Sounds good do it. YoloI am divorced, and as of April 1, my daughter will get her own apartment, leaving me with an empty nest for the first time in my adult life.
My ex-wife walked away without any interest in our home. That was her decision, but I now own a home with a lot of equity and I've been thinking it's my retirement nest egg.
But recently, I made a new friend and she is going to China to be an ESL teacher, and she inspired me that maybe I need to make a drastic change as well.
I'm thinking of selling my home, traveling through Europe for a few months, then relocating to New York City.
In New York, I can get a job as an immigration lawyer and then pursue a new career as a writer.
The main reason I want to make a break is because of my ex-wife, who is still in my life despite the fact that she lives with her boyfriend.
My home is still filled with reminders of her, she decorated it, there are pictures everywhere, and she comes in my home any time she feels like it. We are friends, and we still do things together like watch TV and go to movies and bowling and restaurants. She still participates in family events like Thanksgiving and Christmas. She even decorates the house for Christmas and picks out the tree.
I feel like she is holding me back because she has her own separate life with her boyfriend but I do not have separate life without her. If I had a new relationship with a woman, it would be very awkward because my ex-wife would just walk in my home like she still owns the place and then I would have to explain that.
Also, because my ex-wife and I had children very early in our lives, there is lots I've never done, including going to Europe. For the first time in my life I have nothing holding me back and I want to take a long trip to Europe.
I am pretty sure I would get raped on capital gains taxes if I sold my home and did not buy another, but I'm willing to pay the tax so I can get a new beginning in my life, away from my ex-wife.
This would be a big break for me because I would leave behind everyone I know, but I am convinced I can make new friends in New York because I would join writers groups and participate in writers conferences and New York is the center of the world for writing.
I'm not really asking for anyone's permission, I just felt like sharing this.