One year ago, I made the biggest decision of my life and decided to move abroad.

I didn’t move alone, I was with my partner at the time.

 

During the first months, everything turned out great. I was still in the “touristic phase.”

 

However, as time passed, my relationship ended, and suddenly it was just me in a foreign country with no friends. That’s when the real challenges started.

 

I had to look for a new place to live, manage my work schedule, deal with depression, and handle all the adult responsibilities that come with everyday life.

 

During this time, many people approached me with the same question: Why don’t you go back to Portugal?

 

Going back to my comfort zone was not what I was looking for.

 

I was becoming a new person. I tried to face everything the best way I could, alone. I worked through what was happening and focused on what needed to be done.

 

Do I regret it? No. But I can admit that there were moments when I thought about giving up.

 

Many nights, I found myself feeling lonely, even when I was hanging out with friends. I still couldn’t feel fulfilled, as if something was missing. I was lost, just trying to stay strong and give the best impression I could to the people around me.

 

I also remember my first night in the apartment. The silence disturbed me more than I expected. At some point, if I heard my neighbors speaking loudly on another floor, I felt grateful,  just to have some voices filling the space, a reminder that I was not completely alone.

 

It’s cliché to say it, but it’s true: after the storm, there is always a rainbow, and that’s what happened.

 

During this time, I explored myself more deeply and learned how to handle my feelings and stressful situations on my own. I allowed myself to suffer so I could learn the lessons hidden in that pain. I learned that I could grow, find solutions, and move forward.

 

What I learned is that some things can only be learned alone, and that going back to your comfort zone is not always the best solution. Sometimes, you need to face what is in front of you now, so you can turn this new situation into your new comfort zone.