She Moved From Maryland to Colorado
Amanda Loudin lived in Maryland before she decided to make a major move to Colorado. As someone who loves the outdoors, Loudin assumed that Colorado would be the ideal place to live.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
She is an avid runner who also enjoys hiking and paddleboarding. More specifically, she loves being around mountains. Uprooting her entire life seemed a bit extreme, but moving to Colorado just made sense to her.
She Called Her Move “Impulsive”
After two years in a new state, Loudin never felt comfortable in Boulder. She came to realize that her decision to move was impulsive, and she packed her bags yet again to return to Maryland.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
But what was it about Colorado that she didn’t like? On paper, the location seemed like a great place for a fresh start, but once she settled in, Loudin realized that Colorado was not the place she wanted to be.
The Pandemic Gave Her the Extra Push to Move
Like many people, Loudin was inspired to move during the COVID-19 pandemic. She worked remotely, so she had the freedom to move wherever she wanted.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
With the world at a standstill, Loudin felt motivated to try something new. She had always envisioned herself retiring in Colorado, but the pandemic certainly sped up her process. With her children in favor of the move, she began planning for their new life in Boulder.
She Had Trouble Making Connections in Colorado
Although Colorado’s residents typically are lovers of the great outdoors, Loudin had trouble making connections and forging friendships when she lived in Boulder.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
She tried her best to immerse herself in Colorado’s culture. She joined beer runs, book clubs, and even a pickleball league. Despite her best efforts to socialize, she never felt a true sense of community like she experienced in Maryland.
People in Colorado Were Content on Their Own
Loudin noted that she didn’t think the people in Colorado were “unfriendly,” she just thought they were different from what she was expecting.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
In Maryland, Loudin had tons of friends throughout various social circles, but in Boulder, she struggled to make friends. She found that people in Colorado were perfectly happy on their own instead of in groups. Instead of social connections, they seemed to crave more of a relationship with the mountains and Mother Nature.
There’s No Place Like Home
Amanda Loudin knew what she had to do. Moving back to Maryland was the only solution to her problem. Upon returning to Maryland, Loudin said she immediately felt like herself again. She reconnected with friends and settled back into her old routine.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
She described going back to Maryland as “warm, secure, and familiar.” Her spontaneous move to Colorado served as a lesson learned, and she extended some advice to people who were considering moving to a new area.
She Advised Spending Significant Time in a New Location Before Moving
One of Loudin’s biggest regrets was not spending enough time in Boulder before committing to such a drastic move. She had visited the area on several occasions on business, and she even spent an entire month in Colorado before making her decision.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
But she insists that even that wasn’t enough time to really get a sense of what living in Boulder full-time would be like. She said that her time there “still felt like a vacation,” and she never got a true feel for the area before moving there permanently.
Don't Move When You're at a Major Crossroads in Life
Amanda Loudin now acknowledges that things may have been different if her kids were younger and if she worked at a traditional office. The circumstances surrounding her move clouded her judgment, and she isn’t sure if she would have made the same choice otherwise.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Given that there was a global pandemic and two of her kids were in high school and college, she felt like there was no better time to try something new. Looking back, she sees that she didn’t fully think things through.
Don’t Sell Your House Until You Are Completely Confident
Loudin quickly sold her home after deciding to move to Colorado, and it’s one thing she wishes she could undo. She lived at the same address for 20 years and had a close bond with her neighbors.
Source: Matthew Horwood/Getty Images
Ultimately, she recommends keeping your home and renting it out for a while before selling it. When she returned to Maryland, she was tasked with hunting for a new house and going through the home buying process all over again.
Don’t Assume You Will Automatically Be Included in a New Town
Possibly Loudin’s biggest misconception was that people would realize she was new to Boulder and extend an olive branch to her. She expected to be invited to places and make new friends easily, but that didn’t happen.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
She realized that people were too busy with their own lives to worry about making her feel more comfortable in a new state. She feels like she did her best to make friends, but she didn’t see the same kind of effort on their end.
Maintain Connections With Your True Friends
When you’re trying to forge new friendships in a new place, always be sure to keep in contact with your friends back home. Amanda Loudin revealed that remaining close to her real friends was what kept her afloat during difficult moments in Boulder.
Source: Pinterest
When times get tough, you can always count on your friends to have your back. She described her friends as being a “lifeline” to her while she was living in Colorado, and their visits, phone calls, and texts helped her feel at ease.