It caught me off guard when I saw it that Saturday morning. I was running through a cemetary because, well because Greenville Union Cemetary is the best place to run in Greenville, Ohio. It’s peaceful, there’s a long paved road and not much activity on it. The residents don’t seem to mind, either.

I was peacefully running along when I saw it in the morning sun. The tombstone stood right in front of me and was shouting a message to me.

Someone was stuck, and it was me! I had attempted to revive my business that had suffered two cross-country moves. I was looking for a job that matched my skills. Nothing seemed to be working. As I stared at the message from the beyond, one thing became clear.

It was time to shake things up or stay stuck!

I didn’t feel like spending the rest of my life in the cemetery. So the only logical step was to shake things up.

That day, I changed my strategy and eventually found a job that I have loved. It has allowed me to use my graphic design skills in a management position. With the benefit of hindsight, I say the discomfort was worth it.

Looking back, I am thankful for that time. It was not because I was struggling that makes it great, but because my wife and I decided a couple of years before that to take some risks. We could have chosen to coast by for the rest of our lives and be comfortable. Instead, we took some steps by faith and shook things up.

There are many who are comfortable in their discomfort. They have settled into a situation they don’t particularly like, but feel it’s better than trying something new. It doesn’t have to be that way! No matter your age, you can try something new. It’s much better to shake things up than to be stuck and feel like you are biding your time in a figurative cemetery.