Today marks seven years since I left Switzerland and moved to New York.

Each year since has held its own challenges, growth, doubts, breakthroughs, and quiet wins.

So this week, I’ll share one moment or reflection per day: one for each year.

Each post will answer a question I received from you.

Not everything was easy. Some years were heavy. Others cracked something open in me.

But each one shaped me.

Let’s begin with year one.

May 2018:

I remember being very decisive. I had zero doubt. I was so excited to start a life I had fully chosen for myself.

The first months were a mix of fun and a deep need to rest after a year of working three jobs to save enough money to get my visa and be able to live in New York City.

And guess what? I spent pretty much all that money that summer.

But I also remember a feeling of, "And now what?"

What often happens is that when you set a goal that’s outside of yourself, rather than something grounded in who you are, it can feel a bit off once you arrive. That’s what I experienced, even though I knew NYC wouldn’t be the final destination.

Still, the desire to leave my home country and give myself the chance to make a dream come true? It was worth it.

I didn’t have much money. I felt the culture clash. The speed of the city was overwhelming. But I was building a new life.

Question, from Alex Lorenz:What was the biggest culture shock you experienced after leaving Switzerland?

I think the biggest culture shock was the lack of boundaries between work and personal life. As I was starting over in NYC, I promised myself to be more open. I knew I couldn’t be picky or expect to stay on the same level I was at in Switzerland. I was 34, renting my own apartment, had a comfortable salary, two and a half days off per week, five weeks of paid vacation, my friends, my family, my cat, my habits. A lot of comfortable habits. And the power to say ‘no’ when something didn’t feel right, or to reinforce my boundaries.

The culture of the hustle, of not having space to simply be: sick, tired, in need of vacation, or wanting boundaries, was shocking.

The simplest introduction to a stranger begins with: “What do you do?” Like what you do defines your identity. I remember answering that question by saying, very honestly, “I’m a student,” which I was, but I didn’t share the full story on purpose, just to see their reaction.

Through the people I meet, my friends and clients, I try to plant some seeds for change. For a shift, one that comes from a place where boundaries between personal life and work exist intentionally.

Adding some il dolce far niente (“the sweetness of doing nothing”) from my Italian heritage, I want to empower the shift that’s already happening: being authentic, owning our perfect imperfections, asking for what we want unapologetically, putting ourselves at the center of our lives, building healthy boundaries, choosing and investing in our communities, connecting with the divine, and resting as long as we need.See you tomorrow for day two.

With Gratitude,

Nina