Embracing Change

I used to be afraid of change. I hated it. Change is hard. It’s uncertain. It’s uncomfortable.

Over the years, different life experiences have helped me to grow and challenge my comfort zone; helping me to embrace change along the way.

Away from Home

Going away to college was one of those experiences. It was hard being away from home for the first time. I was so homesick. In the back of my mind were thoughts of transferring to a school closer to home, but I stuck it out. And, I was proud of myself. Going to school in Boston ended up being one of the best experiences of my life. It opened me up to change.

Life Is Too Short

In 2005, my father passed away from cancer. My husband and I had been talking about moving to Georgia for years, but just never made the move. Shortly after my dad passed away, I said, “Life is too short. It’s now or never.” So, we quit our jobs, packed up our things, left New York and moved to Georgia. I’m not sure if we were courageous or crazy, but we took a chance.

Luckily, I found a job in graphic design within a few months of moving. Several years later, I went back to school and in 2010, earned my MBA at the University of GA. Eventually, I transitioned from graphic design to roles in IT, project management and marketing.

Rediscovering Myself

In 2014, my husband and I separated. That’s when I started to rediscover myself. I moved out and I did more of the things I enjoyed doing like yoga and hanging out with friends. I became more sociable and made some new friends. It was the happiest I had been in a long time. I was traveling more and it was great. I found my new sense of self.

When I was growing up, I was shy; painfully shy and very quiet. I was afraid to speak or share my thoughts because I did not want to be judged. I didn’t want to look stupid and I cared too much about what other people thought of me.

In April 2015, I joined Toastmasters and I credit that as was one of the things that has helped me to come out of my shell and give me more confidence. It helped me find my voice. Because of the supportive nature of Toastmasters, I felt comfortable sharing my stories without judgement. It was even therapeutic.

Later that year, I was laid off from my job. My lease was up and I gave up my apartment to move in with a friend. Somehow, I managed to go with the flow and I kept a positive outlook because I’m one of those people who truly believes “it will all work out.”

With Change Comes Growth

Georgia was a place where I had made a life. It was my new home and I was happy there. I never thought I would move back to NY, but I came back to be closer to my family and I have been living here since September 2016.

A lot of change has transpired in my life just in the last few years: I got divorced, I lost my job and I moved three times. As painful and as difficult as some of these events have been, I appreciate the growth that I’ve experienced because of them.

I’m happy to say, that I am no longer afraid of change. I’m learning to embrace change and uncertainty, and I’m excited and anxious to see where life takes me next.