Why Do You Live Where You Live?

Have you ever really asked yourself why you live where you do?

I had an interesting experience recently while catching a red-eye from an East Coast destination that shall remain undisclosed.

Somewhere along the way, I ran into Casey Neistat, the well-known New York YouTuber and filmmaker.

I have a loose connection with Casey geographically, so we started talking. At one point, he asked me, in his own colorful way, how the *#@%! I had gone from where I used to live to where I live now.

I mumbled and jumbled my way through an answer.

Money. Work. Circumstances. Life.

And, if I'm being honest, I made it sound like I didn't really like where I live and somehow ended up here by accident.

But later, I started thinking about it.

That wasn't really true.

I chose to live here.

Maybe the choices weren't always perfect. Maybe some were made because of circumstances, money, family, work, or timing. But they were still choices.

And that's an important distinction.

I'm not a victim of where I live.

I own my choices.

And the really cool thing is that I can make a different choice someday. I can move. I can stay. I can change my circumstances. I get to decide.

That's something I'm incredibly thankful for.

So the next time you feel trapped, take a step back and ask yourself:

Did I really lose my choice, or have I just forgotten that I have one?

And if you're genuinely stuck—if life has backed you into a corner and moving isn't as simple as packing a suitcase—don't give up.

Keep trying.

Keep looking for the next move.

You can do this.

Doug is OK.