Embracing Change Can Be Amazing
Sometimes your fear is what makes things clear.
It’s as cliche as it gets, but it’s crazy how time flies!
It’s been a good two years since I moved out here to Maryland. Sure enough my mom texted me the other night to remind me that it was the two-year anniversary of that big move. Coming up this weekend my man and I will also be celebrating our one-year wedding anniversary. It’s been a lot of amazing change in a pretty short amount of time.
I never imagined moving away from my family, even while we were dating long distance. He had his kids and jiu jitsu school in Maryland, I had a successful business and my team back home. I figured we would keep up our long-distance relationship like so many couples do, and things would work out over time.
And it did work for a while, but then Covid hit and we all know how that went. We couldn’t see each other for four months, and that was rough. When I was finally able to see Jay, before returning back home to Chicago, I was struck with the realization that I just couldn’t leave him again. He had made it clear that he would never ask me to be apart from my family, friends, BJJ team, and business, but I knew in my heart I had to move out here so we could be together anyway.
I was scared and excited as I got ready to make that leap--a hometown girl through and through who never dreamt of leaving her community--but I knew in my heart and and in my gut that this was who I was meant to be with. It was time to realize the truth and make that big change.
Reflecting on how I felt, I’ll be the first to tell you it was unimaginably strange to be thinking of how impossible such a serious transition would be and then coming to the moment where you realize it’s really the only thing you can do. That sense of clarity was profound to say the least. Now, two years have passed so quickly, with so many positive experiences and amazing memories. We’ve built so much, created new connections, made incredible new friends and simply enjoyed how our own partnership keeps getting stronger.
I guess the moral of this little post is that you can’t let fear dictate your decisions. All my Jen Z Tribe members and BBZ members know that fear, and how to face it, is one of my main themes. Fear, if you honor it and listen to it, can actually show you what to do. Trusting your instincts and your intellect, taking a risk and giving something an honest shot can lead to great things. When I was first contemplating this change, I was afraid I’d lose so many important people in my life. What happened was the exact opposite; I strengthened my existing relationships, and I was blessed with so many new and wonderful people in my life!
So, let’s not let worst-case scenarios hold us back. Listen to your heart and your brain. Trust yourself. Follow your fear and see where it takes you, because if you let it, you can end up in some really great places surrounded by even greater people. Believe that!
Dude looks suss.