The Big Move: London to the Scottish Highlands
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I don't think I have ever made such a quick decision as the one to up and leave London and move to the Scottish Highlands, it was all decided and confirmed within the space of two weeks. I finally felt a little piece of me coming back.
Putting your mental health first is one of the most important lessons I have learnt through this experience. London life made me miserable, the speed of life, everyone and everything being rushed it didn't take me long to realise this wasn't right. Different people suit different environments and the longer I spent in this one the more anxious and unhappy I became. I was very fortunate to have two very loving and supportive housemates that without I don't think I would of lasted as long as I did.
I had been visiting Aidan here in the Scottish highlands it was a birthday trip as it had recently just been my birthday and on the way home something just clicked, every time I left the highlands and sat on the train home to London my heart always hurt but this time it was different. So the next week at work I confronted my boss, who truly scared me if I'm completely honest and told her I was going to leave and move to the highlands to be with Aidan I think it was possibly Thursday or Friday by the time I had actually got the courage to talk to her. I can still remember the fear prior this conversation how many times I had gone over it in my head and out loud to my house mates but yet I still feared I wouldn't get my words out correctly.
My hands were shaking and my breathing was wobbly but after a couple of hours of being in the same room as her I finally asked if we could have a chat outside. We sat on a really cold window seat where I told her and she responded with 'You're throwing your life away for a boy', every time I think about this it makes me giggle as what a life it has become and imagine if I had actually listened, agreed and not left, I hate to think to be honest.
I won't bore you with the rest of the conversation you can imagine how it went, a little negotiation was tried but I stayed strong and thanked her for the offers but turned them down, I remember going for lunch with one of the girls I worked straight after the conversation and I felt so free, I felt the same feeling of relief when you take your heavy backpack after a hike off once you've reached the top of the mountain, I finally felt like I could breathe, the hardest bit was done.
Then came the logistics how the heck do I get everything I own from London the the Scottish highlands, and this is where my besties came to the rescue! At this point I couldn't drive, Aidan wasn't able to come down and my parents weren't available either, so my best friends bean and em hired a van with me and drove to the Scottish highlands with me and then drove it all the way back again a few days later.
We did a hike in the Three Sisters of Glencoe the day after the drive.
I have done this hill multiple times since, it has such a special place in my heart, it was the hill that welcomed me home, the hill that finally made me feel safe again.
Stay true to who you and and always do what feels right for you, we only get one life so make sure you live it how you want to.