In March 2022, I (and now my husband) left London for the first time in 10 years and returned to the Cotswold village where I was born and raised.
I can’t say that the decision was easy. I had spent my childhood dreaming of living in London, earned my degree there, and built my early career there, but it felt like part of my identity was about to be taken away from me.
But in reality, I was tired of renting a small one-bed apartment with a bit of an odd decor, a humid bathroom, and no outdoor space.
A small housing development in the village I called home as a child was a turning point. They were available for purchase through shared ownership, so we could afford a small three-bed house with a garden for less than the cost of rent in London. Suddenly it felt like a given and before I knew it I was starting a new life as a fully flagged adult in the countryside.
out of my comfort zone
Moving away from the city has certainly forced me to “put myself out there.” I moved back to an area where all my childhood friends had moved, so I didn’t know anyone.
The best decision I made was to join a local gym. My fears of not meeting people my age or with common interests suddenly disappeared, I connected with like-minded people, and in no time I was smiling across the gym floor to meet up for a coffee date. became.
make friends as an adult
As it turns out, many others are in the same situation, and since moving here I’ve found it much easier to make new connections than when I was in London. Soon I was inviting people out for drinks, trying out local restaurants together, and inviting people over for dinner.
At first it feels like a friendship blind date, but like anything, the more you do it, the more confident you become.
I have made some close friends through the gym. He has recently opened a beautiful boutique yoga and Pilates studio in Cirencester, Retreat and Rewild. As a Pilates instructor myself, I teach several classes there, and it really makes me feel part of the community and a sense of belonging here.
try something new
But in addition to new friends and existing hobbies, you will want to try something new. I turned 30 in 2023 and towards the end of the year I started thinking about the last time I stepped out of my comfort zone.
This led my family to pitch in and buy horseback riding lessons so I could take up a whole new hobby, rather than asking for a physical gift for Christmas.
Inspiration: On a whim I reviewed my entire life – this is what happened
Other than when I was around 6 years old at a friend’s birthday party, I remember sitting on a horse and being led around a small paddock for about 10 minutes, which was my first horseback riding experience. To be honest, part of me pictured it in my mind as I imagined spending a sunny afternoon riding my trusty stallion along one of the region’s many bridle trails. I wanted to live my country girl dream.
I really can’t remember the last time I was so excited about something like I was before my first lesson.
As you get older, you have fewer new experiences that take you out of your comfort zone, so naturally I was a little nervous too. I have lived my life so far without breaking a bone. I would like to keep this record as it is.
This was an activity I’d been dreaming of trying for years, so my anticipation before my first lesson was outweighed by my eagerness to jump right in and start my journey to becoming the next Zara Tindall. Ta.
read: A favor for a friend completely changed my life – this is what happened
elation
The first session ended incredibly quickly and I felt euphoric immediately afterwards. My instructor Lucinda was wonderful, frankly speaking, and humorous. I thought there would be more conversation and the lesson would be easier, but within two minutes I was trudging (appropriately) around the school on my horse.
I was encouraged when my teacher told me that I was understanding things faster. As a former dancer and current Pilates instructor, my balance, coordination, and inner thigh strength skills certainly came in handy.
Initially, I plan to continue with weekly lessons to maintain momentum and build confidence. It was such a positive thing to do this in January, I didn’t have many social plans and was able to look forward to each weekend in a slower month.
After the second lesson, while we were walking back to the yard, Lucinda pointed to one of the horses in the other arena and told me that she was a little younger and more energetic and that she would be ready for me to ride her next lesson. I said I think so. Start walking slowly and progressing to a fast walk!)
At that moment, the horse tried to get the young girl off its back, and the girl landed on the floor with a thud. The girls were totally fine…though I’m not sure my confidence was intact!b
Read more inspiring stories of people who stepped out of their comfort zones in HELLO!’s Happiness Hub.