11 years ago, I made one single decision that empowered me to create fulfillment in my life in ways I'd never known before. It was a decision heavily cemented with risk, with huge potential for regret, and very little planning.
It was a decision to trust in myself.
………
On Thursday, February 23, 2012 at around 3:00pm Central, I drove into Chicago with nothing but a vision of starting a new life on my own terms, and a few suitcases full of clothes, shoes and bedding crammed into my 2-door jeep wrangler. Oh, plus one 88-key electric piano.
The new life survival essentials.
As I maneuvered through the city neighborhoods to my new, temporary home in Logan Square, I sent a text to my new housemate - a woman I'd found on Craigslist with a furnished spare room for rent near the blue line - to let her know I was arriving. She responded that she was still at work so she had left my key under the doormat, and I remember being relieved that I could get settled in peace.
I was certain that she'd have a zillion questions for me that I didn't have any answers for, like...
Why are you moving here?
How long are you staying?
What's your plan?
I had no idea.
My decision to leave Boston and move to Chicago had developed in a matter of weeks and it didn't make much sense to anyone, including myself. I was leaving behind a giant loving family that I'd miss very much, and a fun, yuppie lifestyle in Southie with plenty of awesome opportunities.
And yet, I needed to leave.
It was never my vision to live in one place forever and my whole life thus far had taken place in Massachusetts. I grew up in the suburbs, went to college at UMASS Amherst, then built my career in Boston. The desire to challenge myself and branch out someplace new had been building up since high school but there were so many reasons to stay. Now, I was 30 and the urge to leave had become unbearable.
I'd hit my tipping point. I was done waiting.
There were some interesting factors leading up to that moment of thinking "fuck it" and choosing to make a move. Things like exhausting, unhealthy relationships and some nightmare career fiascos. But those are stories for another time. The point today is that I had an overwhelming desire to move and I wasn't going to hold myself back anymore.
My soul had decided. It was time to go.
Once I agreed to honor my intuition, two prime relocation options became apparent. I had some lifelong friends living in LA that would definitely welcome me over -or- I had a long-distance, non-committal boyfriend living in Chicago, from whom I had no expectations or support.
Despite the obviously imminent relationship doom, I settled on the latter. I just had a sense that I'd love living in Chicago. It's such a gorgeous city - that sometimes smells like chocolate! It seemed I could easily find myself at home, even if I was likely to end up entirely on my own.
My heart wanted Chicago. So that's what I chose. I was terrified, but oddly confident.
The very next thing I did was contact my landlord to give her notice that I would be terminating my lease. I knew I was likely to get cold feet about such a big move, so I contractually committed myself to a timeline for action.
Now, mind you, at this point neither logic, certainty nor a plan had entered the equation… I still hadn't told anyone in my life that I was moving! Not my family, not my friends, not even the bf in Chicago.
I was determined to walk my own path but I couldn't really explain myself yet and I wasn't willing to carry anyone else's worry or doubt in the meantime.
I needed to harness everything inside me to focus on moving forward, step by step.
I connected with a recommended recruiter in Chicago and started interviewing for jobs. I researched the safety and accessibility of different city neighborhoods. Then I combed through Craigslist looking for a furnished room to rent that I could afford on my savings from someone that seemed tolerable enough to live with for a few months.
Then within just a couple weeks, a few pieces started coming together, albeit loosely, so I finally told my family.
And although I still couldn't explain why I was leaving, I could at least talk about what was in motion and rally their shocked but loving support, as if I had a plan.
My REAL plan was no plan. To simply seek and seize opportunity.
I had no experience for knowing what to expect when up and moving on my own halfway across the country! And that was the whole damn point.
I didn't want the confines of a pre-set path in front of me. All I wanted to do was step forward, then assess, then take the next step forward.
It was so exciting! And it was working.
After sifting through hundreds of Craigslist creepos, I found a reasonable room to rent in a lovely neighborhood from a woman my age, near easy public transit. At the same time, my awesome recruiter introduced me to an interesting renewable energy company that was determined to find a way to bring me on board ASAP.
And that was all I needed to take the leap.
A temporary place to stay and a promising potential income.
Before anyone could even blink, my dad was helping me move everything in my apartment to a storage unit. I donated anything that wasn't worth keeping, then packed up the few suitcases of clothes that would fit in my car.
Through tearful goodbyes, I set off on I-90, and arrived at 3pm the next day at my new home.
It was surreal.
Everything had fallen into place so easily, it felt as though the universe was 100% on my side.
And although I had no idea what life was going to be like once I got to Chicago, I became certain without a doubt that I was on the right path.
And I sure was. Now, 11 years later, I'm still loving Chicago. And I'm still following the callings of my heart and soul, regardless of whether I have the perfect plan in my head.
For sure, it was hard, lonely, and scary at times. But every step through the discomfort and into trust that I've taken since that original decision, has strengthened my inner compass for finding freedom, joy and satisfaction.
I adore the home I've established here in Chicago. I met my Todd here - the most incredible love, life & adventure partner I could imagine. My friends here are superb. I thrived at that renewable energy company.
And now I'm building ALTAZ Coaching, the business of my dreams, helping others to make bold and powerful decisions to trust themselves and step forward into choice.
Today, I am abundantly thanking that frustrated, disheartened, 30-year-old me for saying fuck it to that overwhelming dissatisfaction and choosing to honor what I really, really wanted.
For deciding to trust myself.
And for deciding to take action despite a highly imperfect and flimsy plan.
I'm so grateful to be living my Life in Choice.
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If you're at a point in your life where your soul is calling for a big, powerful shift but you're holding yourself back with uncertainty about how to make a change… I can help. Whether this story inspires you -or- you think I was nutty and you'd *never* take such a leap without a solid plan, I've got your back.
There are many effective ways to successfully make a big pivot in life and this is just one example to show that, EVEN without a tried and true map, it's possible to create the life you crave.
Schedule a Free Intro Call and let's find out if we’d be a good team.
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