The Best Decision I Ever Made

When you think about it, life is full of decisions. What should you study? Who should you make friends with? Should you start a business or buy a house? Where should you live?

As overwhelming as decisions can be, it’s still fun to think about what could have been. Looking back, I’ve made quite a few big decisions without really even realizing it. Like when I decided to volunteer at a refugee camp… More on that below.

But what was the best decision I ever made then? That’s a tough one, but I do know the answer.

A little background story

Anyone who knows me at all knows that I absolutely love English and London has been my favorite city ever since I was 15 years old (although it’s very hard to choose between London and New York).

I grew up in Finland, but never felt at home there, and to be honest, I don’t even know almost anyone there. In other words, I always had this need to move somewhere else.

Of course, I had other plans and dreams too; I wanted to become a film director or a screenwriter, start a Youtube channel, become much more confident, travel the world, and so on.

I thought about going to university in England, but decided not to, mainly because of money. And this was possibly the biggest mistake I ever made.

Taking the first step to a new life

I had the option to get a degree in Finland for free, so that’s what I did. I got a Master’s degree in sociology and while I’m glad I didn’t end up with a huge student loan, I can’t say that my years at university were very meaningful to me.

One thing did happen though. In the fall of 2015, as a lot of refugees came to Europe, the principal sent an email to the whole university. It was about a volunteer opportunity helping refugees learn Finnish. I had been thinking about starting to do volunteer work, so I took that as a sign and joined immediately.

The language workshop was very casual, every Finnish speaker would simply help a small group of refugees learn basic Finnish and you could freely choose your own teaching methods.

Most people were from Iraq, but I ended up with a small group of people from Afghanistan. I got along very well with them, especially with one of them. To make a long story very short, we started dating and basically felt like soulmates.

Eventually he had to move to Germany and I was faced with the decision to either move there too or stay in Finland.

The best decision I ever made

At this point I was still a student, I didn’t have much money and I knew maybe one word in German. But of course, to the 23-year-old adventurous me, it was a very easy decision to make.

I had just gotten a summer job, but decided to cut it short, pack my bags and travel to Germany without even booking accommodation in advance. What followed, was a summer of gallivanting around Berlin, and a few dramatic turns of events later, finding a permanent place there.

Looking back, it was the best decision I ever made.

While Germany had never been my dream destination, Berlin will forever remain in my heart as the city of thousands of different stories, surprises, and golden memories. It was Berlin that showed me that a place that you know literally nothing about can become your home.

And even though Germany never felt like the right country for me, I loved living in a new country. I felt alive.

And because of the decision to move abroad, I no longer felt tied to any certain place. I know how wonderful moving to a new country can be and I can’t wait to experience new places and cultures in the future.

Related post: Why You Can’t Wait Till You’re Not Scared Anymore

Final thoughts

I can honestly say that not a day goes by without me thinking about Germany and feeling genuine happiness over my memories in some of my favorite cities in the world.

Before writing this post, I had to think for quite a while before deciding what was the best decision I have ever made. Starting my blog, deciding to level up, quitting my 9 to 5, and solo traveling to some of my dream destinations have all been decisions that have shaped my life for the better.

But it was moving to Germany that taught me that I can take the leap and jump into the unknown. And who knows, maybe if I never moved to Germany, I wouldn’t have started my blog.

The moral of the story is that you should follow your heart and do what you know that is right for you, even when you don’t know what’s going to happen next or how you’re going to figure it all out.

It’s all about taking one step at a time.

What is the best decision you have made?

If you need some encouragement to make big decisions, read about how to unlock your potential next!