Risk-takers, gather 'round.

[serene]

I know we all take risks.

Tell me about a risk you took that was big and maybe even scary, but you're glad you took it, because it turned out to be worth it.

I could really use to hear some happy endings today. (I'm doing fine, not unhappy or anything, but I'm psyching myself up for this risky move, and you can help.)

Comments

[trinker.livejournal.com]

I left a 9 year relationship, not knowing where I was going to end up.

I'm glad I did.

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Yeah. *hugs* I immediately thought of you.

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[trinker.livejournal.com]

-grin- Well, we have been living parallel lives recently.

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Ayup. :-)

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

I asked G why we had broken up 8 years previously, and in parallel persuaded D that we could make polyamory work in practice. It was terrifying, and risky, and really hard ... and it's worked out wonderfully :-)

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Yay, that's lovely!

You know all this, but ...

[therealjae.livejournal.com]

I went into a field that took ten years of post-secondary education to train for, and for which there are only one or two jobs a year in all of North America. I'm not any sort of risk taker personality-wise, and it worried me for years. I really wanted to get a job in my chosen field in a place I could stomach living in. I didn't think either of those things was possible, much less both of them.

Although my life has changed a lot since then, and I've gone through periods of feeling like I don't want a job in my chosen field after all, I did get a job, and a very good one at that. Not only that, but I fell completely in love with the city I ended up living in, and now feel settled in terms of place for the first time in my life (or as settled as I get, anyway). I have job security, a decent income, students I love, and very very good friends. I don't regret my path at all.

-J

[artemii.livejournal.com]

i moved to a country where i barely knew a word of the language and didn't know a single person there prior to moving.

it worked out superbly. it was one of the best times of my life, thus far.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

When I was living with my primary, a man who moved to this area to live with me, I moved out, to save my sanity and hopefully our relationship. I was quite afraid that he would never forgive me.

We're doing better than ever. :)

*big encouraging hugs*

I may have known it, but...

[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Thank you! This kind of thing is really helping.

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's really great! I don't think I knew that about you. *hugsback*

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Wow; that's *amazing*. Thanks!

[hfnuala.livejournal.com]

7 and 2/3 years ago (ish - it was July 1996) I ran away to London because I had to get away from the mess I'd made of uni and my relationship. I had no job lined up and would be staying with someone I was in love with who wasn't in love with me. I think I had less than a grands worth of money - certainly not much more than that. Within a year I had a career I still (mostly) love and had met the wonderful Alex and many people who are still great friends.

For a slightly more planned risk - in 2001 I got made redundant and decided to use the money to move up to Edinburgh. While it hasn't always been perfect (Alex has had trouble finding work, we still sometimes feel rather isolated, my miscarriage (which I realise can't be blamed on the place but adds to the bitter sweet feeling)) it was a great decision for us and we've never regreted it.

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[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

It is! Even though we first fell in love 17 years ago (D & I, and G & I!), and sorted out our family 9 years ago, I can still feel the emotions so strongly that I can almost taste them! It turned out that G & I had just been young, and full of self-doubt, and scared and... and very much in love, but not daring to believe that we could be so loved in return.

And we're all still very much in love: G & me, and me and D, and D and M, and M and Ne ... we have a line-mostly-not-marriage, and it's lovely!!!!! [FX: Gush, gush]

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

I'd been planning on moving in with a friend.

Then we got involved. This made me pause.

I moved in anyway.

[lyrical1.livejournal.com]

When I was 19, I left my very sheltered/conservative all-girls college to go intern on a cruise ship in Greece. I hated Athens when I arrived, and it was the only time I'd traveled abroad alone. I was petrified. I was only supposed to stay for 4 weeks, but I stayed for the whole summer! I loved it. It was one of the best things I ever did for myself. Going, staying and then "defying" my parents by staying on was very empowering.

Now, I'm facing some of the same things you are. Moving and relocating is scary. FWIW, I think you'll do fine, and I think you are making a good (but reversible, if necessary) decision.

[mittelbar.livejournal.com]

I left my home and family and friends to move cross-country to a major metropolitan area I'd never visited, to live with someone I'd met once, hoping to get one particular job. I had no money, no car, a cat, and huge credit card bills. I was trying to rent out my condo because I couldn't quite bear to part with it.

I got the job. I love the boy. I lost the cat. I sold the condo. I still have huge credit card bills, but they don't panic me.

And when I move again, with the boy, in 8-12 weeks, to a chronically depressed major metropolitan area clear across the country, I'll be leaving behind people I love, and lots of intense memories, and a place I'll want to come back to visit over and over for the rest of my life.

That's good, I think.

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing that with me. I'm so glad that you're happy.

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

God, that sounds exciting and scary! I think I'm going to have a blast (largely because when I'm with my partners, I *always* have a blast), but it's still cheering me up to hear all these stories.

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

I think so, too. Thanks, and *hugs* if you want them.

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

Ohmigosh, that's so sweet. Thank you for gushing. I love it.

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

And you're glad?

[pyrzqxgl.livejournal.com]

Moving to the Bay Area.

How's that? :-)

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[serenejournal.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Sounds so... umm... familiar. :-)

We'll be neighbors in about a month! Yay!

[apis-mellifera.livejournal.com]

5 years ago, I left my family and friends behind in Michigan to move in with my boyfriend in Nebraska. Then, 18 months ago, I left him in Nebraska to move to Delaware--not quite on a whim, but certainly chasing a rainbow, which I mostly found. I miss my boyfriend like crazy, but he's making plans to come out here permanently after he gets his doctorate.

Things haven't always been great, but definitely worth it.

And I've managed to pretty much cure myself of my packrat tendencies. Which is a great thing.