Goodbye 2018
As 2018 comes to a close I have been reflecting back on everything that has occurred in my life throughout the year. Towards the end of 2017 I knew that I needed a change; I was at a job that had zero growth potential and I was not going anywhere with my life. Just a few years prior, I had an amazing career in the military, but unfortunately there were circumstances that changed in my life and I made the decision to leave the service. I went from being the go-to person, the person responsible for making important decisions, to a career that felt like groundhogs day, every day. So, I started looking for jobs in San Diego, but that proved to be way more difficult than I expected. San Diego is amazing, and because no one ever wants to leave, the pickins were slim and I hit dead ends. I decided to widen my search and apply to any position that fit my job requirements, no matter where it was located at.
Change Is Necessary
I was offered several different positions in several different states and ultimately I settled on a job that I felt would be the best fit for me and my career aspirations. So, at the beginning of 2018, I packed up my little car and left my life behind and traveled to the East Coast. The reactions from friends and family were mixed, some were excited for me and others were terrified. Those that were terrified all said the same thing to me: “I could never do something like that. Aren’t you scared to move?” The thought of moving wasn’t scary, it was exhilarating. Was I going to miss my family? Absolutely! Was I going to miss my friends and my city? Definitely. But I knew I needed to make this change or else I would continue to wither away.
The Birth Of An Idea
My journey hasn’t been easy. I only knew a few people when I moved out here, and they have families of their own, so I was alone or the 5th wheel. But being alone is the reason that I started embarking on my adventures. I’ll be the first to admit that I took living in Southern California for granted. I didn’t really start to explore in SoCal until the last year or two that I was living there; I was always too busy with work or my kids sports activities. Of course those are excuses, I could’ve made the time. Hindsight is always 20/20, so determined not to make the same mistakes, I started seeking out things to do in the area. There would be times that I would be on my way to one place and something would catch my eye and I would take a detour. The detour sometimes ended up being more amazing than the initial place that I was going to go to.
I posted a lot about my adventures on social media like Instagram and Facebook and I found that a lot of people were interested by all of the places that I was visiting. A friend commented that I should start a blog about all of my adventures. The thought was really intriguing, but I had no idea where to start. The other big thing was that I honestly didn’t think I’d have anything worthwhile to say, but here I am, and here you are. Hopefully you’ve been enjoying yourself so far.
2019 Hopes
I am hoping that this year brings more adventures, more travel, more change. One of the things that I love about this area is that the potential for adventures here is AHHHHMAZING! Don’t get me wrong, there is a lot to do in Southern California, but it’s a very different atmosphere. If you have never visited sunny San Diego, I highly recommend it. The vibe in SD is so laid back and chill, it’s awesome, but it’s very different. You have to really try to find things to do that don’t cost money. The cost of living in SoCal is expensive so the cost of operations is passed down to the population. And of course, you have to deal with the tourists. I think that’s true of any major city, especially one as beautiful as San Diego. Since things tend to be more expensive, tourists want to get more bang for their buck, so they flock to the free sights. Sightseeing in Washington, DC is the same. You have to really plan out what you’re going to do so that you can maximize your time.
My main goal is to create great content that you will enjoy reading. Hopefully my adventures inspire you to go on adventures of your own. Here’s to 2019, may this year bring you happiness, change, prosperity, peace, and growth. Thank you for following me on my journey. Until next time.
Reyna
