Would you like to change city but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’re telling yourself that it’s too late, that these are choices to be made at 18? Well, this testimonial might be for you. Find out how a 47-year-old woman managed to organize her entire family’s move abroad and masterfully overcame the challenges of this amazing revolution!
- What was the bravest thing you’ve done?
The bravest thing I did was to change my entire life at age 47: changing job, changing city, changing country. - Describe the situation
I realized that I had the impression that my career was a bit blocked, that there were many things that didn’t suit me in my city, in short, I wasn’t fully satisfied… even if in general I had a very good quality of life, I worked in a beautiful company, I had a beautiful job; but I felt that I wanted more, that I wasn’t fully happy and fully satisfied with my situation. Among my motivations was the fact that I wanted to give my daughter the opportunity to experience abroad and see how important it is to adapt to a different culture and understand that there are different ways of living and dealing with things. - What was holding you back?
The fear of change, the fear of leaving a stable situation – a country, a city, a culture that I know very well – to take a leap of faith, going to a country, France, which is very different from Italy. The biggest brake was the fear of the dark, the fear of taking a leap and then finding myself in difficulty. - How did you overcome the obstacle?
I told myself that it takes courage in life because nothing comes for free, that you have to have the courage to push yourself beyond your comfort zone and that I had to stop complaining and become the engine of my own change. I’d had enough of seeing that certain things weren’t moving forward, of living in a city with trash on every street corner or where people double-park and don’t even apologize to you. Instead of complaining, I said to myself, “Let’s try to see if there’s more!” - How did you feel after doing that?
Initially I felt terrible because I realized that I was leaving behind a lot of friends, a wonderful job, I was leaving Rome, a city that I loved deeply. Then, as soon as I arrived in Paris, I felt great: two hours later I already knew that I had done the right thing, that I felt at ease despite being in a new city and a new country… After all, the human being is adaptable and after the first few hours, after finding your points of reference, everything is easier! Today I’m a happy and satisfied woman for having made this brave choice. - How is your life/work different now?
I have the joy of having lived 3 and a half years in Paris, of having been able to adapt in a completely new work reality, with different rhythms and needs; at the same time I felt at home quite quickly, even in Paris. Of course, at the beginning it was hard because the culture is profoundly different, people act very differently… but at the same time I found some things better. And maybe I miss others… but discovering a new country, a different way of living and working is a great richness. Today I also feel proud of myself because I had courage and I was rewarded. After Paris, I had a new job opportunity in Brussels and I left for a new adventure and an even more radical professional change! The great thing is that when you’ve had the courage to make a big change the first time, afterwards you’re not afraid of anything anymore because you know that the leap is actually not into the dark but towards beautiful and exciting new things! Today I’m happy, because having found the courage to ask myself what I really wanted from myself and from my profession, I’m finally doing a job that I like 100%. - What would you advise other people in the same situation?
I would advise not to be afraid of taking a leap in the dark because anyway, bad luck, you can always come back. On the other hand, the courage to face a big change and put myself out there has brought me the joy of having a life that fully satisfies me. And as for my daughter, after high school in France she has now started university in Amsterdam, so she too has learned to adapt and has become a happy European citizen like her parents! - Thank you D. your experience will be valuable and inspiring to many!Thank you Giulia for giving me the opportunity to talk about it.
If you also have stories of courage to tell contact me, if you are planning a big change and want to be supported, you can try coaching.