When I was 28 I had far too much pride to call a plow during a snowstorm. I had bought myself a Cape Cod set back from the road, with a driveway that was not forgiving when the snow piled up. As the snow gave way to sun, I ordered up the next best homeowner’s entrée as I spent my summer afternoons riding in circles cutting the grass. As my dreams grew bigger, so did my pile of household chores. At the age of 33, I decided that a pink flamingo float was the way to my heart. I gave my hand at designing my own backyard paradise and learned how to maintain my new inground pool.

As the next couple of years flew by I took great pride in the life I had created for myself. I had a 15 year career, a beautiful home and a very supportive family. I had my two pet companions and a handful of friendships I cherished. But just as the snow shovel pushed away the snow, the lawn mower cleared away the high grass, and the pink flamingo float deflated at summer’s end, my growth as a person suddenly felt stunted.

The best part about life is that when you feel stuck, you’re always just a few hard decisions away from reinventing your happiness. My heart will always beam a bit brighter from my years as an educator even if I step away from the classroom for now. My hands and tired mind will always know the sacrifices and hard work that come with being a homeowner even if I no longer own a home. But at the end of the day, you can’t expect your life to get better without some gut-wrenching changes.

As June approaches quickly, I lay my head on my pillow every night knowing that if I want things to be great, I need to be willing to let go of some of the good.