I really can’t write about this too much because I will become far too emotional but tomorrow I am moving away from Massachusetts, where I have lived my entire life, to start a completely new chapter of my life down in Pennsylvania where I will begin working as an associate editor at Runner’s World magazine.

This is a huge step for me as I know it will further my career but it’s also a big step because I am walking into the unknown. My entire family, including the majority of my extended family, lives in and around the Boston area. In fact, only one of my aunt’s ventured to move away from the homeland and relocate to California. Besides not having any family in Pennsylvania, I also don’t have many friends. I have one friend who lives in Philadelphia (an hour from where I’m moving), one friend who lives 45 minutes from where I’m moving but she’s about to move to Korea to teach English for two years and a second cousin in New Jersey, again, about an hour away.

Moving to Pennsylvania and taking on my dream job at my favorite magazine is a risk but it’s one I’m willing to take. Although the risk does not come without sacrifice- moving away from my family and all of my friends- I think it will allow me to grow and develop as my own, adult self. I desperately don’t want to leave my support network but if I’ve learned anything in the past few weeks I’ve realized how truly blessed I am to have them in my life. They’ve been so supportive throughout this process that I think they would have been mad at me if I had not taken the job. Of course they want me to stay in Massachusetts for their own sanity but I don’t doubt they will be coming to visit me very soon.

So, in closing, this post is just a huge thank you and see you soon (not goodbye, I hate goodbyes) to my parents, my little sister, my entire extended family, especially my cousin and one of my closest friends Paige who honestly, without her I might not even be where I am with running now, to my two best friends Sydney and Angela, who I know are going to miss me but have been practically packing my bags for me!, and to all of my other friends, especially some of the ones I have only recently met, everyone has been supportive and led me to where I am now.

I also want to send out a HUGE thank you to all of my blog readers who have also been supportive of me through reading and exchanging stories and conversation. You all are truly an inspiration :)

That being said, tomorrow morning I’m off and driving away into the unknown. It’s scary, but I like it. See you soon!