I quit my tech job in Seattle because I was miserable — here's how I moved to Los Angeles and started over as a freelancer and content creator

Four years ago, I was a financial specialist at a tech company in Seattle, working in a cubicle for 8 to 10 hours a day. I made a decision to change my life.

I would love to live in Los Angeles. I decided to leave my life in Seattle to move there.

I've made a life for myself in LA, but it wasn't easy. I was not one of the people who moved to LA with less than $200 in their bank account. I had to pay off school debt and save money for my move.

Every paycheck, I set aside money for rent, car payment, phone bill, gas, and groceries. The rest went into savings. I wanted to have enough money in my bank account to be comfortable until I could find a new job. I didn't have the ability to spend money on things I didn't need. I'm a spender so it was difficult.

Knowing I was about to change my life helped. I knew that I was doing this solely because I wanted to. It was great.

I didn't like the path I was on

I wanted to go to college, get a degree in the tech field, and sell my soul to the corporate world when I was younger. I went to college during my sophomore year because my cousin was a software engineer and I wanted to follow in his footsteps.

I didn't have a passion for anything and I wasn't confident as a child. It was easy for me to be influenced by everyone around me because I didn't want to do anything specific with my life.

I had things I wanted to do. I've always wanted to be a writer, but I was raised in a world that didn't feel right.

The change was difficult for the people around me, but I was determined

I moved to LA to be closer to my mom, my baby sisters, my cousin, and my friends. It was scary to think that I would have to make new friends.

My cousin looked at me like I was crazy when I told her that I was moving. I would be so far away that she didn't like it.

I told her that I wanted to do something different with my life. I decided to go to LA. I felt so sure about something that it felt weird.

Some people in my life tried to stop me from going

My boss tried to stop me from leaving, promising me a six-figure salary if I stayed and kept my financial specialist position, and my friends also tried to stop me, telling me it would be difficult to survive in LA. My ex tried to convince me to take him with me, even though he wanted me to stay.

People get jealous when they hear that you're chasing your dreams. They're unhappy with their lives and the idea of someone else thriving rubs them the wrong way.

When I saved enough, I found an apartment on Craigslist

After paying for a hotel, I moved to LA and secured an apartment. I traveled from Seattle to Los Angeles. I woke up happy at 4 a.m. I had been doing what I was supposed to be doing for a long time, and that moment had set me up to be where I was.

I lucked out when I used the internet to look for an apartment. I found a place that was 25 minutes from the beach and I liked it very much.

When I first started working for a tech startup, I made $2,000 a month and my rent was $1,200, but I didn't have a car. The hours were hard, but my pay was enough to cover rent, food, and my coffee addiction. I didn't feel like I was in Seattle. I quit my job as a waitress at a restaurant in Venice after a few months and found a new one.

I was still lost in my career, but I was living a life that I was happy with. I met a lot of celebrities. I went to the beach every single day and ate amazing food after meeting my now-boyfriend.

I discovered my passion for writing about self-improvement and relationships after writing on Medium. The first few months I made a small amount of money, but eventually I made a lot of money. I reached out to brands, did a lot of work for free, and eventually began getting paid for my work. I stopped working as a waitress when I made enough money from writing.

I'm working on a book about dating and relationships and growing my lifestyle website. I would like to publish more books.

My goal is to be financially free

I would like to be able to take care of myself and my family while doing what I love. I want to be an inspiration to other girls who feel lost in their careers because I know what it's like to live a life dictated by outside pressures.

I've never felt more excited about the direction my life is going in, and I can confidently say that I'm on the right path now. If you feel like you're destined for something other than what you have, then you should do it. It's okay to color outside of the lines.