It’s time to make changes again. After 10 years (almost) in New Zealand, I feel it’s the right moment to make a move to the other shore. I will be moving to Melbourne – a design, art and buzz Mekka that has been calling me for a long time. I was hesitant at first: finding work (or losing the work I had built up so far), dealing with moving countries (where to live in the meantime?), finding new friends (I like the ones I have!), visa and legal stuff (do I need to say more)… it felt like a bit of a nightmare that I didn’t really want to take on voluntarily.
But then I thought of a small pact that I had made with myself before I left Germany: To live in new places at least every few years. And if that’s not possible, to at least stay for a while longer than a tourist would. I felt I had made part of that promise true, but way less than I could have. I had become a bit lazy over the last few years. I hadn’t pushed myself as hard as I could have. I didn’t seek out new experiences until they sort of popped up along the way. And I also felt that while I was proud of my achievements in New Zealand, I also thought that I hadn’t achieved as much as I wanted to. I realized that if I didn’t kick myself out of my comfort zone, I would stay in it. Once I had that thought, I know that all the moving “hurdles” were just excuses. I was going to be moving with my partner after all, I wasn’t alone by any means! I had nothing to tie me down, like a mortgage, or kids or lots of family. I was free to do what I wanted and a little bit of effort and work would not stop me from using that freedom to the fullest.
The best way for myself to evaluate and decide what to do is this:
Imagine yourself in 10-20 years in the future. Will this future self of yours be annoyed that you didn’t take the opportunity? Or glad that you stuck with something good? Will it be resentful because you let your life pass you by or glad with the consistency of your life?
For me it’s a foolproof way to get to the bottom of my true feelings about a situation.
I am a person driven by experiences and even though I can get lazy, I know I want to live a full life. Even if it isn’t all what I dream it up to be, I rather want to have tried to instead of never giving things a chance.
So that sealed the deal. I will be moving at the end of October, our possessions have already been packed and sold/given away, I have quit my day job, I have moved out of our apartment. It’s getting real and I am getting nervous. But along the nervousness is so much excitement. It will be such an adventure.