Greeting From Paradise! Finally Moved to Hawaii!

[chilove]

Hello all,

I am so excited! I hate to rub it in but wow, I am so in love with Hawaii! I live on the big island and just love it. I've been here a little over a week.

The fruits and produce are incredible!!! I knew that they would be really good, but I am simply amazed at how much more intense and delicious their flavors and colors are. I just keep pinching myself! The other day I had a tomato that brought tears of joy to my eyes!! :-) And I didn't really like tomatoes all that much, but I do now! It was an heirloom variety, vine ripened and perfect. It was the most amazing super deep blood red color, almost like a beet and its flavor was a delicious blend of sweet and savory and so delicious! I can't even begin to list all the amazing types of fruits that are available here. So far I've feasted on super delicious papaya (I never liked them on the mainland), delicious little bananas, rambutans, durian, chocolate sapote, coconut, egg fruit, and quite a few that I didn't recognize but that were delicious! One was round and I swear it tasted like brown sugar! And they are so super cheap here. In Seattle I spent about about $100 a week to get good produce and here I figure I can EASILY eat on about $2 per day and that doesn't include the fruit that grows in everyone's yards and that can be picked for free along roads! I swear I'm in heaven!

Why the heck didn't I do this sooner? :-) I know! Being raw is what allowed me to grow to the point to where I am no longer able to put off my dreams and has allowed me to let go of so many of my fears. I borrowed money (lots) on my credit cards and took the leap. I had complete faith that all would be well and that I was absolutely making the right decision. Since I've arrived everything has progressed so smoothly!!! In a week so far I have: a great month to month rental that I can afford that is super cute and exactly in the area that I wanted to be in near one my dear long term friends, a job, and just got a great deal on a little used car today.

Dearest lovely raw friends, please don't be afraid to pursue your dreams! If you believe in yourself, you will accomplish them. By this summer I hope to purchase a home and open a raw bed and breakfast!!! Raw has given me the faith and energy and enthusiasm to accomplish things I could NEVER imagine before. Life is truly so beautiful!!!

I have seen SO many raw foodists go through similar growth and transformation! Raw lets you become the person you were always meant to be. When you are feeling discouraged, struggling with cravings, or dealing with the negative responses of friends and family to raw please remember that it is ALL worth it! I promise!

Never forget-we can make of life of what we want of it. There are always choices and personal freedom. There is no such thing as not being able to do ANYTHING! There is no being "trapped" in ANY situation. We are free to choose and act on our choices. As long as they are in line with our and others higher good and well being, we will be lovingly supported. The cage door is ALWAYS OPEN, we just can't always see it. :-)

More updates will follow soon!

Many blessings from the magical big island of Hawaii!

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[Rawkinlocs]

WOW!!! Audrey you live in Hawaii now?! I had no idea! Congratulations to you! I KNOW you are totally lovin' it there with the abundance of fruit and raw food period that you now have access to!

:D

[blaqberry]

This is so wonderful... Thanks for the lovely update!

You have no idea how timely your post is :)

[Sleek98]

Oh my goodness! That sounds amazing. I can't wait to hear more, and I'm so happy for you! The fruit sounds sooo good.

[rawnpawgirl]

Audrey. thanks so much for your post.

I talked to you on the phone a very long time ago. You inspired me then and you inspire me now.

Thanks for your words. They dug DEEP.

[NYbutterfly]

Wow... my boyfriends father lives on Maui, and before moving to new england we spent 6 weeks out there. I've never in my life felt more at peace with myself and truly happy. Immediately I felt a sense of belonging, and I just knew that I would live there some day. To this day I ALWAYS think of living there, but the "real world" holds us back... how will we make money, what will we do for work, what would our friends and family think with us living so far away? You are truly an inspiration. I know in my heart that Hawaii is where I want to be... now I believe that I will choose to make that happen!
Thanks... and best of luck to you! Enjoy all that fruit and keep us posted, please!

