6 months in Miami!

Happy Saturday! I can't believe that today marks 6 months since I made my move to Miami, Florida. Since moving here I have been asked countless times why I moved here and what I'm doing here, so I'd like to take a minute to answer some common questions I've been asked. Hopefully I can inspire you to take a leap of faith and leave your comfort zone as well!

The main question that I get asked is, 'Why did I move?'

I don't ever have a real answer for anyone when they ask me this, well not an answer that I feel truly answers their question - but I moved here for the simple fact that I visited the city a couple of times and absolutely fell in love with it. I love all the culture that is here. I love the ambition of everyone here, everyone wants better for themselves. I've always wanted to live in a big city, but I thought that it would be New York - however, after strong consideration and realization that I hate cold weather, I decided to travel south of Tennessee and venture down to the tip of Florida.

The next question I often am asked is, 'How did I do it?'

This is definitely the most shocking answer that I probably give anyone. I just did it! I didn't know anyone living down here except an old classmate from high school that I hadn't talked to in years. I didn't have any family that could help me out whenever times got tough, but they were always a phone call away. Initially when I got here I stayed in Airbnb - if you don't know what that is, I definitely advise you to check it out because they are awesome! Basically people rent out their houses, condos, or sometimes rooms to travelers who don't want to pay high hotel prices. I didn't get my own place until after being here for three months. Was it stressful? Absolutely! Miami is one of the most expensive places to live in general, let alone someone fresh out of college trying to move here. I didn't have a job when I first moved here, it actually took me a month just to find a part-time job. So I had to rely on my parents to support me initially when I first got here and although I'm a little more stable now, I know that they are there for me when I need them.

The final question I often get is, 'What are you doing?'

Well since graduating from UT, I've tried to find a job in my market since getting down here, however, my market doesn't really flourish in Miami. I graduated with a BA in communication which I've come to find out - I don't know what I want to do with that. Since I don't know I've just been applying for any career possible, but that hasn't seemed to work either. A majority of the careers in Miami require you to speak Spanish - which I can finesse if I'm trying to tell an Uber driver how to get to my destination, but don't know enough to hold a decent conversation. So at this time I've got me a job at the new Nike that was recently built on Lincoln Road. I absolutely love Nike as a company! They care so much about their employees, and coming from other jobs that I've had - this is definitely tops any. I can't wait to see where the future takes me, not just with their company, but with my career as a whole. I'm not too pressed about it because moving was something that I wanted to do, so I'm more so just focused on enjoying my time while I'm here and letting the future worry about itself when it comes.

With all that being said I definitely encourage anyone to take a leap of faith if they're thinking about moving to their dream city. It took a lot of faith, constant encouragement from my friends and family, and determination to make it - but I wouldn't trade moving for the world. I've learned so much about myself since moving here and have met some amazing people. I can't wait to see what the future holds and see how God uses me while I'm here. If I could offer some advice to those thinking about moving it would be the following:


Patience. When I initially arrived I expected everything to be handed to me on a silver platter - it didn't work like that. If I learned anything, it's that you can't rush the process. I definitely should have waited until I had more money saved up, a place to stay, and a stable job before moving, but the stubborn side of me wouldn't allow me to wait any longer. So definitely prepare yourself before moving and don't worry about how long it takes, just be patient.

Faith. If I didn't have faith in God then I'm not sure I would have made it through those first three months. I knew that He wouldn't put more on me than I could bare and wouldn't let me fail. The Bible says, "If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed...you can move mountains." So put your faith in God, however you must also have faith in yourself. Believe that you can do it and you will.

Self love. There were days that I wanted to quit and give up - when I couldn't find a job, didn't have any friends that I could go hang out with, or when it was difficult finding an affordable place to stay. But I had to encourage myself that I could do it. I couldn't let the closed doors in my face deter me from my ultimate goal. There were times that I doubted myself and my abilities, but those were the days that I had to uplift myself the most. My friends and family kept me encouraged, but ultimately it was up to me to keep a positive attitude and a smile on my face.

I hope that this answers any questions that you may have regarding my big move to the city, if not feel free to ask me! Moving to Miami initially was just something I was telling people I wanted to do because I didn't have plans after graduating, but actually going through with it was something that I never thought I could do. Trust God, keep your faith, and believe in yourself and anything is possible. Hopefully the next six months continue to be just as great as my first. I'm grateful for all the people that helped me along the way and am blessed to have met all the people whom have entered my life on this journey thus far. I hope that you always do what you fear and never let anyone stand in your way.