How I'm Doing // Seattle Life
Two months ago today (happy anniversary to me!) I packed up my entire LA life into two U-Packs (I encourage you to look these up. I had never heard of them before, but it's crazy that my whole life fit in them), got on a plane and landed in Seattle. I'm going to be honest with you. The minute the plane landed I burst into tears and held onto my mom for comfort and reassurance that I made the right decision.
FYI - I did.
If you've ever moved to a new city/state before you know how daunting the task of moving is and how stressful it is to decide what to take, what to leave behind and what to expect when you get there. You anticipate loneliness and an endless to do list in order to get settled and you lie awake at night wondering if this is a mistake. You also know that every other day is the complete opposite and you're just bursting with excitement for your new life and looking forward to the change you know you desperately need.
Oh. I know. I felt alllll of that. My family and friends were amazing and never got annoyed with my constant need for reassurance and hugs and late night packing sessions and bottles of wine to keep things light. This all may sound ridiculous, but when you've never left the city you grew up in and suddenly leaving everything you know it's a lot and much harder than you imagine.
// I did it though. I'm here and I'm HAPPY.
The past couple of months have surprisingly gone by slowly, but in the best way. The inconvenience of not knowing how to get around was hard at first, but I quickly learned how to use public transit and where the closest Target was to my loft (priorities). It's so strange not having a car anymore, but I'm actually loving it. In LA I sat in a car all day long to get from point A to point B and now I sit on a bus or take longer walks and feel more present. I listen to music and take more photos and SEE more. My eyes are wide open.
My friends here have been amazing and have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome. I anticipated seeing them a lot less because, well, life, but they have not stopped checking in, making plans and scheduling work days together. I haven't felt alone a single day and that is a gift my friends. I literally moved from one beautiful home to another.
However, I do spend a lot of time alone, but that's just part of being a freelancer, working for yourself and being a business of one. It's actually one of my favorite parts about what I do. It's even more important to me now that I'm in a new city and constantly being forced to reflect on my surroundings or meeting someone new or planning shoots. I feel so inspired. I was lacking so much of that back in LA and wasn't sure how to change things. Well, I think I figured it out, guys.
I'm growing, I'm changing, I'm doing great. I walk around my new neighborhood sometimes and can't believe I did it. I finally got the balls to leave all my usual comforts and do something different with my life. I went with my gut and it was the best decision I could have made.
Can I get an amen?! If you've done something similar or have been sitting on an idea for a long time and not sure how to move forward, please tell me about it! Cheers to grabbing life by the balls.