Everyone loves the old saying "the future is bright". It sounds reassuring and optimistic, like something you'd say when you don't want to acknowledge the fact nobody really knows what's coming next. Truth is, bright doesn't mean comfortable or easy. It typically means you're standing there half-blind, hoping your instincts kick in before the chaos.
And that pretty much sums up this season of life.
Our beautiful daughter turned 18 last week. EIGHTEEN! She is now an actual adult, according to the government, even though I refuse to accept the fact that she's about to go off to college. This realization sends us both into a spiral of emotions...pride, heartbreak, excitement, panic, and disbelief. We are soooo excited for her, but we are also quietly wondering how time moved this fast without hesitation.
Her future is bright...but it will also be a little painful, as we stumble our way into acceptance.
The real estate business feels similar right now. Everyone wants clean answers on rates, timing, etc. - certainty and guarantees wrapped up nicely in a pretty little package. What we actually have is motion, adjustment, and a market doing what it's always done - reacting to reality instead of headlines.
It is certainly not doom, but it's also not magic. It's really just change and change doesn't always easy. Sometimes change shows up like a bright light, forcing you to decide whether you're going to step forward or walk away.
Growth, legit growth, rarely feels pretty and polished. It looks like a lot of risk, like second-guessing yourself at 3a.m., like doing the thing before you feel fully ready to even start the thing. This is the same formula for everything - parenting, business, investing, life, etc.
We see it in our daughter, stepping into a world she hasn't fully mapped out yet. We see it in our work, building through uncertainty instead of waiting around for "perfect conditions" that don't even exist. We see it in ourselves, standing in the sun, eyes squinted, but taking the picture anyway.
The future IS bright - but that doesn't mean it will always be pretty or painless.
If you're squinting right now, you're not lost or alone. You aren't behind. You are facing something bigger than what you're used to - and that is usually where all the good stuff starts.
Sunglasses are optional (and advised), but showing up is mandatory.
