Last year when I decided to move cross country from Los Angeles (where I was born and raised) to Miami, I did so without thinking about it too much. I mean, yes, I thought it over and over but deep down in my heart I knew it was what I really wanted so it was a decision I didn’t take too long to make. It’s now been almost 5 months since my move and I don’t regret it in any way. I have, however, during the course of these months discovered that my move has taught me a few things.

  • I learned it is possible to work doing something you love and not dread having to work every day. I studied Criminal Justice in college and obtained a degree in that because that was my passion. When I chose that career it was because I wanted to become a detective, but I never wanted to be a Police Officer so there went that idea. I eventually settled, yes, settled for being an auto claims fraud investigator. That was okay, but never filled me the way I thought it would so I then moved on to investigating healthcare fraud. I quickly found out that wasn’t something I wanted either, but hey, it paid the bills. Again, settled. As time passed by, Criminal Justice was no longer my main passion career-wise (it still is but has taken a back seat) and I knew I had to do something about it or I was going to be miserable my whole life. I now work in Social Media as well as the Latin Entertainment Industry and I love it. It fills me and I enjoy working in that. I don’t see it as work because I actually enjoy doing it. I had never experienced that with any other job before. I love working now!
  • I learned it is possible to love where you live. Since graduating college, I hated living in Los Angeles and as the years passed by, the dislike grew worse. Everything about the city bothered me, especially the traffic. I hated LA in general. Once I moved to Miami, I learned what it was to love a city you lived in. Miami and LA are completely different which is why I love it. It reminds me so much of Puerto Rico. When I was younger and Puerto Rico had a somewhat stable economy, my plan was to move to Puerto Rico, but things got worse economically for PR and it was no longer a smart decision to move, so living in Miami kind of makes up for that.
  • I learned to take risks and be open to new adventures. If you know me, you know that I’m not one to take risks or embark on adventures. I overthink things too much and for the most part tend to stay on the safe side. That has changed since my move. Making the decision to move cross country, leave a stable job and go after my passion was a big risk as well as an adventure. By doing that, I realized it’s worth doing it more often. I am now more open to taking risks or embarking on an adventure because I realized that I want to live a life without regrets.
  • I learned to love my Mexican culture even more than I already did while feeling more Puerto Rican than ever. Being born in LA and growing up around my Mexican family and friends while only visiting my Puerto Rican family maybe once a year made me in a sense more Mexican than Puerto Rican. Yet, being in a Mexican surrounding also made me feel more Puerto Rican for the same reason. There’s no denying I am more Puerto Rican than Mexican because everything about me is Puerto Rican, but my feelings for both cultures have deepened even more. I now live surrounded by totally different cultures from the ones I grew up with and that has made an impact on me. I now feel even more Puerto Rican than I ever did in LA yet I have also grown to love my Mexican culture even more than I already did. And although everything about me screams Puerto Rican, the way I speak Spanish reflects my Mexican heritage. I’m a Puerto Rican speaking Spanish with a Mexican accent (which tends to confuse people). It’s a beautiful mix and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
  • I now have no time to entertain drama or BS. I’m at a different phase/chapter in my life that I’m enjoying a lot and while I was never one to entertain drama or BS, I have zero tolerance for it now. I am too busy building my new life/brand/business that I don’t have time to waste. Since my move, I’ve slowly let people that were drama out of my life. I am focusing on myself now and I don’t have time or space for that in my life. I only want positive thinking people around me and in my life, as well as friends who will support me and my dreams & goals.
  • I learned to trust God more than I ever had. I was born into a Christian home and my dad has been a pastor for most of my life. I grew up in church and have always been a practicing Christian, but my move made me trust God and His plan for my life even more. When I decided to move, I didn’t have a job secured in Miami and I had no idea how long it would take me to find one but I placed it in God’s hands and He has blessed me more than I could ever thank Him. My move was a very smooth one with no problems or setbacks of any kind. A job practically fell into my lap when I most needed it and not only was it a job, but it was the one I wanted and how I wanted it. I must clarify though that even though I say the job fell into my lap, it’s something I’ve been working on for almost 10 years. Nothing comes easy. It requires you to work for it, but if you do, God will do His part. It proved to me once again that placing my life in His hands and letting Him take control will always be better than what I could’ve ever imagined for myself. Now I realize why nothing I ever wanted in LA worked out. God’s plans for my life were in Miami and I’m feeling very happy and blessed right now.

Overall, my move taught me to get out of my comfort zone because that’s where life as a daring and beautiful adventure begins.

becky (2)