Journey to LA

I remember telling myself for years that I would move to LA one day.

Never actually acting on it, but it was something I always dreamt about and kept at the back of my mind. That faint voice I would often brush off over the simple fact that I was comfortable. Not quite satisfied…but used to the “normal” flow of things.

take a leap

“Real courage is being afraid but doing it anyway”

–Oprah Winfrey

Maryland was my home, comfort zone and all I really known. My family, friends, childhood experiences…it molded me into who I am today. After a second attempt at New York for about a month, that bitter cold and long walks to and from the Q train sent me right back to Montgomery County. The place I felt the safest but something in me needed more. I needed to experience life in a different way. 

I made it a routine to always visit my best friend, Raquel, every year. She left home ever since high school so I would go visit her on my birthdays. She moved from Atlanta, to Miami, back to Maryland and finally California. I lived vicariously through her! I called those trips my “mini-vacations”. Back when I first started traveling, there was no such thing as DACA and without it, at that time, I didn’t have legal rights to fly. A 54 hour train ride to and from Miami couldn’t stop me from my week long getaways though. Those times with Raquel were so vital to my well being. A moment to experience life in another time zone, a different coast and somewhere so foreign to me.

I didn’t make it to California for my birthday that October of 2017. Freelancing with floral companies demanded that I stayed in Maryland to work so that I could make ends meet. I remember talking to Raquel shortly after my birthday had past feeling tired, frustrated and uninspired. As I thought about the year coming to an end and all the emotional rollercoasters I constantly experienced, moving to LA quickly became that light at the end of the tunnel and before the year was over, I was on a morning flight to the West Coast. One way ticket and all, not a lot of cash, but I was determined to see the world with new eyes. I told myself I would give it a month to see how I felt about my decision but I haven’t looked back since! I’m feeling more determined now than ever!

peony

Bravery

Sometimes, life calls us to just GO! No deep thoughts, microscopic examinations of what may or may not go well, or wishing we had more before we start. Now I understand where these thoughts come from...I often battle with my own thoughts. We are physical beings with very real experiences. But bravery is about just letting go. Taking off the heavy layers of expectations, labels and most importantly, our egos. Listening to that voice within, feeling those emotions and understanding the world is ours if we just believe. Like a peony, I believe in taking risks and living outside of our comfort zones. That, to me, is really when we learn who we truly are. 

 Affirmation

I AM BRAVE. I STEP OUTSIDE OF MY COMFORT ZONE BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED RIGHT INSIDE OF ME