Once you make the decision to follow your internal guidance or your heart or your karma, there is no turning back. So, you think you can stand out? Yes, you can, but it may be more difficult than you can imagine.

Those who follow my column on Ned’s Job of the Week website already have seen my commentaries on making transitions in life and career. My most recent column on this subject was on June 29, my birthday. In that post, I wrote about what has morphed into an ongoing transition in my life and career. I chronicled my August 2012 relocation from Washington, DC to Las Vegas, Nevada. I never imagined that I would continue in transition in July 2013, but that is exactly what has happened. The lesson here is that transitions in life can be a regular journey for a person.

I was recruited to work as a communication consultant in San Francisco. What does one who is a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada do if they want to accept such a terrific position in San Francisco? The answer is found in these three simple words: frequent flier miles.

Yes, I fly 400 miles one-way to get to and from work each week in San Francisco. I also live in hotels part of each week. In my experience, flying and staying in hotels has always been associated with vacation. Now, however, I have joined the ranks of steadfast business travelers who know the realities of regular travel by air and weekly accommodations in hotels.

Living in two cities is a major challenge, of course. I would not recommend this to you unless you genuinely are a highly adaptable person. There will always be unexpected twists and turns that sneak up on you and complicate an already difficult way to live. In San Francisco, for instance, I am having to deal with a strike at the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system that makes local commuting one of the worst traffic experiences one could ever hope to find in the United States. Then there is the issue of going between daytime highs of only 65 degrees in San Francisco to daytime highs of over 100 degrees in Las Vegas. You get the idea here.

I love working with my colleagues in San Francisco and I am very happy that I accepted this consulting offer. I would not trade my life with anyone else. Maybe in the near future, I will need to relocate for work to California from Nevada. You can be sure I will write about my experiences here to help you with your own efforts to stand out professionally.

Meanwhile, Here are some of my most helpful posts that I hope you will check out:

• One of the most significant parts of my online column here on Ned’s Job of the Week website is my series on how you can create and maintain your personal brand. This series of columns began in July 2012 and is worth checking out if you haven’t already done so. The entire series is available all in one place online for you to see.
• I am especially proud of my commentary regarding staying current with technology to help professionals of any age or experience level remain relevant in today’s rapidly changing world.
• My controversial comments about retirement will make you think carefully about your plans for what happens after you transition from the world of full-time employment.