5 Reasons Why Moving Away From Your Hometown Can Be Good for You
ONE - You realize how inimitable you are in a space where you are anonymous.
You are inimitable [uniquely you]. Sometimes in the comfort of our well-known spaces, we start to meld into everyone around us. And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing by no means but it can put limitations on who you truly are. I am a creature of habit and I like to feel comfortable and sometimes “comfortable” is just doing what everyone else is doing for the sake of fitting in. I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to not have to contemplate that what I am doing, saying, or being reflects who I am as a person. God is the potter - I am just the clay and he specifically crafted me to be unique in my own being. And once I dove into why God made everyone with specific talents, features, and minds…nothing else mattered more than to recognize my own distinguishable attributes.
TWO - You learn that expanding your comfort zone isn’t as scary as it seems .
Is your comfort zone the size of your arms width span? Because mine was. Meeting new people always felt like so much work to me. I’d ask myself things like…What are the right things to say to this person? What if we don’t share any of the same interests - I can’t just talk about the weather? Am I being my most presentable self? Well, I’m here to tell you that THOSE THOUGHTS DON’T REALLY MATTER. What I’ve really learned is that people would rather know who YOU are right away than finding out months down the road when you finally get the courage to let them into your comfort zone. Moving away has given me a new outlook of the profoundness of how far a comfort zone can stretch. You realize how many strangers can become such a blessing to you if you just let them in. And the moment you start to break down those walls, it’s a domino effect. Exploring new hobbies, tasting new and “different” food, and meeting new people have become something enjoyable for me. Something that allows me to learn, to aspire, and to grow.
THREE - You learn how YOU want to travel the path that God has put before you.
You know that saying…”those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it”? Well, I don’t want to be lost. Being lost is like being absent. I want to explore this path God has given me. I don’t want to just walk it without stopping. I want to take breaks, to go off trail a little, and to examine the WHOLE path in all its beauty. And sometimes following the crowd gets stale. Moving across country has given me a new perspective on how to hike the trail while also admiring all it has to offer. My life looks different. But it’s not the kind of different that you look back and think “who in the world was I before right now?”. It’s more of “wow…look how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown”. My expectations for my path have transformed from wanting it to be smooth and providing clarity to appreciating every view + experience, feeling gratitude for every bump, hill, or valley, and experiencing braveness for the unknown.
FOUR - You learn how to live with less.
Why do we have all this STUFF? Does it really bring you happiness to have 11 pairs of jeans? I mean really…what’s the point? And what about the 5/11 pairs that haven’t fit you in 3 years? Why why why are you still holding onto those? I’ll let you in on a secret…they didn’t bring me joy. They actually brought me negative self-reflection. Life’s too short for that crap. Moving across country required us to downsize. There really is nothing more exhilarating than opening up your closet and every piece of clothing you touch FITS YOU and makes you feel good in your own skin. Not to mention the hall closets that were so filled with accumulated junk that you didn’t even want to organize it because it seemed like such a daunting task. Let me tell you…it was daunting but it made me realize one thing. A lot of this stuff doesn’t hold meaning to me. It’s not benefiting my life so why not give it to someone it can benefit? Living with less helps to maintain simplicity and assists in allowing us to be freed from finding happiness in horizontal things so we spend more time looking vertically for happiness.
FIVE - You learn that absence really does make the heart grow founder.
Do you talk to your loved ones frequently? Like actually TALK to them? I talked to my family and friends way less when we lived in the same city. Why is it that just by simply living close to them gives you this perception that it’s fine if you don’t talk to them on a regular basis. How backwards is that? If I’ve learned anything from being away, it’s that I needed to be a better wife, sister, daughter, and friend. I have communicated with my family and friends more in the last 6 months than I have in the last 27 years of my life. How sad is that? And I’ve lost touch with some people along the way but that can be a good thing, right? Connecting with your people through loving them, encouraging them, and supporting them along the way is one of the most valuable behaviors one can establish in their life. Cherish your people!
