In the last few days of 2024, I’m looking back on it with gratitude and wonder…
Wonder that we actually took the big, scary leap to leave our safety net in Adelaide and jump into a whole new country without knowing a soul and not having seen the house we bought in person.
We did it and we’ve had the year of our lives and for that, I’m forever grateful. Grateful for us getting brave and doing it, and grateful to my husband, who kept the dream alive, from fading away when it all looked too hard.
Here’s what getting brave and moving to a new country has taught me….
1 – You can be absolutely terrified and excited at the same time. I most definitely was! On January 4th we packed a suitcase each to start our new adventure and I literally cried the whole flight over the Tasman Sea. I cried a sea of tears yet at the very same time I was bursting with excitement.
2 – Have the vision. We had a vision for what we wanted, and we kept true to our vision, through the COVID pandemic, through real estate dips, and through self-doubt, we kept true to wanting this dream to come true. We worked so hard to make it happen, so many spreadsheets, so many real estate searches, so many coffee dates discussing the pros and cons, and finally, it happened. Patience is indeed a virtue!
3 – The right property comes along when the time is right. After a few properties passed us by that we thought were perfect, the courthouse came along and I believe it came along, at that time for a reason. The others weren’t meant for us and the township of Fairlie was. I can’t imagine life without this town in my life now, it’s our happy, safe place.
4 – You’re never too old to make friends! That includes me, I love my group of friends in Adelaide and I honestly thought I would be ok if I didn’t find any new ones in our new country, but life had other plans. It is sometimes the scariest thing putting yourself out there, and starting new friendships from scratch, I’m happy in my own company and moving to a new country, in a small rural town, into a significant historical building meant we couldn’t hide away and be hermits. It’s been challenging at times to meet new people and often the situations and invitations I was most nervous about have given the greatest rewards, I’m just the luckiest with an even bigger circle of friends now, I would never have imagined it.
5 – You’ll always miss loved ones. It’s ok to be sad about that. You’ll always feel a sense of guilt leaving them. None of that changes but it does change the gratitude when the catch-ups happen.
6 – Empty nest time can be so rewarding! Leaving and selling our beautiful home, our safe comfort zone has been the hardest and also the best way to embrace this new stage of our lives. Grown-up children who no longer live with us and are busy creating their adult lives is the perfect time to jump into something new… I’m not too old!
7 – If you never try you’ll never know, and I didn’t ever want to regret not chasing our dream.
8 – Not everyone has to understand and be on board with our journey, it’s our journey after all, not theirs.
9 – Be afraid and do it anyway!
10 – If you can dream it, you can do it! If I can anyone can.
In the last few days of 2024, I’m looking back on it with gratitude and wonder…
Wonder that we actually took the big, scary leap to leave our safety net in Adelaide and jump into a whole new country without knowing a soul and not having seen the house we bought in person.
We did it and we’ve had the year of our lives and for that, I’m forever grateful. Grateful for us getting brave and doing it, and grateful to my husband, who kept the dream alive, from fading away when it all looked too hard.
Here’s what getting brave and moving to a new country has taught me….
1 – You can be absolutely terrified and excited at the same time. I most definitely was! On January 4th we packed a suitcase each to start our new adventure and I literally cried the whole flight over the Tasman Sea. I cried a sea of tears yet at the very same time I was bursting with excitement.
2 – Have the vision. We had a vision for what we wanted, and we kept true to our vision, through the COVID pandemic, through real estate dips, and through self-doubt, we kept true to wanting this dream to come true. We worked so hard to make it happen, so many spreadsheets, so many real estate searches, so many coffee dates discussing the pros and cons, and finally, it happened. Patience is indeed a virtue!
3 – The right property comes along when the time is right. After a few properties passed us by that we thought were perfect, the courthouse came along and I believe it came along, at that time for a reason. The others weren’t meant for us and the township of Fairlie was. I can’t imagine life without this town in my life now, it’s our happy, safe place.
4 – You’re never too old to make friends! That includes me, I love my group of friends in Adelaide and I honestly thought I would be ok if I didn’t find any new ones in our new country, but life had other plans. It is sometimes the scariest thing putting yourself out there, and starting new friendships from scratch, I’m happy in my own company and moving to a new country, in a small rural town, into a significant historical building meant we couldn’t hide away and be hermits. It’s been challenging at times to meet new people and often the situations and invitations I was most nervous about have given the greatest rewards, I’m just the luckiest with an even bigger circle of friends now, I would never have imagined it.
5 – You’ll always miss loved ones. It’s ok to be sad about that. You’ll always feel a sense of guilt leaving them. None of that changes but it does change the gratitude when the catch-ups happen.
6 – Empty nest time can be so rewarding! Leaving and selling our beautiful home, our safe comfort zone has been the hardest and also the best way to embrace this new stage of our lives. Grown-up children who no longer live with us and are busy creating their adult lives is the perfect time to jump into something new… I’m not too old!
7 – If you never try you’ll never know, and I didn’t ever want to regret not chasing our dream.
8 – Not everyone has to understand and be on board with our journey, it’s our journey after all, not theirs.
9 – Be afraid and do it anyway!
10 – If you can dream it, you can do it! If I can anyone can.
I have loved following along on your journey and I am so glad it has worked out perfectly for you !