Episode 23: Leaving Hawai'i & Coming To Utah

When I left Maui at 17 years old, I thought I was simply moving away for college.

What I didn’t realize was how much leaving Hawaiʻi would challenge me, shape me, and ultimately help me become the woman I am today.

In this episode, I share my experience of moving from Maui to Utah—the culture shock, friendship struggles, loneliness, identity shifts, and lessons that came with building a life away from home.

But this isn’t a story about hardship.

It’s a story about growth.

It’s about learning how to stand firmly in your values, finding your place in unfamiliar spaces, carrying your culture with you wherever you go, and discovering strengths you never knew you had.

I talk about:

• Culture shock and feeling different

• Missing home and the little things you don’t expect

• Friendship and belonging

• Learning how to be alone

• Finding my values and standing on them

• How moving shaped me as a therapist and family member

• Living aloha away from Hawaiʻi

• Why Hawaiʻi will always be part of who I am

This episode is deeply personal, and I hope it resonates with anyone who has ever left home, felt caught between two worlds, or wondered where they truly belong.

Mahalo for listening. 🌺