From Coast to Coast: How Coaching Helped Me Make the Best Decision for My Family's Future

Ten years ago, I stood at one of life’s biggest crossroads, staring down the possibility of uprooting my entire life and moving across the country. It wasn’t just me—I had two young children and a partner who would also be making the journey, and we had no guarantees. No job offers waiting for us, no roadmap detailing how we would settle into a new community. What we did have was a deep desire for a fresh start, a longing to be closer to family, and the magnetic pull of a landscape that seemed to promise peace and possibility. But it was one of the hardest decisions I’d ever had to make.

I’ll be honest—the idea of moving wasn’t born out of a sudden burst of courage. It grew slowly, from years of feeling like we were trapped in the endless grind of big-city living. The hustle, the constant rush, the sense that every day was a race against time—it all started to wear us down. The city, once so full of possibility, had become a place of rigid routines and relentless schedules. We were always busy, yet somehow not moving forward, just keeping up.

Life felt like we were on a hamster wheel, and we were merely getting by instead of truly living. There was this growing realization that our children were watching us run ourselves ragged, absorbing the subtle message that life was about stress and survival rather than joy and growth. I could see that we were limiting ourselves, settling for what was the familiar when what we really craved was something more expansive, more meaningful.

But making that move with two young kids in tow? That was daunting. They were at an age where stability was everything. Pulling them away from their friends, their school, their neighborhood—it felt almost like betrayal. I worried, as any parent would, about what this change would mean for them. Would they feel uprooted and lost? Would they blame us later for taking them away from the only home they’d ever known? As a mother who cared deeply about giving them a solid foundation, these fears weighed heavily on my heart.

On top of that, the practicalities loomed large. Neither my partner nor I had job offers waiting for us in this new location. We were trading a city that, while expensive, offered professional opportunities and a network of people we knew, for a place where we would have to start over from scratch. All we had was the draw of a lower cost of living, the beauty of the mountains, the pull of being near extended family, and the hope that we could build a better life.

So, how do you make a decision when every outcome feels uncertain? At the time, I found myself turning inward, leaning into my own version of self-coaching. I knew that if we were going to make this leap, it couldn’t be from a place of panic or blind optimism; it needed to be intentional. I began asking myself the deeper questions, the ones that aren’t always easy to face but are absolutely necessary if you want to make a decision you can live with.

• What exactly was I hoping to gain by making this move?

• Was I trying to escape something, or was I genuinely moving toward something better?

• What kind of life did I envision for my children, and would this move bring us closer to that vision?

• What example was I setting for them about taking risks and following what truly matters in life?

These questions were tough. There were moments when I doubted my own ability to answer them honestly, moments when I felt paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong choice. But slowly, through this process of reflection, something started to shift. I realized that my desire to move wasn’t just about the beautiful geography or even being near family. It was about giving our family a chance to build a life that aligned more closely with our values. It was about showing my kids that sometimes, you have to be brave enough to choose the path less traveled.

I also had to confront my own fears. One of the hardest things for me was the fear of failure—not just for myself, but for my children. As a parent, I wanted to protect them from every discomfort, every struggle. But I also knew that if I didn’t take this risk, I would be teaching them to play small, to settle for less than what they were capable of. I didn’t want them to grow up thinking that comfort should always trump growth.

So we took the leap. We packed up our lives, said goodbye to our friends, and drove across the country with a mix of excitement and trepidation. Those first few months in the new place were tough. We faced the inevitable challenges of moving—boxes everywhere, kids adjusting to new schools, and a job search that felt like sending out messages in bottles, hoping one would eventually wash up on shore with a response. There were moments when I wondered if we had made a terrible mistake.

But then, slowly but surely, things started to fall into place. Our kids, who I had worried about the most, showed resilience that amazed me. They made friends, found their way in their new schools, and even began to thrive in ways I hadn’t expected. Our weekends became filled with family hikes in the hills, hours by the lake, and spontaneous adventures that the old city life had never seemed to allow. We were closer to extended family, which meant my kids got to grow up with aunts and uncles, grandparents, and the kind of community support that I had only dreamed of before.

Professionally, the move was a challenge at first. Starting from scratch in a new job market wasn’t easy, and I had moments when I questioned my own abilities. But in the end, it forced me to tap into my creativity and resilience. I found work that wasn’t just a job, but a calling that aligned more deeply with my personal values. It wasn’t about climbing a career ladder anymore—it was about making an impact in ways that felt meaningful to me.

Now, looking back after ten years, I see that this move was one of the best decisions we ever made. It’s not that everything magically fell into place overnight, or that we didn’t have to work hard to build this life. It’s that the decision to move, to take that leap into the unknown, opened up a whole new chapter for us—one that was richer, more connected, and more aligned with the life we wanted to live. It wasn’t just about finding a better place to live; it was about creating a life that felt truly our own.

In the end, this experience taught me a lot about decision-making itself. It showed me that the most important choices aren’t about predicting the perfect outcome—they’re about aligning your decisions with your values, trusting yourself, and being willing to embrace both the challenges and the rewards that come with change. 

And this brings me to the power of coaching. Whether you’re considering a move like I did, making a career change, or just feeling stuck in a life that doesn’t quite fit, coaching can be a game-changer. Coaching is about having a partner in your corner, someone who can help you see the bigger picture, ask the right questions, and give you the tools to make decisions from a place of clarity and conviction. At Star Power Coaching, we believe that you don’t have to navigate these big life moments alone. 

If you’re standing at your own crossroads, wondering whether to take a leap into the unknown, let’s talk. Together, we can help you explore your values, understand your goals, and move forward with confidence. Coaching isn’t just about getting you to the other side of a decision—it’s about helping you create a life that feels truly aligned with who you are and what you want. Let Star Power Coaching guide you through this journey. Your next great chapter might be just one courageous decision away.