Hey! Hi! Hello to all my fit & focused friends. I'm going a bit off script today because I have a really big announcement to share.
As you can probably tell from the graphic above, I'm leaving New York.
Gasp! (Sounds of shock) She said whaaaaa?!
I know. It's crazy. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea, but the truth is: Will and I have been toying with the idea of leaving the city for a while. While we absolutely love it here, neither of us can see ourselves settling down in the city forever. We want a house and outdoor space, and while we can have those things here, the cost of those things would mean giving up a lot of other things we love - like travel and well... money to do anything besides commute and pay a ridiculous mortgage (#adulting). We want to be somewhere less expensive and, admittedly, less stressful.
So, where are we going?
Wait for it....
....
....
....
We're moving to Austin, ya'll!
Will got a great job down in Longhorn Country, so we're packing up our Brooklyn apartment and heading down south. Will is actually already down there getting the hang of things at his new gig, and I'll be heading down after running the New York City Marathon in a couple short weeks!
I'm not going to lie, I've been an emotional rollercoaster throughout this whole process. Will and I talked the pros and cons of moving and not moving to death. Here's just a little taste of what we've been wrestling with:
Both of our families are up here. We both have good jobs up here. We have amazing friends up here. Our Brooklyn apartment is amazing, and our neighborhood is fantastic. On top of all that, we live in New York freaking City. It's incredible here.
However, as incredible as it is, it's also extremely stressful. Will was commuting at least 3 hours a day to work, and it was taking a toll on him. I have never been a fan of crowds, and you can't go a day in NYC without being overwhelmed by at least one sardine can of a subway car or tourist-packed side walk. Everything is rushed here. It's always go-go-go, and sometimes a girl just wants to chill-chill-chill. We both love the outdoors, and while there are beautiful parks nearby, it's not the same as being just a few minutes from a big lake or a mountain you can hike up. And buying property here? I just can't justify spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a teeny tiny apartment.
We talked and talked about moving vs not moving, and in the end, all signs pointed to Austin.
I'm extremely excited...
...and utterly terrified.
I'm excited for a new adventure. I'm excited for a more laid back city. I'm excited for warm weather. I'm excited to live in a new apartment with a gym and a pool and a dishwasher and laundry in unit (those last two = the stuff of dreams!).
I'm terrified of being far away from our parents. I'm terrified of leaving our friends. I'm terrified of going somewhere and not knowing anyone. I'm beyond terrified to leave my job.
Yep - I'm leaving my full-time job, and that scares the crap out of me. I've never not had a job. There are advertising jobs in Austin, but there aren't nearly as many as in NYC. I know I can find a good gig down there, but knowing I'm going to be unemployed and not knowing when I'm going to stop being unemployed freaks me out. And I'm doing this voluntarily? Am I crazy? Is this the right thing?
But I know it is. The unknown is possibly the scariest thing in the world. Change is extremely difficult, but at the same time, change is the only way we can grow. Stepping out of our comfort zone and trying something new is the only way we can know what we want out of life.
I know this all sounds terribly cliche, but it's true. If Will turned down the job, and we decided to stay in NYC, we would always wonder what could have been. We would regret not trying.
We may hate Austin, but you know what? We can always come back. New York isn't going anywhere.
That said, I don't think we'll hate it. In fact, I think we'll love it. Everyone I know that's been to Austin has loved it. It has awesome food. It has a huge health and fitness scene. It's outdoorsy but still city-like. The cost of living is better than New York City. The stress levels are lower. It's exactly what we want.
I have to be out of my apartment this weekend, and it's bittersweet. I'm going to miss it here so much, but I know Austin will be a great new adventure.
This move also makes running the New York City Marathon about 100 times more special than it already was going to be. It will be my last time running in the city before I move, and I am going to cherish those 26.2 miles more than any other mile I've run in the past. I've never cried at a race, but I wouldn't be surprised if this one makes me bawl.
I will always, always, always love NYC, but I'm excited to create a new place in my heart for Austin.
What's more, this opens up a whole new world of stuff to share with you all! I'll be able to share new fitness adventures and what the health scene is like in my new city. You'll get to come along with me as I attempt to discover where all the best allergy-friendly eats are in Austin and hunt down the best taco. I'll get to explore new running routes and fitness classes. There are so many new things to be excited about!
Get ready, Austin, Fitful Focus is comin' for ya!
Let's Chat - I'm seeking lots of advice from you all (or should I say ya'll now?) today:
Have you been to Austin? Any of my readers LIVE in Austin? Tell me all the things!
Have you ever made a big move? How did you deal with the change?
Have you ever been unemployed for an unknown amount of time? How did you deal?
