THE ESSENCE OF BRAVERY
One-way plane tickets to Europe
Departing: United States | Destination: The Netherlands
What in the world would motivate giving up almost everything — including my native country — for total uncertainty? I believe the essence of my journey points to the bravery within all of us.
I was incredibly fortunate to participate in a Dutch healthcare system analysis in June 2019. This event catalyzed deep self-exploration and resulted in what will surely be my greatest experiment in life.
Returning home from the Netherlands, my partner Nicole and I were forced to honestly consider that core aspects of our native culture no longer aligned with our personal values or long-term vision for our lives. With this awareness - and a desire to grow and contribute on a global scale, we decided to proceed at great financial risk for the gamble of a better life.
It only took a couple of months to go from “wow, the Netherlands was so great” to “let’s go for it and move there.” This relatively quick decision to relocate included a huge amount of personal and professional loss, including leaving very solid careers. In the leadup to this continental shift, Nicole and I both submitted our notices of resignation at the largest health system in the U.S., packed up two houses…
