I’m on a spontaneous trip to Seattle, and just realized it’s been 10 years since my first time here.
In 2015, I had my on-site interview with Amazon in Seattle. After the interview, I got a sandwich and sat on the exact stool in the photo below, looking out at the water and mountains, thinking: If I get this offer, I’m moving here.
I was living in LA. When I told people I was considering Seattle, almost everyone had something to say.
The weather is terrible. You’ll be miserable. Did you see that New York Times article about Amazon’s culture? People cry at their desks there.
I got the offer. I moved to Seattle anyway.
Yes, there were overcast days. But when it’s sunny? It’s the most beautiful city with amazing hiking trails.
There were stressful days at Amazon, but I had supportive managers across five different teams over seven years. I learned a lot from working with talented people and met friends I still talk to today.
Everyone said I’d move back to sunny LA within a year. I stayed for four.
I built my career here. I started my first blog here. When I eventually moved away, it wasn’t because I regretted coming — it was because I’d gotten everything I came for.
Here’s what I learned — not just about cities, but also about life choices:
There is never a perfect company, role, or city. Every choice has trade-offs.
I didn’t hike much before Seattle. After moving, I went every other weekend. I took advantage of what the city offered instead of mourning what it didn’t have. I didn’t know what to do in the cold winter, so I took salsa dance classes. Now, I’m a decent salsa dancer, and I can go salsa dancing and meet new friends whenever I’m in a new city.
You can focus on what you’re losing or extract value from what you’re gaining. You just need to understand what the opportunity offers and take advantage of it.
If you want to go on an adventure like moving to a new city or taking a new role -- don’t let other people’s filters become your reality. Everyone’s shaped by their own fears and preferences. That’s very different from yours.
I never regretted anything I tried.
Talk soon, Daliana
P.S. It’s a beautiful sunny day, and I’m writing to you at Storyville, my favorite coffee shop by Pike Place Market.
What is something you did when people told you not to? Reply and I’ll read it!
