Thoughts in Austin

by Michaela Ortega

About two months ago I packed up my car and drove 1,100 miles from Chicago to Austin, Texas.

As I found out, change is, well… scary.

You don’t know what to expect, you don’t know how to act, you don’t know how it’s going to turn out. Other people can tell you all day about what to expect and what it’s like and you’re going to do great. But you don’t really know that.

If I’ve learned one thing about picking up and leaving everything I love behind for a fresh start, it’s that you don’t need anyone to get you through it but yourself.

You can look and hope and wish and get mad about what’s going on in your life, but that is your choice. It’s your choice to blame others or think something or someone else is the reason you’re angry or happy. But it’s not them. It never is nor ever will be. It’s always you. The truth is that, thankfully, only you are responsible for those things.

Only you can choose a path of positivity or negativity, love or fear.

In this new chapter of my life, I am not relying on anyone but myself. I am taking responsibility for my own life. Yes, of course I have wonderful support from those I love that I cherish more than ever, but I am understanding that the person I bring to work, the person I bring to the gym, the person I bring out in public is my choice and my responsibility. Moving out here, I am learning that instead of turning to others to fulfill my needs, I need only turn inward.

Everything I need to be the person I’m going to become is already inside of me and it’s a beautiful awareness to realize that.

I think at certain times in a person’s life, starting from scratch is essential. You can just feel the need for a change. Nature makes this very convenient every year as the fall comes around. The trees shed their leaves, the animals take cover for the winter, and we, beautiful wild intelligent creatures, have a chance once again to reevaluate and reflect on where we’re at and where we want to go. No need for your change to be as big as moving across the country-- it may be as small as changing your attitude at work (which is actually huge). But it’s never too late for anyone to start from scratch. Ever!

You may be 25 or you may be 60 but either way there is so much life ahead of you. And YOU have the chance to choose how you go through it.

Just remember, everything you need to be the person you are going to become is already inside of you.

Let the fall time, like nature intended, be the start of that new beginning.