When we moved in December of 2021, I was beyond excited to move to the DC area. I enjoyed living in Alaska but was ready for a change. When we got here, life seemed like a stereo with the volume and bass turned up. The contrast of moving from a remote location, during a pandemic to a more urban area was dizzying. I loved the buzz of the bustling metropolitan area, unending food options, and history everywhere, but also felt incredibly overwhelmed.
Upon reflection, I’ve realized I’m a bit of a pretender, but not in a nefarious way. I don’t like to feel like I look dumb doing new things, so moving frequently I aim to adapt quickly. If I don’t have confidence in something, I’ll go for competence. When I moved to the DC area, I had neither.
I wrote here about navigating in a new area, the anxiety that came with driving, and my uncomfortableness of being uncomfortable. I’ve now lived in the area for two years and while I feel like I’ve just scratched the surface of what the area has to offer, I like to think that I’ve made some small strides in personal growth and in getting to know the area by trying new things.
1. Confidence in Driving
When we arrived around my daughter’s birthday, I was overwhelmed driving and struggled to make it to Claire’s in the mall. Now I navigate the interchange with comparative ease and am content to know the correct lane to be into to exit. My confidence has increased as my mental map of the area has been built, layer by layer. I drive a little more assertively, curse frequently, and give the occasionally needed honk. Occasionally I splurge and use my EZ pass for a hefty toll and a little breathing room. While not a big deal for some, I am proud of my confidence with transportation as it’s grown. I count driving to a Nat’s game, visiting friends, concerts at the Kennedy Center, and letting the world expand.
2. Jumping in and Getting Involved
I’ve been joining things. I don’t always want to, but I make an active effort to go to events so I can give an area a good-faith effort. I’ve joined a billion local Facebook groups. I joined a Book Club at a stranger’s house and no one turned out to be a serial killer! It has become one of my favorite days of the month and I count the women there as good friends.
My kids are involved in Girl Scouts and I’ve participated in leadership roles in their troops. It has been outside my comfort zone, but something I’m willing to try. Being involved in a leadership role has increased our family’s buy-in of the activities and hopefully shown my girls the value of pitching in to be a part of a community. I also became a DC Area Moms’ Contributor!
3. Learning to Live with All the Choices
The DC area has everything. And so much of everything. I’ve had to retrain my brain to make choices that used to be simpler, knowing that here, there are often multiple good options. I’ve been overwhelmed by the endless options for kids’ sports in our area and after talking to friends, researching online, and stewing internally, I picked a soccer club, and guess what, it turned out great! Just like the other choices would have likely turned out well. I am constantly working through my decision paralysis and think I can make confident decisions quicker than when I moved here.
I’m happy for the slow, sometimes unseen progress and adjustments that ultimately lead to more comfortable and confident living. Cheers to another year!
