It’s officially been 12 months since I moved across country to what seemed to me like a completely foreign part of the west coast. Moving here was characterized by a leap of faith and a step outside of my comfort zone. Ironically, this city has contributed to my most trans-formative year yet.To date, I have experienced growth exponentially in so many areas of my life: spiritually, emotionally, and professionally. All that Seattle is and all that it will never be are the reasons why I am thankful to be here.
I’m a firm believer in God being the author and narrator of our stories. No matter how much we try to be in control of every aspect of our lives, God is truly the north star. Things in life will always happen as though they should and I’m slowly learning to trust the process. People often ask me what it’s like to live in a place like Seattle. Well, in my opinion, the first thing I always say is that Seattle isn’t Washington, DC. It’s so easy to try and draw comparisons to cities you’ve lived in before but Seattle is different. Seattle is in a stage of hyper growth. Seattle is diverse yet not diverse at the same time. Seattle is liberal. Seattle is a mecca for young tech talent. Seattle is a mystery. There have been so many things I’ve sought to understand about its infrastructure, culture, and history that will probably never make sense. Nevertheless, Seattle has been a great teacher.
Seattle taught me the importance of saying yes. Upon moving here, I contracted with myself to be open minded when meeting others and to say yes more than no in the beginning. Implementing this thought process allowed me to experience Seattle in a completely different way than I have experienced other cities. I found myself doing activities that I would have never set out to do on my own and connecting with individuals that I probably normally wouldn’t encounter. Saying yes allowed me to try my first clam, participate in my second real hike in life, attend my first diverse church, ride on my first speed boat, jump into my first lake (NEVER AGAIN), and witness whales in their natural habitat.
Seattle taught me to be comfortable with spending time alone. I’ve always been someone who loves to socialize, travel, and surround myself with as many people as I can at any given moment. I thrive in environments where I can connect with others. Moving to Seattle, I knew no one. I learned to go to restaurants by myself, movie theaters, and several other activities as a party of one. Although I experienced some of these things in other locations I have lived, the circumstances were much different. If I spent time alone, it was usually by choice as opposed to there being no other foreseeable options. In previous moves, I have also been able to maintain some sense of familiarity by moving with the same company which often provided an instant network. Starting a new job in a new city essentially forces you to only rely on yourself to establish those connections and to be comfortable with how timing intersects things developing organically.
Seattle really pushed me to be the best version of myself. I remember having all these dreams and aspirations of being an entrepreneur and a motivational speaker however, I never once took the steps needed to really put those things into action. I might experiment with something for awhile but later on I would just become consumed with normal work related projects. Living here has exposed me to so many creatives, hustlers, and influencers. I leverage every interaction to obtain advice on how I can continuously push myself to focus on my entrepreneurial endeavors. Today, I dedicate hours after work to pursue my own dreams. If it wasn’t for this shift in mindset, I wouldn’t be starting my masters this year, blogging (official website coming soon), or working as a featured career coach on The Muse.com.
I’m really thankful for my first year in Seattle. I never thought I would end up here but I am so happy that I did. I know that without this experience, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Seattle has brought me peace. I’ve started new chapters and closed old ones, made new friends, tried new things, and gave up some bad habits. I’ve allowed myself a level of vulnerability that I have never done before and it has enabled me to learn so much about myself and those around me. Who knows what I will say about this place a year from now but if you ask me today what I think about the 206, it’s quite simple. Seattle is what I needed. It may not be for everyone but it was the right move for me.
