After several (about 13) years you ended up a somewhat appreciated, senior contributor for a company. This status earned you some privileges and a certain degree of stability. Normally there is no sane reason to leave this warm feeling, this comforting community that surrounds you.
...but there comes a time when despite your good feelings about this place you are in, you are presented with a choice that can support your life better, it can give something more to you and your family. (at least on paper)... and than comes the struggle.
You have to make a difficult decision and this decision will affect your life and your family's life. When this happens chances are that you become full of doubt about the uncertainties of the new direction and the reason for this is that you have become way to accustomed to the situation you are in. All those things that you ended up knowing and appreciating at the old place are raising the bar way too high for the new place.
Should you keep these bars so high? Or should you lower the bars and start with little expectations from the new place and start raising these bars slowly as you get accommodated in this new place?
You have to close the past, and keep these great things you encountered at the old place as great memories, and start with a blank page. Expect for the good and do your work as best your abilities allow you.
The new place will bring new challenges, new people, different culture...and you have to try to understand this and give it a chance. Maybe it can lift you higher and open some parts of you that you did not know about.
We will see...
Happy coding.
N
