Is it really only one month since I came back from my most recent Amsterdam trip? Time flies, but it also stands still sometimes. It’s been an incredibly productive and informative 4-ish weeks in discovering myself, my apartment, and my life.
Moving Forward, Figuratively First
For starters, getting a grip on the fact that I won’t be living in San Diego anymore is a difficult one. While I’ve fallen madly in love with this city (because who doesn’t), I’ve also realized that it’s time to leave. Coming to terms with my life being ready for a new chapter is incredibly freeing and stressful all at once, and more.
Slowly but surely I’m realizing all of the things that I’ll no longer be able to see, have, or do once I leave. The little things you become accustomed to will be going away and that’s a challenging step to take forward, but SO worth it! I employ the ‘challenges help you grow’ (displayed in my professional marketing blog) mentality as much as possible so these small steps I’m taking to sell, donate, or transition my life have been an interesting and enlightening experience.
It’s a cathartic feeling going through all of the things you’ve collected over the past 10+ years and deciding if it’s worth your space to keep it or not. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not you need something but keep it “just in case” you needed it someday, we’re one in the same.
Allowing Myself To Let Go
The process of cleaning out 8+ years of living in my current apartment means cleaning out 8 years of junk! Not to mention the things I’ve kept since as far back as high school as memories. Those “just in case” items have now become my “never came” past and so, they must go, along with all of the memories that could have been. At the time of this article, that means using the OfferUp app to the best of my abilities along with every other ‘sell your junk’ site possible, combined with donations to Goodwill of course.
The comforts I’ve come to know and love, even without my acutely aware knowledge at the time, are likely also going away. While the Netherlands is not exactly (meaning by any stretch) a 2nd or 3rd world country, it still does not have all of the “luxuries” we know and find comfort in. The huge box stores that you can find ANYTHING in (unless you count IKEA), millions of dining out options at your nearly 24 hour disposal, and the US Amazon which I’ve come to learn does not ship out of the country – you have to use the local country/region’s amazon store and it’s less encompassing.
Relief
All in all, it’s truly a sigh of relief being able to rid myself of all the physical clutter I’ve accumulated, as well as realizing what’s truly important. It’s allowing me to be able to experience more of life outside of my stuff I’ve grown so attached to. FREEDOM!
Jen E. Nunez 