You know those friends who you can walk away from feeling more at ease, as if they instilled a whole new sense of serenity over you in just a brief amount of time? Today I grabbed coffee with that friend of mine. He has kind eyes and an even sweeter soul, and our conversation gave me the clarity and perspective that I needed.

Since I leave for Chicago in about two weeks, I was grateful to be able to sit down with him for a few hours to talk and catch up.

We talked a lot about what we have ahead of us in the next year, particularly my upcoming adventure to a whole new city. It will be my biggest move to date, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t stressed, confused and slightly overwhelmed. My friend could sense I was a bit anxious about how big of a change this is going to be, and he offered me some great advice.

He said, “The best thing you can do is go to Chicago and just be present each day. Wake up on a Tuesday and think, ‘it’s just a Tuesday in Chicago.’ Meet new people, get lost, explore what the city has to offer… but make sure to just be present for one moment and one day at a time. Anything else will be overwhelming.”

Just a Tuesday in Chicago. That really stuck with me.

The past couple of weeks have been filled with flights in and out of Buffalo, apartment hunting, paperwork, endless phone calls, cleaning, and the obvious packing. Not to mention making time to see my family and friends.

With such a life-changing transition ahead of me, his simple, “It’s just a Tuesday in Chicago” mentality funneled my worries down and gave me an incredible peace of mind.

Sometimes when life has your head spinning and you can’t seem to get a grip on what to do, remember that slowing down can be the best way to speed up.

Even with a major challenge, adventure, or change ahead of you, thinking “it’s just another Tuesday” can give you the perfect dose of realistic perspective to ease your worries, and in turn, make the journey that much more rewarding.