To Montana

I've met a lot of people who have had an inkling to move somewhere. A little nudge of intuition guiding them to take the leap and go to a new environment that has been calling to them for some reason or another.

I'm not exactly sure when Montana started for me. I was planning to move here from Nashville, that fell through, and I somehow found myself in Albuquerque. New Mexico is a cool state, but it never felt like home. I basically hibernated for the first 3 months there. I moved up to the mountains in Tijeras, and slept throughout the winter season. It was a much needed rest.

Nearing the end of my time there, I was wondering if I was making the right decision by leaving. My life was picking up serious momentum: I had just done my first film after a 2 year break from the industry, I was playing music at different venues , and, had I stayed one more month, I would've been completely booked up. It seemed like things were aligning there after a rocky start (getting robbed, amongst other things), and I was set for success.

Something just wasn't sitting right. I've seen this story play out so many times, where the money is too good to leave, or it's too much of a hassle, and the 'what ifs' of change eat people alive. I pretty much made up my mind that I'd be successful anywhere, so why not Montana? I wasn't fulfilled in Albuquerque, I didn't have the community I wanted, I wasn't in the environment I could thrive in. I've never really been one to let money get in the way of things... but I can understand someone's trepidation to take another leap of faith after just establishing some real financial stability.

Additionally, I've never been to Montana, didn't even do much research, just had this gut feeling that I had to go. So I went.

You really don't know how rich life can be. I thought I was happy in New Mexico, until I got here. When you fit seamlessly into a city that just welcomes you, it's the best feeling. My music is responded to so much differently here, the people I find just easier to get along with, and I'm living with a sense of ease I never had in New Mexico. Or, hell, Nashville, Los Angeles, New Jersey.... anywhere.

Maybe I'm writing this to encourage you to take that dang leap. Go do it. Why not? Life's too short. Who gives a crap about money, or risk, or judgement, or fear... these are all manmade limitations to prevent us from living an enriched life. Go do the damn thing. Go move to that place that's been calling to your soul. Go to Italy, or Seattle, or Alabama, or that random cottage in France. I can promise you, there is so much waiting for you. You are waiting for you. Our environment is so important for us to thrive. I feel like as soon as I crossed that state line I settled into myself.

Life is an adventure. It is supposed to be FUN! So many of us live a life that was never meant to be ours. We fall into a routine and accept that this is it. Happy enough, successful enough, content enough. We settle because it's too scary to dream for more, when the more seems impossible.

Well, it's not. It might be difficult at first, you might question all of your life choices and go through a major existential crisis, but it's awesome. At least you're thinking. I whole heartedly believe that only 5% of the entire human race thinks. Most just do.. exist.. survive. Which is no fault of their own, that's how I lived for the first 21+ years of my life. I believe we all have a chance at some point to make a choice to live like we've been living for generations, or break that cycle, take a leap, and go search for something more.

I saw this video on social media of Russ, the musical artist. I'm sure plenty of you have watched this by now, but I loved what he said when prompted to answer these questions. I'm paraphrasing, but it went something like this:

"What's the best advice you've ever been given?"

"What if it turns out better than you could've imagined."

"What's the worst advice you've ever been given?"

"Be realistic."

Chase your dreams. You have them for a reason.