Ocean View from Living Room
Intracoastal View from Living Room
I have just completed a major personal upgrade to a spacious, luxurious townhouse on the ocean. From my living room, my bedroom, and two terraces, I have a soothing view of the ocean on one side and a view of the intracoastal waterways on the other side.
But it hasn’t always been this way. Years ago I lived in a tiny studio apartment in Manhattan, NYC, which I loved and owned and decorated to represent me. And then I spent years moving around with my husband between Connecticut and New York, living quite well at times but never finding a real home. Next step, after taking an early retirement from my position as Professor of Health and Physical Education, I relocated to Florida where I had my counseling license. Since my husband needed to continue working in New York, we have established a long distance relationship.
Within one month of moving to Florida, I rented an apartment temporarily that reminded me of a New York City loft, one block from the ocean, in a very popular town with lots of restaurants and activity. This temporary rental lasted over 10 years. The original owner kept the building in tiptop shape and eventually sold it, and then the big hurricanes came, and the new owners did the minimum of repairs. Gradually, the building has been deteriorating until that day in the middle of June when the hallway ceiling collapsed outside the other apartment on my floor.
Since only a few days before this event, I had sent my notice that I was leaving, I saw the ceiling fiasco as a symbol and metaphor for my receptivity to success. Finally, after years of feeling a bit embarrassed, tolerating what was becoming increasingly intolerable, and ignoring the inevitable, I chose to upgrade my life for love.
I love myself. Why would I want to keep my favorite items stuffed in the back of my closet? Why would I not feel I deserve to live well?
I love my clients. Why would I not want my clients to feel totally comfortable? Why would I not want them to be proud to refer their friends to me in a beautiful location?
I love my friends. Why would I not want to have a comfortable environment to invite my friends over for a brunch, a dinner, or breakfast at Wimbledon? (I’m a tennis lover).
From the moment I lay down on the bed in my new bedroom, I went into the deepest meditation I have had in a long time. I was unable to meditate in that other apartment. The energy was not uplifting. I no longer belonged there and I stayed in my Comfort Zone, slowly stifling my full creative potential.
Upgrading your life can be scary. You take steps forward without knowing if the ground will support you or if you will fall on your face. But the alternative, sitting in quicksand which is slowly pulling you down, has to be worse. From the moment I stepped into my new apartment I have not stopped smiling and feeling total appreciation for my life.
- Is something or someone holding YOU back from living in your own magnificence?
- Are you tolerating something or someone because you think there is no other way?
- Do you feel ready to step out of your comfort zone and reach out for success?
CALL ME for a FREE Consultation. I can help you get where you want to go. Read a HEALING BOOK Get the life-changing HEALING THROUGH LOVE or LOVE TOUCH HEAL Seminars. Special discounted pricing won’t last. Get it now before it’s taken down.
Here’s to living your life in love
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Dr. Erica Goodstone
Latest posts by Dr. Erica Goodstone (see all)
- Aging Beautifully - October 6, 2024
- How Are You Feeling? - August 12, 2023
-
Love Vs Hate How Much Love Can We Share To Eliminate Hate? - July 23, 2022
Good for you! LOL I remember a time in my life where I remained in an apartment because I had a month to month lease. I didn’t like the place but I felt empowered because I could leave anytime. For more than 2 years I stayed primarily because I could leave at any time! How’s that for crazy?
Congratulations on getting the home you deserve!
Kathy,
I stayed for 10 years because I was on a month to month lease and I knew I could leave any time. When I looked at other places and knew I had to sign a lease for a year, I would hesitate and change my mind – and just stay. Amazing how easy it is to become complacent and stay in our comfort zone at the expense of living our joy and on purpose.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
After living in a home that increasingly needed maintenance and repair, the time came when I could make the sea change I had been planning on for a few years. I had lived there for 25 years not moving because of proximity to transport for schools and universities for my two oldest children who had now left home.
Having been afraid to use my savings on the house, I now spent a fortune on quickly bringing it into shape to make it a “show home” for sale. It cost a lot more than it should have as there was no time for me to do any painting and repairs myself even though, through necessity, I learned at a young age to quite handy at such things
Afterwards I wondered why I had not allowed myself to live in a home as it was when it sold.
