire world as your home.

And when you take the time to look close enough…you’ll see it to be true.

For example…

Think about any place you’ve been where you truly felt grateful…a place where you weren’t distracted…a moment in time when you truly felt fulfilled in your life.

It could have been anywhere…

A friend’s house…somewhere you visited for a few weeks…a school you attended…any place that was away from your “regular home.”

Wherever this was for you…did it still feel like home in some way?

You see…

When you are truly grateful for your life—to include the people, the places, and the situations you’ve been in—you’ll be coming from your heart.

And when you do…

No matter where you go…no matter who you’re around…or what situation you’ll find yourself in…you’ll feel like it’s “home.”

All those times we moved early on in my life…each of those place served a purpose.

And just so you know…

All the moving around we did when I was younger…it wasn’t because “bad” things were going on…it was just one of “those things” where we moved a lot.

And even back then I had some sense that every one of those places I lived in was “home.” In many ways I still see them as such.

The reason I do is because each has contributed to my journey in life in some way…and has led me to what I love doing today.

This is the point for you to realize…and why this is important to your life.

When you see the world as your home you’ll see how each person, place, idea, and situation has served you on your life’s journey.

Along with this…

You’ll won’t feel alone…or out of place.

You’ll have the “inner knowing” that no matter where you are it’s a place you can call home.

And just like every other home you’ll have the supports and challenges…the pleasures and pains…the happiness and sadness…the praise and criticisms…equally.

This is healthy and part of your magnificent journey through life.

Also…

There’s a song called “Home Sweet Home.”

And part of the lyrics goes like this…

I’m on my way
I’m on my way
Home sweet home

Look at living your life as having things on your way…not in the way.

The same is true for where you call home.

Home is where your heart is…

And it is in your heart that the magnificence and brilliance of who you are shines through for the entire world to see…

The world that is your home.