I’ve gotten an awful lot of responses since announcing my decision to pick up and move across the country without a job lined up or much of any money saved. They range anywhere from, that’s ‘gutsy’, ‘brave’ or some other synonym indicating my overall reckless behavior. All the way to “I’m so happy that you’re starting a new adventure”. To the less popular, “Are you completely insane?!”
However, the overwhelming reaction has been, “Wow. I really wish I could do that.”
At first, I took all of this in stride. Smiling when I was supposed to, laughing when it was said that I was crazy or when I was told by one friend, “Good luck on welfare and food stamps.” (yeah-I wanted to punch him too). Somewhere in the middle of Tennessee I started thinking over and over again about the sentence, “Wow. I really wish I could do that.” Why CAN’T you? If you are truly unhappy with your situation, find a way to make yourself happy. That’s exactly what I am doing. Who knows whether or not I will like Arizona, but it’s something I have to try. If it turns out this is isn’t for me, I’ll move on to the next thing. I want my life to be an adventure, one that I can look back on without any regrets or any thoughts of “Man, I wish I had done that when I had the chance.”
I spent far too long in a job that I hated and as a result I became unhappy with nearly every aspect of my life. So much so, that I didn’t recognize the person I had become and I inadvertently ruined relationships simply because I was no fun to be around. So, I quit and I drove west to start a new chapter in my life. One that will be filled with risks (sky-diving?), 60 mile walks in the desert, lot of gay bars and who knows what else.
I guess what I’m saying is this: The only thing holding you back from doing what you want is you. If you think you can’t, then you won’t. If you know that you can then you will and I know that I can.
ZainyLainy 