[chilove]

Awww, your responses bring tears to my eyes! You guys are so great! :-)

NYButterfly-Please check out the Big Island. It is MUCH more affordable. And I think greener and lusher (on the east side) and all the great fruit and produce is here! :-) Jobs are an issue. Best to be self employed or research what skills are in demand here. If you live in a touristy area, employment in the tourism industry is easy to get but of course it will be much more expensive to live in those areas. It can be done. As far as life dreams go, it's a pretty darn easy one to achieve. :-)

Please don't ever hold yourself back from doing anything. The cage door is ALWAYS open!!! We just can't always see it! :-)

Blessings,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[maui_butterfly]

ho'omaika'i (congratulations) and e komo mai (welcome) to you island sistah!

when i first moved to maui, i found a great job, a perfect place to live, and a bitchin' little car... all in three days... everything just flowed for me. my neighbor at the time told me "some people come here, and they struggle and struggle, and can't make it work. everything goes wrong for them. that's the island spitting them back out! they last maybe one year, two at the most. but if you come here and everything just clicks into place, that's the island accepting you. it means you'll be here for a long time."

i am excited for you, and happy to hear that, as expected, your leap of faith was met with a down-pillow soft landing on the other side. ain't that just the way of it?

e pili mau na pomaika'i ia 'oe (blessings be with you) audrey!

hawaii no ka oi!

[chilove]

HI Jennifer,

I've heard the same thing! I think that it is definitely true! I have been feeling a calling to move here for a long time.

I plan to visit all the other islands as soon as possible. I would love to meet you someday!

Blessings!

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[Eva]

Wowee!!! That is so great! This is what I need right now. I keep staying where I am (although I am in a beautiful place) when I know I need something more. Why do we ALL not just... have a dream, listen and feel that dream, then follow to make it reality??

I'm so very happy for you!

[rawnpawgirl]

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of job did you get? Are you doing your raw coaching business FT or PT? How is that working for you?

Again, all blessings to you!!

[Linda1970]

Audrey,

I feel your passion, happiness and excitement. I feel so excited for you! All those fruits you described are the reasons why I've been thinking about visiting Hawaii.

[solongng00dnite]

This is such a great story. Cheers to you for going for it! Best of luck to you.

[Ginger]

Well I will be seeing you there soon! :D I have been feeling a calling to move there for a long time. Our house is up for sale right now and when it sells.. I'M THERE! :D I get tears when I think about it because I miss it so much.. and i've never even been there yet!

[SandraDee]

Wow... what an incredible thing!!!! My hubby and I talked about going to Hawaii for our honeymoon... then talked ourselves out of it... and kinda have it in the back of our minds that we will visit "one day"... perhaps like a 25 anniversary lol!! But to actually live there and just spend your time in paradise 24/7... congratulations to you!!!!!! You need to post some pics!!!

Sandra

[cara4art]

Awesome! My husband and visited the Big Island in early 2006 for three weeks, staying in the Puna district right near Kehena Beach, and I agree with you - the produce is AMAZING! We hit the Hilo Farmers' Market twice a week, and at the end we found out about the one right outside of Pahoa. We also shopped at the small one that's across from a shopping area in Keauu. In three weeks we really noticed the difference in our health from all this fresh food. We were even looking into moving there from New Mexico, before our current situation in San Francisco happened, which has worked out very well for us and we are able to get excellent produce here. It was very difficult and expensive in NM to get decent produce as it had to be trucked in 1500 miles at least and wasn't as fresh as the stuff we get here. Since we are in SF, it will be easier for us to get out to visit the Big Island, which is the favorite of the three islands we have visited - Maui, and Moloka'i(where my really amazing acupuncture/ashtanga yoga friend lives!) Each island has its own feel for sure, definitely visit them all since you're there! I know how wonderful it is when a move just flows like a blessing from the Universe too - our move back to San Francisco from New Mexico was like that - it continues to be amazing!

