When I decided to move cities at the age of 30, I didn’t foresee how relocating would have such a huge impact on my life.
Little did I know that this decision would lead me to building the family I’d always wanted. I met my now-husband shortly after moving, and we have two kids together.
I was unhappy
Moving cities was triggered by what was probably a quarter-life crisis. I was unhappy with work and relationships, and I started to seriously think about my direction.
I also felt like my hometown, Brisbane, no longer aligned with my current interests and lifestyle preferences. Many of my friends were also going through significant life transitions, including moving to another city or country, changing careers, or starting families.
For me, a new city offered opportunities and different experiences, which I was craving.
The time felt right to do something different
Just after my 30th birthday, I was single and unemployed. For the first time, I didn’t feel anchored to anything.
I had always lived in Brisbane. But it felt like there was something missing.
I eventually decided to try living somewhere else. I loved going to the beach, so I decided to move to a city with beaches.
I narrowed down my move to two very different cities: the Gold Coast (a tourist city) and Sydney (a large, thriving metropolitan area). I applied for market research jobs in both cities and then attended job interviews.
By chance, I was offered a job in Sydney, which has more than twice the population of Brisbane. I remember thinking that a bigger city might have more opportunities for work and love.
Accepting the job and moving cities was the hardest decision I had ever made because it meant I was leaving my family and close friends.
When I decided to give it a shot, I honestly thought I’d be back home in a year, but life had other plans. I sold most of my furniture, packed up my car, and drove 12 hours over two days to start my new life.
Moving cities was exciting and gave me a fresh start
Now, when I reflect on moving cities as a 30-year-old, I think it was a good age to embrace the opportunities and challenges of a significant relocation.
While I was excited about the opportunity to start over, I had some trepidations about doing so. Would I enjoy living somewhere else? Would I get too homesick?
The first thing I wanted to do when I arrived in Sydney was to make new friends and establish a support network. I knew some people, but I had no close friends.
So, I said “yes” to every social invite because I wanted to meet new people to hang out with. However, doing so also meant that I burnt out pretty quickly, so I had to pull it back.
I eventually started to relax, settling into my new work routine and my newly established friendships.
Taking a chance led me to meet my husband and have 2 children
What seemed like the most daunting decision in my life actually turned out to be for the best in terms of what I personally got out of it.
I would never have met my husband if I hadn’t moved cities. I met him within the first year of living in Sydney. Now we have been together for 12 years and have two kids under 5 years old.
During this time, I have also formed many new friendships, for which I feel incredibly grateful. Unfortunately, I’ve also inevitably lost or experienced irrevocable changes to old friendships that didn’t survive the distance between them.
Sydney has far exceeded my desire for new experiences. Even all these years later, there are still many new things to do. And I’ll never get tired of spending time at the beach.
While I have enjoyed living in Sydney, it has also been really hard being away from my parents and siblings in Brisbane. Sadly, I’ve missed out on spending more time with them because we live so far apart.
I’ll never know what would have happened if I had stayed in my hometown, but I’m genuinely happy with everything I have gained since moving to another city.
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