it’s not realistic

I recently had a lady “call me out” in a group on facebook. I had shared that one of the ways I chose to be more fully myself was moving countries. She commented: “unfortunately, that’s not realistic for 90% of the people here.” and waved me off.

Her response annoyed me. Partly because she was speaking for a group of hundreds of people that neither she, nor I know. Partly because I simply shared what worked for me (not that I thought it would work for everyone). And partly because, who sets the limits?

And that’s the thing: it absolutely was not, in any way, realistic for me to close my super successful business, sell my house, my car, leave my dog, my entire support system and move to a foreign country, in the middle of a global pandemic. And then 5 months later, move to a different yet another country. 

IT’S NOT REALISTIC!!!

And I did it anyway.

Not because I’m super special (though my mom would say I am). Not because I have special powers (though I am a badass at a lot of different things). I am nothing special.

What I AM is a person who refuses to let others set my limits.

• I am a person that believes deeply that I need to listen to that still, small voice within me and GO.

• I am a person that is grieving the loss of a life and business that I loved and rejoicing in this completely new and wonderful life I’ve built at the same time.

• I am a person striving to listen better, love better, be myself more fully. 

• I am not a realistic person. 

• I will not be limited by another person thinking small, scared thoughts.

And, I would challenge you, when you don’t think something is realistic, ask yourself: and so? What? Does that mean I don’t go for it?

Don’t get me wrong, the road I picked is a hard one. But I don’t, for one second, regret it. If I would have listened to what people told me was “realistic” I’d still be in America, living a completely fine life. That is, after all, realistic.

I don’t live by realistic limits.