This week marked some very special milestones in my life. This week was both the anniversary of me moving to The United States and also the anniversary of meeting the man who I now call my husband! As fate would have it, both anniversaries are on the same exact day: June 16th! After the incredible journey I’ve had, I can say for certain that I really believe that everything in life happens for a reason at the exact moment that it’s supposed to.
Since moving to the USA, I have opened up a hair salon, got married, found my calling in life, starred in two movies and countless photo shoots, moved to Long Island and got my first puppy, BaileyLee. I’ve also tried and failed at things, faced my demons and come out stronger, more confident and more sure of myself than ever!
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always known that I was destined to live in the United States. It might sound crazy but I knew there was a part of me missing that I would only be able to find here. Even though I didn’t know what it was that I needed – I knew it was in the United States and knew that I needed to connect with this missing piece in order to become myself. I have always trusted my gut and it has never led me astray!
My life in Ireland was in full swing when I finally decided to make my move to the States. My business as a hairstylist was booming, I was being booked to style for photo shoots and I was winning nation-wide awards! I can tell you that there will never be an “easy” time to leave your family and loved ones, but if you know in your heart and soul that you belong elsewhere like I did, then NOW is the right time – no matter how well things are going. It may be the most terrifying thing you will ever do – but it could also save your life, like it did for me.
I arrived to New York city as a far cry from the woman I am today. I will never forget that perfect Summer day riding in my taxi from JFK to the apartment that my friend back in Ireland had found for me on her fancy computer on some website that I had never heard of, Craigslist. I came here not knowing a soul with five enormous suitcases only to learn that the apartment I was renting was a fifth story walk up! Luckily the two men I was renting from were there to greet me and not only helped me with my luggage, but also became my family. To say that I am eternally grateful to these men would be the understatement of the century!
When I first moved here I was very naïve and also very fearful. Not only did I have no friends or family on the continent, but I also didn’t yet have the clientele and work relationships like I had in Ireland. For the first few months I was living off of my savings as I worked up a reputation in the salon I was working at. Even in the bleakest times when my clients were few and far between, I never faltered in knowing that this was where I was meant to be. I came to learn that God was putting the right people and opportunities into my life at the exact moments that I needed them and learned to trust in Him completely.
Moving to New York was the best thing I have ever done. Being here in a city that is so diverse and so accepting of individuality allowed me to accept and now celebrate my imperfections. This journey was not with lack of hurdles and extremely hard times, but it is one that I am so happy and proud to have endured! I know in my deepest being that this journey to self-love and acceptance would never have happened if I had stayed in Ireland and in many senses I know that coming to America truly saved my life!
When I look back to the person I was when I first came to America there is so much that I wish I could have told my younger self. I would have told her that everything was going to work out just as it was meant to and that every experience, good or bad, was an opportunity to learn and become a stronger person. Live in the moment and stop worrying about the future – you’re in for the ride of your life and it will be full of lots of love, lots of learning and challenges that may seem impossible to conquer. These challenges will help you grow into the strong, confident person you are meant to be and eventually you will embrace the parts of you that you consider imperfections. Like my acting coach, Susan Batson, says: everything we experience adds more fish to our pond. These fish make us the complex individuals that we are and I am so proud of the fishes I have collected in my pond in these past years in America!
This week I had a party with some close friends and family members to celebrate the anniversaries of both moving to America and meeting my husband. As it so happens, today, June 17th, is also the Statue of Liberty’s anniversary of landing in America! I find this to be so perfect and monumental because moving to America and finding my husband in this same week has brought me such liberty and freedom in so many ways. Celebrating with so many of the people who have played such important parts in this journey was so incredible. They each represented different parts of my journey here in the United States and made me appreciate all I’ve gone through and the relationships I’ve built even more!
Each of us are on our own journeys. We will accomplish different things, we will win different battles and we will experience our own pain and hard times. We will be beautiful in our own ways and we will love, laugh and celebrate in ways that others may not. Our journeys reflect these good times and bad times and I have learned to be proud of everything I have been blessed to experience and learn from.