moving to hawaii

Around the age of 14/15 I started to have this really strong urge to move some place warm. Now let me give you a little background on my zodiacs - I'm a Sagittarius sun, Sagittarius rising, and Pisces moon. So naturally, I love new places, adventure, and the feeling of freedom. I knew that my soul needed the sunlight and warmth more than 170 days out of the year (Michigan isn't very sunny).

I started researching warm places to move to once I finished high school, it didn't take me very long to decide on Hawaii. The simplicity of the beach, that slow island life, surfing, abundance of acai bowls, and 365 days of sunshine (basically, don't get me wrong I LOVE rainy days too), I was sold on the idea, and being my strong, independent and stubborn Sag self, nothing was going to change my mind.

Everyone I talked to about this wild idea told me I was insane, could never do it, and that it is way too expensive. I even had a boyfriend breakup with me for even FANTASIZING about the idea (thankful for that lol). But I knew what I wanted, even at a young age I always followed that gut feeling, my intuition always kept me moving forward.

In March 2016, I moved to Hawaii and before my move I had never even visited the islands before, so I had literally no idea what to expect. I was SO excited, so happy, and those emotions helped me battle any fear I obviously had. But I always loved being on my own, I love a challenge and for me this was the ultimate challenge. To thrive in a beautiful place that I now get to call home.

The move for me came after a very difficult time in my life, a dark time that caused me to drink nearly 7 days a week just to suppress any kind of feeling. My dad was my best friend, he was my person and the person who made me who I am today. He was the most loyal, honest, generous, FUNNNYY, and kind man in this world. I am so lucky every single day to be able to say, John Walker was my dad and best friend. Unfortunately, my dad passed away of an accidental drug overdose around Christmas time of 2014. Devastated was an under-statement, he had been sick for a while, but I thought my dad was invincible. Well, nobody is. And I lost my favorite person in the entire world at the age of 23, still so young, still in need of guidance from her father. I felt lost, cold, and numb. I still had that urge to move away and this was now my chance. I had nothing holding me to Michigan, (nothing I couldn't visit via plane). I knew I wanted to heal, my dad wouldn't want me to be sad all the time. So I started selling all my things, I subleased my apartment, and sold my precious Prius. I went to the airport with one big suitcase, my yoga mat, and my skateboard.

I arrived in Waikiki at like 4:30am, from all the flight delays due to some WILD winds welcoming me to the islands lol. I did not know what to do, so I caught the first cab I saw and headed to my Airbnb I had rented for a month. And by Airbnb, I mean closet inside what once was a 1 bedroom apartment that got converted into a 5 person hostile situation. Let me tell ya, conditions were tiny and rough but I LOVED every second of it. My place was 3 blocks from the beach, I could walk to my job, and I lived in Waikiki which had endless food and fun things to do. I loved to people watch, in case you don't know, Waikiki is the BIGGEST tourist trap in Hawaii. The street performers are so fun, and. I loved sneaking into hotel breakfast buffets (perks of looking like a tourist). Only got chased out once hahah... anyways...

That is my moving to hawaii story. I have a ton of funny and adventurous stories from my time there - can always shoot me a message and we can chat more on this! :)

As of now, I am back in Michigan. I moved home to get my Bachelor's degree in Psychology at the University of Michigan. Leaving Hawaii was one of the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but my intuition told me I needed to go back home for a bit. And I'm glad I did. I got to study psychology at my dad's favorite school and I am typing this with tears in my eyes now because my dad would be SO excited and proud right now. I graduate in 2021 with my degree. I also met the love my life this year. Through some mutual friends, we connected and have been together ever since. So the universe wanted me to move back for a few reason I believe lol - and I'm so happy that I did. Now my love and I are planning to move to hawaii -TOGETHER (YAYYYY) sometime in the next year or two. Excited is an understatement.

My advice to anyone with a "crazy" dream or urge to do something outside the norm - FUCKING DO IT. just start! Whatever that may look like. Just do it - I promise the only regret you will have is NOT following that gut feeling to do whatever you may be called to do.

You were put here, on this planet, to have this human experience to UNDERSTAND not be understood. Read that again and again and again... the only opinion that matters is yours. The reality you dream about - what is stopping you from achieving that? Other people? Because most of the time people are just projecting their own feat and insecurities onto you. "You could never move to hawaii its so expensive!!!" is actually code for "I could never do that, it is so expensive, so how could you do it?!" The comfort zone is just that, it's comfy, it is nice and warm and probably has snacks. Well, aside from the snacks (because I stay strapped with snacks) the comfort zone was never really my scene. Life is waaayyyy more fun if you just focus on your own happiness and choosing happiness every single day. It's not easy, it will probably be the most difficult work you'll ever do in your life, but it is so soooo WORTH it.

Mahalo Friends!

xo

-B