1 min read

When it's right, all others disappear

I'm flighty when it comes to places. I haven't stayed in a lease for a whole year since 2011. I was a digital nomad for three years, and I was only in Seattle for 9 months before coming here.

Everyone thinks that I'll leave. A favorite coworker is betting $100 that I won't even be here by next April. And every other time, I'd agree!

But Austin feels right.

I choose this city.

I know because I'm no longer interested in looking at other cities. I don't have a 'where to live' spreadsheet, I don't Pinterest other towns, or Reddit other cities, or google, 'moving to X'. I don't even have a lot of wanderlust to travel right now.

I looked at 5 houses today. I'm talking to a lender next week. I'm doing this because it feels right. I want to buy here.

I don't have to think too much about whether Austin is right. It just is.

I have a sneaky feeling this applies to most other aspects of life as well.


Side note: I also picked the right city because I learned through trial and error what's most important to me.

Shortly after moving to Seattle, I wrote: "living in a cool city is fine but it’s the people that make or break a place for me. If Seattle is gonna work out, I need to find my people."

I identified what was most important, and then got it. I never found my people in Seattle. I made an educated bet that I'd find them here in Austin. It worked out.