The Big Decision to Change our Lives
Why we decided it was time to pursue our dreams and start living the life we aspire.
Some decisions don’t happen overnight. This one grew over time and changed the direction of our lives. A look back at the moment when a comfortable life no longer felt quite right and a new chapter quietly began.
There was nothing obviously wrong with our life in Hamburg. We both had good jobs, a comfortable apartment, an active social life and plenty of opportunities to travel. On paper, everything looked exactly the way it was supposed to. Nora was working in eCommerce, Trevor in tech. We spent our time between work, friends, family and the occasional escape to somewhere warmer. We traveled across Europe whenever we could, discovering new cities, hiking trails and coastlines. In many ways, it was a full and fortunate life, one that a lot of people would be happy to settle into.
And yet, there was a quiet sense of restlessness that never really went away.
It wasn’t a sudden dissatisfaction or a dramatic breaking point. It showed up in smaller moments. We noticed it most when we were away from our everyday routine. A long weekend exploring a new European city, spending time in nature, a few weeks spent somewhere unfamiliar. During those times, we felt lighter, more present and more connected to ourselves. Coming back to Hamburg always felt harder than it should have.
At first, we brushed it off. After all, routine is part of life. Work weeks blur together, responsibilities stack up and comfort can easily turn into autopilot. Our jobs weren’t bad, our city wasn’t the problem and Hamburg will always hold a special place for us. But over time, the feeling grew harder to ignore. It wasn’t that we wanted more things or a more exciting version of the same life. What we were craving was space. Space to be outdoors more often, to experience new environments, to learn new skills and to spend our time differently. The moments we felt most like ourselves were the ones spent moving, exploring and being outside, not sitting behind a desk five days a week.
Eventually, we had to admit that the life we were living no longer fully matched the life we wanted to grow into. And truthfully, even when we were still living in California, we thought of our time in Germany as a stop rather than the final destination.
The idea of a longer adventure had been floating around in our minds for years. We talked about it on walks, during trips and late at night. It wasn’t about escaping something, but about choosing something else. Choosing curiosity over comfort. Experience over routine. And trusting that there were other ways of structuring life and work. On a cold, rainy day in December 2017, after months of circling the same conversations, we made a decision. We applied for a New Zealand work and travel visa, quit our jobs, sold most of our belongings and committed to moving to the other side of the world. The decision itself felt surprisingly clear. The harder part came afterward, navigating the logistics, the paperwork, the uncertainty and the reality of letting go of what was familiar. But once the choice was made, there was no doubt that it was the right one for us.
Looking back, that moment marked the beginning of a very different chapter. Not because it was bold or dramatic, but because it was intentional. It was a decision that asked us to trust ourselves again and commit to a path that wasn’t predefined.
