18 May Why I’m Loyal To California
Why I’m Loyal To California
When I was 32, (I am 48 now), I picked up and moved across the country. I moved from all I knew on the east coast to unfamiliar San Diego, CA.
I left friends, my condo that I had worked hard for and bought, a boyfriend who I loved, my immediate family, and alllll that I knew for a leap of faith.
I knew that nature and the outside was calling me. You see, although Washington, DC had its beautiful sites, the hot humid summers, the freezing cold winters, the miles and miles of cement buildings, being far from mountains, and the ocean and the obsession with “politics” and “what do you do for a living” I was more than over. I never loved it there.
From the time I was a little girl I was ALWAYS intrigued by California. I told my mom that someday I would live there.
When I was 32, I was going through some self reflecting. There were things I was not happy with in my life and I was confused about a lot. What kept coming up for me was that I truly wanted to plant myself where I felt I belonged. Somewhere where I felt grounded, somewhere where I could spend time every day in nature. I remember thinking, “I am going to plant myself in a place that I feel happy and the rest of my life will work itself out”
It was after that thought, that from my parking garage to my cement condo building, I called my then “boss” from my car. I said to him “I am thinking of moving to the West Coast, would you transfer me if I choose to do that”
I Decided to Take Massive Action
From there, I put my condo on the market, sold my car, most of my belongings, said goodbye to all I knew, bought a one way ticket to San Diego and awithin a few months of moving here it became my forever home.
Within my first month of moving to San Diego I met my ex husband (my daughters dad and still my good friend today) and the rest is history.
Many of you have said to me “if I lived where you lived I’d be (insert whatever word you want here..”happy”, “fit”, etc)
It was a choice. I DECIDED where I wanted to live. I got clear on my vision. I declared it and took massive (scary for me) action to make it happen.
Like anything and everything In life… you always have a choice. It may take longer, it may be harder for you, you may have many obstacles but where there is a will there is a way.
I do not personally love all the stuff happening in my beautiful state of California right now, BUT, a few moments outside in nature and alllll those thoughts and worries go away.
Here’s some of the views from my walk today.
Environment has a LOT to do with how we age. When we LOVE where we live, what we are surrounded with and what we are in constant contact with, our happiness soars. This is a key component and a big discussion when it comes to Aging in Reverese.
If you have not yet grabbed my Aging in Reverse Paperback, you can get it HERE!
XO,
Natalie Jill
