I can’t believe that it’s only been one week since we moved to Salt Lake City. In many ways, it feels like I’ve always known this place – like all the seemingly unrelated choices I’ve made over the past decade have actually been leading me here. Yes, I realize how cheesy that sounds, and no, I don’t believe in destiny. But I do believe that when you let go of trying to control your life, and embrace the things that truly make you happy at your core, that the universe will always have your back.

This past year was really challenging for me. About four months into dating, Greg and I moved to the small town of San Luis Obispo (SLO). Although it was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever lived, it was also the most difficult. I was used to living in big cities, having a large group of friends, constantly going out to social events and dinners, and being busy morning to night. Suddenly, I didn’t have those things – my life slowed down in a way that I had never experienced before. It was jarring. I realized that without my friends, my busy social life, my work, without moving at 100 mph, I didn’t know who I was.

Even though I really struggled, I decided to embrace the slower pace that living in a small town afforded. I saw it as a beautiful opportunity to turn inward. So I took the time and space to ask myself some very basic, very important questions –  what truly makes me happy? What brings me joy? Who am I when I strip away my friends, my social life, my career? What is authentic to who I am as a person? It sounds so simple, but it required a lot of hard work and brutal honesty.

When I drilled down, I was able to understand that living in a small town just didn’t align with who I am. And that was okay. But I also knew that Greg loved living in SLO, and part of me felt guilty asking him to leave a place he loved. I ignored my feelings for a while, but quickly realized that part of being in a healthy relationship means having difficult, honest conversations. It requires two happy people, not just one. I didn’t know how he would react, but being the incredible person that he is, Greg was able to hear me out. He showed up for me in a way I didn’t expect, even when things got difficult. I’m so grateful to have him as my partner.

After months of tough conversations, the two of us sat down and came up with a carefully crafted list of what we each wanted out of a city. The most important thing to us was to take the time to find a place where we’d both be happy. We spent months traveling to different cities to see if we could see ourselves living there. We visited Seattle and Vancouver, and immediately eliminated both. I spent three weeks in New York and DC, and realized that although I loved those cities, they didn’t align with where we were in life. After a while, it felt like we would never find somewhere we’d both be happy. It was hard to stay hopeful, and there were times it felt like it would be easier to walk away. But I chose to stay and trust that it would all work out.

In one of our many conversations early on, Greg had suggested Salt Lake City. Initially I had said no. As time went on and our list of cities dwindled, I started to think about it more and more. I had been to Salt Lake several times and loved it, so why was I so opposed to moving there? When I got brutally honest with myself, I realized it was because my own ego was getting in the way. Salt Lake wasn’t “cool” enough – it wasn’t New York or DC or London. It wasn’t a big, flashy city. It wasn’t the east or west coast. But the more we talked about it, the more we both realized that it actually checked every single box on our list.

I’m a city girl and Greg is a small town guy. Salt Lake is the perfect mix of both. It has incredible cafes, restaurants, workout studios, and everything else a city has to offer, but it’s quiet and calm. It has great public transportation, is bike friendly, has almost no traffic, and is close to an international airport. Surrounded by mountains, it gives us incredible access to the outdoors year round. It’s under 5 hours away from some of the biggest National Parks in the US including Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, and more. It’s only two hours away from Greg’s hometown, which means we’d be close to his parents and brother. The city itself aligns with our values, is affordable (we can actually consider buying a home one day), and is a great place to raise a family. It was the perfect city for us. Once I let go of my ego, all the pieces fell into place.

In the end, it turned out better than anything I could have imagined. Greg accepted a position as the Director of Budget and Policy for the City of Salt Lake – a huge career step for him. We moved in to an apartment that has incredible views of the mountains and natural light cascading through windows in every room – something that has always been my dream.

This past year taught me what it means to surrender, to be patient, and to trust the process. And it taught me how important having a partner who is willing to show up for you is. I know this is just the beginning of something beautiful, and I am so happy to call this place home. I can’t wait for you to come visit and explore with us – our door is always open!

With so much love,

Stasia xx