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By Olivia
Not too long ago, my life took a huge turn in a direction I didn’t expect.
I moved from LA to Oakland. The longer I live here, the more I start to notice how much my life has shifted, and how I now view the world around me. About a month before I moved, I felt that I had hit rock bottom as far as my emotional state of being. My depression and anxiety had hit its maximum, and I felt like I was being followed by a dark cloud of desolation. My turning point that completely changed my life was moving to Oakland with my older sister and changing my environment that was full of old depressing memories, into a more positive and renewing setting.
Just like most changes, moving to Oakland caused me a lot of apprehension and excitement. At the time, the thought of change felt so disorienting as I was set in my old ways. In my mind, change meant I’d have to let go of all of the moments I’ve experienced, when; in reality, I would just be creating more meaningful experiences. As soon as I took the step to move, I immediately felt the power of changing my environment, and how much it transformed my negative thought patterns. Living in Oakland has helped me grow so much as a person and has given me so many more opportunities than if I hadn’t moved.
My experience of moving has taught me that letting go of your past and changing your environment can sometimes be an extremely renewing experience. I want people to know that they don’t have to be afraid of change, and instead, they can embrace it.