6 ways moving has changed me

Moving away into the unknown always triggers a rapid growth for the person experiencing it. It doesn’t matter if the move is 10 miles or 10,000 miles, there’s a change that takes place that seems to be different for everyone. I thought I’d share some of my revelations, in the hopes that the others who experience the same and won’t feel so alone.

So how did moving away, change me?

I am more aware of my flaws
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though. I’m more aware of how I deal with stress, anxiety and how I climb out of those holes. One way I’m pretty notorious for is by holing myself away. The quiet allows me to reboot my systems and be at peace with the world. Reading or writing also helps me figure my emotions out from that point on, I come out a more collected person.

I am certain I want to work from home
Working from home can be a difficult decision. If you’re an unknown, like I am, it’s impossible to hope for a breakthrough in the first few years. I’ve only been blogging seriously (as in once a week guaranteed) for a little over one year now. My numbers on this space are still very low. Needless to say it’s not making any money. After working for years with clients and in an office space, I’ve come to realize that I was never happy. I enjoyed the work and a majority of the people but I was never proud of anything I did. While I still enjoy doing Graphic Design, the idea of working in yet another office space really bums me out.

Working from home, what I do now, excites me every day. I get to write about my experiences, take exciting trips and indulge in photography. I know that the likeliness of having to cave and get a real 9-5 job is pretty high, so right now I’ll enjoy this freedom and happiness while I still have it. It gives me the opportunity to really experience what life is instead of spending my after office hours detoxifying the day out of my system.

I’ve realized I’m a crazy dog person
When my brother and I would see a dog being walked, we would always call it out. Our nickname for any dog species would simply be “Boo,” so it was common to hear “Look at that boo!” Now that Sander and I have our own nickname for dogs (poot, which is paw or leg in Dutch) I call them out quite often, especially since the Netherlands has so many of them. It’s safe to say that every five minutes, you can hear me say, “Oh my gosh, look at the poot!” Now that we’ve had Booker for a year (and are planning an addition of another furry face) I can officially say “I’m a dog crazy person.” All I talk about is Booker and I’m sure I drive everyone nuts.

I actually enjoy baking
Having a grocery store so close by was a bane on my diet. If I wanted chocolate or something equally sinful, I would hop into my car and pick up whatever I was craving. More often than not it was red velvet cake. I had lost a lot of weight in 2014 due to relationship related stress and I found myself taking comfort in food. That cycle didn’t end for nearly two years and I gained a lot of weight. Now that I’m once again in charge of my diet and food intake, I enjoy baking so much more than just picking something up from the store. I get to see what I’m putting into my mouth instead of just wolfing it down for comfort.

I’m still thirsty for knowledge
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein

Never has this phrase meant more to me than it does now. I’ve become pretty skilled at riding my bike but I don’t think I could ever ride it in Amsterdam. Why is that? Because my skill level isn’t to that standard just yet.

This also applies to learning Dutch. I’ve always been told my pronunciation of the language is pretty spot on but my vocabulary is pretty lacking. It makes me feel so conscious when out in public. I do my best not to make eye contact and keep to myself because I’m afraid people knowing my skill level isn’t high. So I’ve been practicing Dutch when I can. I ask Sander about words or phrases that I don’t know.

I enjoy my family much more
Now that I live so far away, I have a pretty fantastic relationship with my brother and mom. When we lived together, my moodiness and anti-social behaviour made them angry with my actions. I’m very much a homebody. My perfect weekend is keeping a quiet atmosphere with few surprises. If I have to attend a party, I spend weeks building myself up to it. When my mom or brother wanted to do something it was usually spur of the moment, hence my moodiness. Now that I talk to them far less, we get along very well and have happy conversations most of the time. I can say that moving has helped our relationship!

If you’ve moved or if you’re in the process of moving, how do you think you’ll be affected by your choices? I sometimes wonder if there’s anyone else out there who feels the same, and I’m sure there is but I’d love to hear what you have to say!