Yes, after moving a few times during my early childhood, my family settled down in an amazing place that offered something for everyone - and I couldn’t wait to get out. There was nothing wrong, but I could never shake the strong sense that I belonged somewhere else. Nobody else in my family ever felt this way.

As soon as I was able to leave on my own, I began traveling to and living in other places in North America. Many of those places were great experiences, but none resonated. I eventually forgot about my need to find the right place, raised a family, and just went on small vacations.

When my children grew up and left, my husband’s job took us to other parts of the United States. I rolled with it until his job moved us in 2020 to a place I didn’t know existed. I was in my 50’s, and it was the first time I ever felt completely at home, where I had belonged my entire life, and I was thoroughly at peace. It was unexpected.

This sensation reminded me of that yearning feeling I’d had since I was a small child; the search I had forgotten. I hadn’t been imagining it!

My entire family still lives in the same area where I grew up. They’re happy and they don’t understand why I couldn’t stay there. Maybe some people are more attuned to regions? I can’t explain it, but I understand your feelings. Trust yourself. I think someday you’ll stumble on the place where you belong.

A few things to consider if relocating from east to west:

The seemingly endless open space in the west can have a physical effect. I’ve known east-to-west transplants who were unnerved by what they perceived as a sense of desolation. They felt more at home with dense cities, skyscrapers, a faster pace, urban noise, and an absence of distant horizons.

The west has a lot of dry and brown land. Unlike the wetter east, most people need to use sprinklers or irrigation. Water is a concern in the west.

Generally speaking, east communication is more abrupt and unmistakable. West speak can have layers of innuendo that can feel treacherous to people who are accustomed to blunt language.