February 22, 2005
WHY I MOVED FROM BOULDER TO INDIANAPOLIS
I had an interesting conversation last night with a friend who lives in my former hometown of Boulder (Colorado). Bryan and I worked together at both the Association for Experiential Education (AEE) and The Outdoor Network (TON), and we try to connect every few months or so to stay up-to-date with what's going on in one another's lives. Last night we realized that in less than 30 days, I'll have lived in Indianapolis for three years, which both of us acknowledged as being quite an unexpected development.
As recently has three-and-a-half years ago, if someone took me aside and told me that by the time March of 2005 rolled around that I'd be living in Indianapolis for going on three years, I would have said, "You're Nuts!" But here I am, nearly three years removed from Boulder, and I am living in Indy, and quite honestly--outside of winning the lottery--I couldn't be happier. Sure, there are days when I miss Boulder's charm, atmosphere, and the life-long friendships I developed there, but for the most part, home is what you choose to make of it, and Indianapolis suites me just fine.
If I'm honest about it, I sold The Outdoor Network and moved to Indiana because I sensed that if I didn't, I probably never would have taken the steps necessary to become a self-sustaining adult. Boulder was an oasis of sorts for me. I had many friends and associates there who were supportive of my business-related dreams and goals, but at the end of the day--at the end of most days--people were too generous with me, and I never truly learned to fend for myself. Whether it was living in a friend's basement rent-free when times were tough, or accepting friends loans in order to keep my company afloat after the dot.com bubble burst, I just wasn't cutting it on my own. Sure, my team and I did innovative things at The Outdoor Network--we launched the first website in the world to report outdoor education and adventure travel industry news on a daily basis; we created the most popular online job and resume site in the world for outdoor education and adventure travel industry professionals (and successfully licensed the proprietary technology running its search engine to non-competing organization); and we created and launched the first-ever legal periodical to cover the outdoor ed and adventure travel space (called The Outdoor Education and Recreation Law Quarterly)--but personally, while I was thrilled to be developing innovative products and services for an industry I loved, I wasn't being personally responsible.
Day in and day out, I hid behind my company's successes, refusing to grow up and take responsibility for so many things that were wrong in my life. From my personal finances and relationships with others, to my health and the distance I was putting between myself and my family, if I didn't sell my company and move from Boulder's "it's okay Mikal, we'll support you" environment, I would have eventually alienated everyone I knew, including myself.
Moving to Indianapolis forced me to take responsibility for myself, and as much as I want to kick and scream some days, it's a move I haven't regretted. Sure, I still have a long way to go in terms of being that self-sustaining adult that I wasnít while living in Boulder, but three years later I am a bit closer, and that's a good thing!
Posted by Mikal at February 22, 2005 6:01 AM
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Sometimes we all need life to give us a good, swift kick in the butt. Mine has. And, I'm glad yours did. From what I hear, you seem to be doing pretty good, my friend. It's all about the growing and the learning and living a kick-ass life! Created by taking charge of your life and not always needing to depend on others to get you through (I know what that's like); although, no man is an island, we all need help at one point or another in life and it's nice to know there are people out there who are willing to support us. Be proud of your accomplishments--all of them--I know you have a lot more inside yourself to offer this world.
It takes guts, and a good deal of "grown up responsibility" to step outside your comfort zone when things get a bit to comfy...
I think you are and WE'RE a lot closer than you may have given yourself credit for. And certainly closer than most people ever get.
Congrats on that.
Indy's better off for your move, as well as Indy's Blogging community! :)
No, no, no. If you're from Boulder, Jesusland = Colorado Springs ;-) I lived in Colorado for 21 years before moving to Indy five years ago (Alamosa, Blanca, Commerce City, Steamboat, Colorado Springs, Penrose, and Ft Collins last of all.)
I can relate to much of the article. I think moving 1000 miles away from any support system forces us all to grow up pretty quick.
