I’m Worried About Moving to New Orleans

You’re afraid everything will fall apart once you move to New Orleans.

I want to move this fall but I’m worried about finding a place to live. I won’t be able to actually come down until I move and I live 15 hours away in Ohio so I can’t just come view apartments. I’m also worried about the virus because I work in the restaurant industry but have heard things have been getting bad down there. I’m worried about finding a reliable job since rent and cost of living is much higher than I am used to… ~ Worried in Ohio

Of course you are worried. You are walking into the unknown and darkness is scary! You don’t know what awaits you. You don’t know if your decision will give you the result you want. You can’t be sure of anything and that is what scares you the most. You want assurance that your decision is the right one. I can’t give you that. But, what I can assure you is, regardless of what happens, you will be just fine. How do I know? I went through it already and I am doing just fine.

I moved to New Orleans alone just before the pandemic. I had about $800 to my name, no permanent place to live and no friends or family in the city. I survived it and came out just fine.

I want you to know that walking into the darkness does not have to be a fearful experience. You are fearful because you may have more faith in the worst outcome than you have faith in the best outcome. Why is that? Good things can happen to you too.

I am not going to lie. I went through some rough times when I transitioned to New Orleans. Being alone in a new city isn’t easy, but with support programs like Moving to New Orleans, you won’t be alone and you will learn how to work through everything that comes your way.

Your process of moving to New Orleans won’t be perfect. In fact, after any big decision you will experience moments where it seems like everything will fall apart. Those moments are temporary, like breaking in a new pair of shoes. Things may be a little uncomfortable at first, but next thing you know, it feels like you are walking on air.

There are millions of people who currently live and survive and even thrive in New Orleans. You can be one of them if you decide that you will be. The only things standing in between you and a better life in New Orleans is your understanding that even though times may be get tough, they are all temporary situations. You will figure it all out. You will overcome everything. There is nothing that will happen that will permanently destroy your chances at a happy life.

You can expect challenging times because, just like a child growing up, you don’t know this new world that you are walking into. And just like a child growing up, you meet those challenges, learn how to walk through them and grow accustomed to the new world around you.

Paying rent, finding people to trust, dealing with COVID precautions and any other challenges you may face- they all have solutions. You are one of the smart ones. This life transition of moving to New Orleans will not overtake you. You’ve made it this far; choose to keep going. We all did it. You can too.