[lanettasmouse]

congratulations! that is amazing. it has always been my dream to live in hawaii, and that feeling has only gotten stronger and stronger since going raw. (i've never even visited though, weird). i must admit that i am a little jealous of you :p , but i am very happy for you. i hope to one day live there, but right now we're looking into building a house on the property my husbands parents own (89 acres) so maybe i can start my own little paradise of fresh fruits an veggies! what a dream!:D :D

[Vivafree2]

Congratulations - how to start to prepare move there - any good contacts good sites - i need two more years in Canada and i will be on my way.
:)
Love Hawaii - for me it was always perfect place for a paradise!

[faith4u]

I am sooooo jealous!! I want to live in a warmer climate so badly!

Congratulations to you for taking the steps needed to change your life.

I wish you the best!

[chilove]

Hello all,

I'm sorry, I was reading quickly and don't remember who asked what.

To the lady who spent 3 weeks in Puna, I am in Pahoa! :-) Isn't it lovely.

To the lady who asked about my coaching. It is going well, but not supporting me yet. I am still in college (I returned to college as an older student. I'm in my thirties. I'm finishing up remotely and will graduate in three months) so I haven't had time to properly devote to it, but I am confident that very soon I will bring about massive abundance through helping people be raw and changing their lives! :-) Until then I'm working in a field that I'm also interested in: renewable energy. I work for a solar company.

Blessings!

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[queenfluff]

when i first moved to maui, i found a great job, a perfect place to live, and a bitchin' little car... all in three days... everything just flowed for me. my neighbor at the time told me "some people come here, and they struggle and struggle, and can't make it work. everything goes wrong for them. that's the island spitting them back out! they last maybe one year, two at the most. but if you come here and everything just clicks into place, that's the island accepting you. it means you'll be here for a long time."



Thanks for that little story! I wonder is this really is true for everywhere you go?

Right now, my bf and I just moved to Cali and so far it is not going well - no luck finding jobs, many things going wrong (we did find a nice apt though but can barely pay for it right now!). How does one know when a place is "spitting you back out"? How long to give it until you should try some place else? Hmmm?


Audrey,

that is great to hear about the solar energy place. I worked for an energy company for 4 years (in IT though) so maybe it wouldn't be too hard for me to get a job out there someday! :)

[Cinnamon]

What exciting news and I love your story! I remember a while ago when you mentioned wanting to make this move and I am so happy for you to be able to pursue this dream.

I hope to visit Hawaii this summer (I am torn between the Bahamas, Mexico, or Hawaii for my 50th birthday in August!) so perhaps I am being influenced by the lovely thoughts in this thread.

Have a wonderful time and wonderful good luck to you in all that you are doing!

Laura in Poulsbo, WA

[lori ann]

Hello there!

I am so happy for you and your excitment and passion is awsome. I am sitting in Ohio right now in our second snow storm of the week. To have all that fresh produce around would be such a dream :) Good luck to you~

[hawaiigal]

Welcome to the Big Island!:D

I moved to Kona from Australia 4 years ago. Before we arrived we connected with a Kona based group www.konaweb.com who really helped to make the transition easier. There were some great people on their forums back then.

It really is a wonderful place to live - very healthy lifestyle. We have papaya and avocado thriving in our yard - everything grows so well!

It would be great if we can meet sometime? I am travelling to Puna tomorrow for one of my daughters soccer matchs and usually get to Hilo at least once a month.

[lambe]

thank you so much for this post. i clicked on it because i lived in kona for 6 weeks in spring 2006 & wanted to see if there was anything i could add to yr endeavors. rather, i think you've added to mine -- hawaii aside. i really appreciate this post so much, it doesn't really makes sense just saying it. can i email you?

[chilove]

Hi all,

I haven't been to Kona yet, but I heard that beaches are great! I will visit soon as soon as I get more settled and finish school.

I've seen several jobs for people to do solar sales. That is what I will be doing . I like promoting something that is good for the planet and saves people money on their electric bill! You can't beat that!!! I bet that IT people would definitely be in demand here. Check on craigslist and check the HI newspapers.

