Dear New York City and Myself

This journey has given me so much both high's and lows however my proudest moment was moving to the Lower East Side, Manhattan.  On January 2 of this year I packed up my things and drove from Minnesota to a giant monster of a city.  I recall not thinking much about it until I was white knuckling the steering wheel.  When I read my Breaking Manhattan blog I am reminded of how amazing that opportunity was for me.  For that I am grateful because I will be making the move again on Oct.16th of this year however this time by plane and this time all by myself.   

I may not of moved by myself so the greatest blessing was moving there with someone and this time will be even better because I will be doing it alone.  No crutch this time.   My way, my journey and not for someone else's career. I felt such a sadness leaving the first time to do yet another move and this time I will be staying.  Hitting the ground running..

I see Manhattan as this massive ball of yarn, intermixed with opportunity and despair.  Its dark and hopeful, unforgiving yet welcoming..easy yet complicated.  I feel like from a distance I am a bird flying over the top of it wondering how to become it, conquer it and find my place within it.  My blessing is this vision I have been having and it's up to me to weed through 8 million people, find the right ones to make it my reality.  

When I first moved back from London, every fiber of my being said "this is your home but not your place in this world"  I then received a phone call and a spot had opened up for me in the LES (lower east side) I knew this was fate knocking.  I answered it and now I sit with just months away from yet another move.  

I am writing to you to share this experience however this is also a letter to myself.  To remind myself to stay above water because Manhattan is many wonderful things its also harsh and sometimes cruel.  This is to remind myself of perseverance and persistence, trusting my instinct and taking my journey one step at a time.  I always want to see New York as my opportunity, rejection is only part of the game.  Patience and gratitude and holding oneself with grace and forgiveness. When Manhattan seems heavy make light out of it.  Become the streets, many great things came from Bleecker, Houston and of course Park Ave.   Stay in but don't be afraid to go outward.  Meet people, eat great food and when things get hard call your family first.  

If only before every journey we could write a letter to oneself...