The Benefits of Starting Over!

Yesterday was Canada Day, the day we celebrate my adopted country. The country that took me and my family in when we had nothing and knew nobody. I’ve been grateful for Canada since the day I got here, because it was the country that let my family start fresh.

When I was 13, my dad made the decision to leave home for Canada specifically to ensure that his children (and future grandchildren, and great-grandchildren!) would have the opportunities and freedoms we wouldn’t have otherwise had. This might seem like a no-brainer, but you have to remember that my parents were giving up everything they had. And I’m not talking about material things; yes, they gave up their savings - everything they had worked for over the course of 20 odd years, but what was scarier was that they had to give up their community, their livelihoods, everything that provides people with that sense of security and stability. That’s not an easy decision to make when you’re 40 years old and you’ve got two kids! 

For me personally, starting fresh was devastatingly scary. I had a great group of friends and community back home. And things weren’t roses and wine once we got here. For my sister and I, we had to deal with the standard “new kid” issues at school. We did not fit in. Our accents were “weird”; our clothes were not “fashionable”, and our lunches didn’t look like everyone else’s. It took some time to adjust, and that time was not great for either of us, but ultimately we came out the other end way better for it! If my dad hadn’t made that decision way back when, I doubt very much that I’d be in the position I’m in now!

But while I was worrying about how to fit into Grade 7, my dad was dealing with a whole other ball of wax that I wasn’t aware of. He needed to find work - a new career. And he needed it fast. We came over with zero dollars, so my dad had to find a way to start rebuilding for us. I cannot imagine the stress and pressure he must have been under. Heck, I just moved a few blocks and it was a nightmare! AND I still had my job, my daughter was still in the same school, I still had all my amazing friends and family close by. What courage that must have taken (courage and chutzpah!), to start over!

And the amazing thing is, my family’s story is not the only one. Canada is still helping people start over. One of my employees and dear friends was telling me about a new family in her neighbourhood. They recently immigrated from Turkey, but they had only been there for 8 years. Prior to that, they had lived in Syria. They had to make the same decision my father did, and they had to do it twice! When they left Syria, Turkey was one of the only options, but at the time, it was a good one. They left their extended family behind, but they knew this was the best move for them and their son. In Turkey, they faced the same issues of fitting in and finding work that my father did, but it eventually happened! 

But after 8 years, things had changed in their city and they no longer felt safe in their adopted home. And now they had two kids! So, they made the decision to leave it all behind and start over again. And this time in a country where they didn’t know the language. 

Now they’ve been here over a year and my friend was speaking with their mom the other day, and she said they are so happy they took the chance and came to Canada. It hasn’t been easy, but they both know it will be better for them and their kids in the long run! They’re finding community, their kids are making friends! They’re starting over, which is scary, but also exciting! 

So if you ever have the opportunity to do something new, to “start over” in a way, and you get scared, or you think maybe you shouldn’t do it, that’s okay! Leaving your comfort zone can be scary, terrifying even! But if you take a second to look inside, and you know that doing this (whatever that might be) is going to ultimately be better for you than not doing this, then you should take that leap of faith! You should do the scary thing, start fresh, reimagine yourself! Who knows what amazing things could be waiting for you on the other side?!