The other day my friend sent me an ad for a hat that said “unmedicated because I love a challenge”. We both agreed that we need that hat. I embrace my changing mind and quirky behaviour. I will never be bored and I will never be boring, I can promise you that.
I am unstable in the way that I change my address every two years. I have literally moved more times than I can count…and I have tried. I think I have lived in over fifteen different apartments in several different countries. I have probably spent the most amount of time living in Toronto Canada. There I have lived in five different places; Kipling and Lakeshore, College and Bathurst, Dundas and Bloor, Islington and Bloor, Windermere and Lakeshore.
In Turks and Caicos I lived in three; a beach house, a boathouse, and a villa.
In Australia I lived in one, in Melbourne, that I paid way too much money for.
In Lisbon I have lived in two, one in Anjos and the other in Almada.
In British Columbia I lived in three, two in Kamloops and one in Vancouver.
Those were all the places I had a lease for, then there is my Airbnb history which I won’t dive into here.
I am not exaggerating when I say I live a nomadic lifestyle.
I have been in two or three serious relationships and a few of situationships. I am a classic (recovering) avoidant, mostly because I fear losing my sense of freedom. There have been plenty of guys who I have been interested in. I thought I could settle down for the right guy, but the right guy was never interested in me. The ‘right’ guys date a safe beige, I am a multicoloured unicorn rainbow. Not the safe choice and I don’t want to be.
The only thing I can commit to is a tattoo and even then I have covered those old tattoo up…with another tattoo. My tattoo career is the longest commitment I have ever made and that’s because it brings me a deep sense of fulfillment. It has allowed me to be a nomad and I am forever grateful to the craft.
My mind changes like the seasons. I believe this happens because I am constantly learning new information. When I learn new information I need to test it out for myself. I can’t take someone’s word for it, I need to give it a whirl. I’ll try anything once, maybe twice, just to make sure.
Once you know better you must do better, that is something I live by.
I might have missed my calling as a journalist. I am the queen of a rabbit hole deep dive. Even as a little girl I knew I wanted to know everything. To the point of my parents buying me a book entitled, “The Book of Why”. I used to be an avid reader, and I am trying to get back into that habit more these days…hence me starting a Substack.
Okay so why did I start writing this piece on Substack? I guess I want to admit to myself that it is okay to change like the wind. It is okay to not live a traditional life when all of my close friends are. I love Lisbon for the fact that all my friends are child free and (mostly) single. The moment I go home I am reminded that my choices are not traditional.
That’s why I never stay home for long.
After I spilled the tea about my life falling apart in my Life Update post, I decided that I am not going to plan 2027. Usually I plan my life in six month increments because a five year plan is insane.
Currently, I have the next three months mapped out. Normally I would feel a little anxious that I don’t know will happen after my visit to Canada, where I reminded that (by societies standards) I am falling behind as a 40 year old, single, childfree woman.
Can’t wait.
Of course I have so many ideas that I could just bust out from the seams but I am going to give myself the opportunity to breath. I don’t need to have it all figured out. The great thing about trail and error is that I do know what I don’t want.
The great thing about not being locked down is vast amount of opportunities and choices I am able to make. I am eating at the buffet of life. I can taste it all and I will.