I did make the sea change and luck landed on my side. The perfect house was on the market. Although it cost more than I had planned it was in a slightly cheaper town than I had been looking and in a wonderful location. I bought a house that far exceeded my expectations, on a hill surrounded by trees with a distant but magnificent sea view. I had been looking at houses for sale for 3 years and nothing close to this had appeared on the market. After almost 2 years I look at that view daily and marvel at my good fortune and thank goodness I took the chance. I never tire of watching the sunsets.
We have to live frugally, as I need to partly live off savings made by selling the house in the city, but the house is all paid for and no other material possessions can come close to that view. .
Thank you, Dr Erica, for making me think. Reading this has made me realize that I am doing the same thing as before. I should spend some of my savings on the updates needed to the house. Out comes the paintbrush, hammer and drill – this time I will do as much as possible myself. I now need to learn to work smarter to give me the time to do it.
Congratulations on your recent upgrade, Dr. Erica, you definitely deserved it. I am inspired by your accomplishments. I definitely want to live in a house with an oceanview someday!
Cherrie,
I feel as if I was lifted out of my previous home and placed into this new and wonderful environment. Today I was listening to a tape of some of the lessons in the book The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles. He tells us to hold a clear vision of what we want (the car, the home). I smile and realize that several of the “things” I want, I already have – and I may not have had them even a few months earlier. That is a huge reminder to keep holding our vision out in front of us, with faith and confidence that it WILL be given to us in due time. Then we just take the action steps we are able to take, in the moment, trusting that we are on the path to fulfillment.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Hi Dr. Erica,
your example and questions provide great food for thoughts and soul searching.
Our ‘uncomfortable comfortzone’ can be very comfortable and sometimes we end up with something ‘rocking our boat’.
I do believe in synchronicity, that whatever happens is in harmony with where we are at vibrationally; and that applies to not moving at times because the ‘time is not right’.
Thank you for your insights!
Yorinda
Yorinda,
You are so right. Sometimes, even though the move might be great, if it is not the right time it won’t work out as desired. It is best to operate in alignment with your intuition and best judgement.
Warmly,
Dr. erica
Good lesson, Dr. Erica.
Always strive to reach your highest potential. You should settle for nothing less.
It’s nice to see someone living the lesson, not just teaching it.
Thanks for the inspiration.
David,
I have learned that it doesn’t serve anybody for me to keep myself limited for the sake of some sort of illusion of safety. When I step out into my own greatness, the world seems to accommodate and provide what I need.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Dr. Erica,
Finally I can say…Congratulations to you on making the move to your new home.
From all what I read so far, I can say this is an ideal location for you.
I know what it feels to see the water… I my place overlook a river and my favorite sport I practice in the water is canoeing, so I know very well the feeling of being close to the water… GOOD for you that you finally made the move to enjoy what you love..
I followed your last few articles from when you start to talk about moving and now I feel happy for you that you finally made the move and so many things are coming together much better than anticipated… you deserve the best… so go ahead… ENJOY and never look back, you made it 🙂
Thanks for sharing all this with all of us.
_nickc
Nick,
Moving does take a lot of time and energy. And the process is exciting. Space allows movement. I have lots of space and everything feels so right and comfortable. I can feel the creative juices flowing as I continue to handle the many details of moving into a new space – physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Oh Dr Erica, I am so jealous! 🙂 I love the ocean and would love to wake up and see it and walk on the beach daily. However, we live in a small town (that I love) about an hour from the Pacific Ocean.
We are in the process of selling our big home and finding another tasteful smaller place for my hubby and I. You article inspired me to be sure and find what we love and not just settle for something less.
I appreciate you,
Lynn
Lynn,
I have discovered one thing about moving – it takes a lot of time and energy. Even though I am now living on the ocean, I have only gone downstairs to walk on the beach one time so far – on July 4th. I have been so busy, waiting for Comcast technicians ( on 8 different occasions and today the internet was out), waiting for a few deliveries, etc. The place is now just about in order and I am loving it. Saw a client, doing the same mindbody therapy I have done for decades – and the energy in this place felt incredible.
It really is important to love your environment, to love the work you are doing, to love the people you surround yourself with. And if there is something you feel you don’t love, then either find a way to love it, change some small aspect, or leave and find what you do love.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Awww….Erica, the view is beautiful. I am glad you are enjoying much more quality lifestyle now 🙂
I definitely agree that we should love ourselves and give life the best love it deserved !
