When it’s time to move on.

Heavy hearts, lots of fears. Change can be paralyzing. Yet, what makes someone look and go.. gosh, I need to move on. Whelp, it’s different for everyone. There were several factors that led to me and my family pushing to make a huge move across country, but to know what those are, let’s go back a bit.

In 2018, I started to not feel great. To push past the boring parts, I got diagnosed with a rare autoimmune disease. It took away my ability to walk for a while, I had a hard time using my hands, I was pretty much just barely making it into work and then going home to sleep. It was bad. Yet, that was my catalyst to start the thoughts. I was in my late 20’s and not able to walk without a cane, I was tired, I was on medications all the time, I was disabled. In the midst of those few years, I decided that as soon as I could, I wanted to do move overseas trips. Live my life while I could.

Then… the pandemic hits. I’m disabled and immunocompromised. Fear is the world I live in. For months my partner and I used very strict protocols when leaving the house. For over a year the only place I went to outside of the house, was the hospital. This was not the life I wanted.

Flash forward to 2021. I’m in remission but still with other disabilities brought about by this autoimmune disease, but I’m living. I can walk, I can go out, I wear my mask, I’m back at work. Yet something is different. I’m not happy anymore.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my job and what I do. However, while I was locked down in my house, I kept learning. Doing more research on things that interested me, pushed my artwork to new places, and even took certifications on my own to learn areas I didn’t know. There was now something missing. Movement forward.

I’ve always wanted to do more. I like to help, I really like working. I realized that I hit almost a stagnant point with my career. Yes, I could teach professional developments, I have a great boss, my voice was being heard, but I would always be the graphic designer. I was looking to do more.

Between being bound to my home for so long, the lack of inspiration I was feeling in my job, and then the want to be closer to family and move forwarded with my own family, well, I knew it was time.

I realized, my iceberg was melting, and melting fast. I needed to make a change. I say my iceberg in reference to my favorite business book Our Iceberg is Melting by John Kotter. I love this book, I know this book, I knew it was time to move on.

Was it scary…. absolutely. It still is. Without anything fully secure, well… I’m moving icebergs. Yet, I know that I will be happier on the other side. It’s worth moving, changing, growing.