My 23rd year started with a big goal to purchase a home in San Francisco. I had been planning for this milestone since I was 18, and actually predicted (or hoped) it would happen by age 22/23. By this time last year, I was deep into the house hunt and had been analyzing the market for months. Despite the winter slowdown in inventory, I pushed forward with the search and finally in late January, closed on my first duplex.
The next month, I worked feverishly to place a tenant in my property to minimize vacancy costs. Fortunately, that was completed before March, at which point, I was ready to relax. Little did I know the pandemic that was looming ahead. The initial months of quarantine were uncertain, but I didn’t mind having more time to myself. I started baking again, read books that have been on my shelf for years, (re)started this blog, and picked up knitting (my favorite hobby at the moment!!). I spent more time with my parents, my sister, and eventually a few good friends every week.
As the world changed and shifted around me, so did my perspective on what was considered “normal”. I began to reflect more on life, my purpose here, and my goals. I’ve already shared some of these initial thoughts, such as the reality of death and the direction of our society. These ideas have been developing in my head for a few years now, but this time around, they struck a chord with me. I felt inspired to act in alignment with these thoughts and that’s how, in mid-September, I bought a one-way ticket to the middle of nowhere.
The middle of nowhere ended up being Utah. I spent 3 weeks in the north and south – hiking, working remotely, breathing in the fresh air, and clearing my mind. We did a week-long national park tour, hitting all the Utah National Parks and even one in Nevada. After that, I spent four weeks in Prescott, Arizona, exploring nearby red rock formations, canyons, and scorching deserts. My journey then took me east to Boston. The weather has been so chaotic since I arrived – rainy, first snowfall in October, gusty winds, and back to fall weather – but I’ve been enjoying the city life again. It’s been a whirlwind ever since I started this adventure, and there’s no telling what’s next. I’m still in Boston, with no return flight set and uncertain plans beyond this coming weekend.
Wow. A year ago, I never would’ve imagined that I’d be fulfilling my dream of being a nomad, leaving it all, working remotely, and traveling on my own. My courage to take this leap came from nights of pondering life and what I want out of it, so I’m grateful for those deep, insightful evenings. I feel like this year has been my busiest year ever, and how ironic that it happened during a global pandemic. But perhaps that is life – increasingly complex as the years go by.
Thankful for a wonderful 23.
Really appreciate you sharing this article post. Really thank you! Keep writing. Paulina Orlan Sudbury