It’s been a long journey — two years of searching, dreaming, discussing, and sometimes disagreeing. But today, my wife and I are holding the keys to our new home.

During this time, I’ve learned more than I ever expected — about renting, buying, building, and even co-housing models. I explored Sociocracy 3.0 as a way to make collaborative decisions.

But the hardest lesson wasn’t about real estate. It was emotional. It was learning how to say no — especially when my wife said yes to a place that I couldn’t imagine calling home. We’re usually great at finding compromises, but this decision didn’t allow for one. It was binary: yes or no.

And I didn’t want to be the “no-sayer.” It felt like I was the one holding us back, the one dimming the excitement. That feeling of guilt was heavy.

💡 What helped me cope with that guilt?

✅ Open, honest conversations — We talked. A lot. About our needs, our dreams, and our fears.

✅ Shared vision — We revisited often what “home” means to both of us. That helped us realign.

✅ Self-compassion — I became more aware of my inner dialogue and noticed how often I was being hard on myself. So, I started practicing loving-kindness toward myself and giving myself a bit of grace.

✅ Trusting the process — We believed that the right place would come. And it did.

Now, as we step into this new chapter, I’m grateful — not just for the home, but for the journey that brought us here.