Thanks for all the support! You guys are great!

I just got in from sunbathing, it was lovely. I don't know how or why I stayed in Seattle for 11 years! :-)

Lambe of course you can email me. audrey@rawhealing.com

Blessings,

Audrey
www.rawhealing.com

[c'estlaviebelle]

Hi Audrey! That's wonderful and I'm so excited for you! :) I love your post and you are right- following your dreams is a must. It sounds like Hawaii is the right place for you and the island has accepted you upon it! You've found your true home! :)

Your words really hit home with me right now, as I'm contemplating leaving a boring and tedious corporate job in a field I hate (but unfortunately my education is in), to find something related to eco-tourism/raw foods/ organics. I would have to take a huge pay cut, but really its not about money and there is always a way. I forget that sometimes and it is so easy to get wrapped up in the stuff that doesn't matter... the fear that holds us back begins to disappear with raw though- that is for sure! I think raw helps us get not only to our true bodies, but to our true selves.

You are an inspiration and you are inspiring me to follow my dreams as well! Congrats on your big move!! I wish you all the blessings in the world!

[Barbie2]

I'm surprised to say this, but I do believe that if you visualize something long enough it can come true. I always wated to live on a farm, raise my own veggies, berries and fruit trees. Plus have a job that I like.

My husband and I moved to Tennessee Feb 2007, almost as soon as we moved here we found a house on a hill, with 7 acreas of land. We both found jobs quickly, and my sons also moved out here from Oregon.

I worked days for 6 months, got talked into going nights and have put in my transfer to days, recently (nights are running me down physically.) Guess what, after this next week of nights,(6 more nights) I will be going back to dayshift! I'm sooo happy.

I visualized myself back on days. I hated nightshift, even though I have worked as a night nurse for more years than I have as a day nurse. I can barely wait to become "normal" again. Raw will be so much easier for me. No more eating to stay awake, which leads to snacking on vender junk.

I'm so happy your dreams came true Audrey! Someday my husband and I plan to visit Hawaii for a vacation. I just have to visualize and it will happen. (Now, what kind of horse can I dream about so it can gallop gleefully in our newly fenced field?!?) ;)

Oh, by the way it's snowing here in Tennessee! Pretty!!

[Theogirl]

I'm so glad you are where your heart sings.

[cara4art]

Hi Audrey! Yes, Pahoa is cool, and wonderful places to just hang out in that area. We hope to be able to return for a visit!
For anyone else who is interested in getting the pulse of the Puna District, check out the message board at www.punaweb.org(Audrey, you might want to post there about your raw food coaching services as well!) Lots of topics get addressed there. I was following that board while we were seriously thinking of moving there.

[shashibala]

Congratulations!!! It sounds like a dream! May I ask what you are studying in college? I'm trying to figure out how to move forward and I'm curious about how others are making it work. Thanks!

[Maui Girl]

Aloha! Congratulations! It is wonderful to hear your plan. I look forward to you opening your bed and breakfast. I have to admit that I don't live in an area that I can go and pick fruit off trees. But I do support all of the local farmers. I have lived in Hawaii for nine years and love it. It did take some adjusting to the slower pace but I will never leave.

I have had friends move to the islands that made the mistake of not having a plan or any goal and ended up moving back to the mainland with their same problem. Some missed the fast pace of the city, their high paying jobs, their families, while others adapted and appreciated the change. It is true that if one lives here over three years, they will most likely stay. I think that it is important for anyone interested in moving to hawaii to visit first and do research on housing and employment.

Oh there is a raw food chef in Honolulu that prepares food for take out. She is doing great. She takes orders Monday and has the food ready Friday for pick up. It's good in a pinch. I love Alissa's recipes more.

Having a raw food meet and greet and see who is in your community. That would be a great way to get to make friends and grow your business.

I think you are off to a fantastic future!