Take a chance on yourself
”Work is fun, but ___”
“I could really use a change of ___”
“I wish I could ___”
You fill in the blanks. Many of us have these thoughts and wonder “what if I did ______”. For whatever reason, it’s difficult to take that first step and make a move. It’s so easy to get comfortable, going through the motions of your day to day, and still live extremely well. There’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s not for me, and I know many of us feel the same. I decided to try something new, and now just a year later my dreams are coming true.
I grew up in the pleasant-but-boring suburb of Irvine, CA (a.k.a the bubble) where orange trees are scarce, but you can find boba on every corner. My track through school was like a lot of those who grew up in Irvine: Irvine High to Irvine Valley College to UC Irvine. Even some of my classmates from kindergarten graduated with me at UC Irvine. It’s that kind of place. I had many opportunities to leave. I was accepted to school in San Diego and Davis, even got a job offer in Columbus, Ohio…I could never find it in my heart to move. I was scared. I didn’t like change.
After graduation, I took a job with UnitedHealth Group, and went about my life. It was great for a while, I had a good job, I was close to home, all my friends were around. But there was this desire to get out. I felt anxious all the time, felt like I was Bill Murray in Groundhog day, and I was just living a routine. I liked my job, but didn’t feel like I was making a difference. In corporate America, you’re so far removed from the actual problems you’re trying to solve that it’s easy to get lost. I’ve always had this want to help others, and to think outside of the box. Unfortunately you can’t think yourself into making something happen. You have to actually go out and do it.
I decided it was time to pack up my bags and move, change of scenery might make me feel some type of way. And so I did. I moved to New York, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of, the place where if you make it here you can make it anywhere, the place with too many sayings about this place and what it does to you, it’s ridiculous.
Now, I bet you’re expecting me to say that I moved to the city and it all fell into place, and I’ve turned everything around. Well that’s not the case. It hasn’t been easy. The first 6 months have been really tough. New York is a big place, with lots of skyscrapers and halal food carts (they’re really good too). It’s crazy that a place with so many people can make one feel so incredibly lonely.
But, that’s what it is. You have to endure. You keep going, you adapt. That’s part of the process of growth. There’s no “make myself better” hacks out there. But I can tell you, it all starts with getting out of your comfort zone, trying things you’re scared of, being spontaneous.
These are all things that will feel scary, that will make you second guess yourself, that will make you feel like packing it all up and turning back. But they will be worth it.
Just keep going. You’ll find, as I did, your confidence beginning to grow. You’ll start doing things you didn’t think you would normally do. That uneasiness that you once dreaded is now what you’re seeking. It makes you feel alive. You’re one step closer to becoming the version of yourself that you perceived to be a distance fantasy.
So, after these lessons from the past few months, I’ve learned that if you want something…you do it. Make it happen. All the doors are unlocked for you, it’s up to you to choose one and open it. I got to the point where I began to question “I don’t love what I’m doing everyday, why am I doing this?”
Where does this leave me? It all started with a cold email I sent inquiring about an idea I thought was great. At the time, nothing materialized and I went about my days. I was busting my butt work, broadening my skills, and exploring new places. Then, out of no where, that cold email I sent a while back turned into something. After many discussions and deliberation, I’ve decided to pursue this new opportunity.
I’m leaving my job at UnitedHealth and going to blaze my own path with an amazing team at Bstow. We’re out to help as many people as we can and make a positive impact on the world. As we continue to work, I’ll keep writing sharing our progress and updates.
None of this would have happened if I had stayed in Irvine, if I didn’t push my boundaries. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime for me, and something that will even further my self growth and fulfill some childhood dreams. The first of which is to travel the world! My couple stops will be Tel Aviv & Jerusalem. Who knows where else I’ll be going, but my bags are packed and I’m ready for an adventure.
In the end, it’s ultimately your choice to make that move in your life. Break the chain, break the cycle, and live every day the way you want to live it. Take a gamble on yourself. Trust me, if I can do it, you most certainly can.
“I did ____, now what?” I don’t even know, but I’m no longer scared to find out.
If you want to learn more about what we’re doing at Bstow, check us out at:
