There is little to say at this point other than deciding to change is scary.

I spent the last six years unsuccessfully trying to become what I thought I was expected to be – a responsible adult who works hard, pays their bills, begrudgingly forks over tax dollars from every pay check, fixes their car on a semi-regular basis, and politely explains their job description to distant family members.

But after six years, I was tired and unfulfilled; so I made up my mind to make a change. No more desk. No more rent. No more awkward staff Christmas parties. No more driving through traffic. The question then, was on what path do all these ‘NOs’ lead me?

One year ago I began an online magazine which revealed a lot about where I want to go in life and how I need to change to get there. Three and a half issues and a dozen writers later, this full-time project had become a burden it was never meant to be; so it was time for more drastic change. Thanks to the magazine, I had been reading books I otherwise normally wouldn’t have read – one of them, Flee to the Fields, struck something in me.

The concept of learning to provide for myself and others, while becoming part of a community with similar goals and ideals, seemed to fit not only with my faith, but with who I am, who I want to become.

Suddenly, ideas began to fall in place, and a plan emerged. Step one: find something that makes me happy and healthy. Step two: be open to all possibilities. Step three: take a risk. Although this process felt a bit like playing Alice in Wonderland, I am glad to have finally picked a door through which I can see the light – no small task!

Yesterday, my four months of research, applications, and interviews paid off with an offer to work with an Agricultural Sustainability Program in North Carolina. There’s no doubt it will bring challenges, but here’s hoping there are many more rewards.

So it’s official; in two weeks I will be southward bound for the first part of a dream. Feel free to share any tips or advice about North Carolina ~