Reading about your story, I would say you have came a long way and now it is turning your life into some magical moments. You are now living in a luxury apartment where you will be healthier because you feel happier, more relaxing and able to share some space with your client at some kind of a resort living apartment 🙂 Worth upgrading, Erica ! 🙂
Cheers
Pearly Quah
Pearly,
Today I did a mindbody therapy session with a client and the energy was amazing. I am living in a vortex, receiving energy from the ocean and from the intracoastal. Environment does make a huge difference.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Nice!! Congratulations!! I remember that story about the ceiling!! It’s amazing what we put up with and what it takes to get us moving!!
I am a loooong way from an ocean view.. but I have to say that I have been renovating and change my home so that I love it!! My office although recently changed is not my ideal, I prefer to move to my bright front living area!! It makes it so much easier and more joyful to work.. and enjoy visiting!
Holly,
Each change feels so good. I remember feeling so good when I got my new desktop SONY Vaio (the actual computer looks like just a monitor). And then when I got my BMW M3 with burnt red leather sports seats. I just love my car and my Sirius XM radio. So I was more easily able to tolerate some of the negatives of my previous home because I did have some wonderful things. But now I have a beautiful new dark tinted glass desk – room to spread out and not bang my knees – and I can really focus and feel good at the same time.
Even while living in a deteriorating environment I was able to find ways to feel good each day, relying often upon my spiritual practices to realize that none of it is coming from outside of us. It is our own consciousness that provides for us.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
It never fails to amaze me how much I can tolerate and when I stop doing it, I am aghast at the extraordinary reasons (excuses) I gave myself. Congratulations, I love to read stories like this, especially just now as I too have made a huge decision and though the timing isn’t quite yet, it is arriving, quickly!
Jackie,
Time is a strange thing. I actually looked at this same apt in 2003 and again in 2008. The second time I almost signed a lease and then changed my mind (fear, not ready, who knows why – lots of excuses). But this time there was no doubt. I was thrilled that this place was available and I jumped on it quickly. That last month in the old apartment was almost unbearable but I kept holding my vision of where I was going. And voila – now I am here. It feels as if I was magically lifted into this space. That is the way that visualization works. We hold the vision clearly and then go about our daily life. And then, when the time is right, the world opens for us. And we are living our dream.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Congratulations Dr Erica! I can feel your energy girl!! I am so happy that you finally got out of your comfort zone, not sure why we do this either, Fear of something or another HUH?
Thanks you for sharing your wonderful journey with us.. Chery 🙂
Chery,
I had gotten so used to the place I where I was living that I was able to overlook just how unsatisfying it was, how it did not serve me well, and how I felt as if I was just spinning my wheels. My new place has magical energy, a sense of total expansiveness and the accompanying feeling that anything and everything is possible
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Congratulations on your new home! It sounds like an ideal location. My favorite vacations are tropical one and I always insist on lodging with a view of the ocean. To have this view every day would be heaven to me.
So many people struggle with fears and keep looking for ways to get rid of the
feeling…they might be able to stuff fear down or distract themselves temporarily but it will come back (sometimes even stronger) without proper coaching. Fear is rampant in the world and is creating so a lot of misery that can be transformed when we know how!
Rachel,
It’s not just fear. It’s also a sense of resignation, a feeling that my dreams and true desires are beyond my reach. While in that old apartment I felt for awhile as if there was no way out. And then I managed to justify it to myself. It felt like a huge effort to go looking with brokers and I couldn’t imagine packing and moving. But then, when the situation became absolutely unbearable, it became easy to get moving, pack up and leave.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Fear of the unknown is definitely scary. I think a lot of people can relate to it. It is a wall that most of us run into and it is either climb it or just sit there. I prefer to climb it and whatever else. Not all things are positive, but they are certainly a way to learn and grow.
Nile,
Usually I do take action rather than waiting around. But somehow I got so caught up in working long hours and could not garner up the energy to leave until there was no longer a choice. If you don’t make the move when it is easy, you may eventually be forced to do it anyway. So much better to take the plunge early and experience life fully.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica
Love love love your views!
Good luck in your new home, I’m working towards my ocean view home.
You are a true inspiration and I’m thrilled that you’ve found your dream home at last.
Sarah,
I had actually seen this exact place in 2003 and again in 2008 when it had briefly become available. But I was not ready to upgrade and trust in the inflow of resources at that time. And — without the recent negative situation in my previous apartment, I would not have been so consistently grateful for what I have now.
Warmly,
Dr. Erica