Starting Anew

Christopher Start
Sep 3, 2018 · 2 min read

Preparing to leave an old life was easy. Break the ties I had to; mourn the relationships that I wanted to keep, but couldn’t; pack my bags and go.

What no one could tell me was how difficult building a new life would be. Social life. Work life. Relationships. New home. Even budgeting. There are no easy maps when you are on your own in a new city and past your college years.

Some old friends have remarked how brave I am. I don’t feel brave. I’m drowning. Yet, in standard Gen Y/Millennial fashion, I make like a duck: paddle like hell underneath but appear calm and serene on the surface. But maybe I need to give myself credit and some time.

Over 9 months time, I have begun to rewrite my life. From small town America to a major city. I’m still in process — working to pivot in my career. The longest hardest part is building a new social network. I’m fortunate that my move brought me closer to family. Things are not perfect. Yet, do they ever need to be?

Wherever you are in your own journey- whether building on a strong foundation or reworking the whole structure or somewhere else- go easy on yourself, so long as you are constructing a life that is true to your ideals. Note- that we’ll never manage to build our IDEAL in this life. That isn’t the point nor is it possible. Nevertheless, what we accomplish should be a true image of that ideal.

So be proud of all you have accomplished. The failures can be heart breaking (the missed opportunity, the broken relationship, the financial loss), but they need not define you. Smile at your reflection in the mirror — because you have a wonderful smile and you are here for some unique purpose. The only way to find that purpose is to build it: one painstaking day at a time, one smile at a time, one tear at a time, and one moment at a time.