“I’m from a town with one traffic light. It’s mostly antique...

“I’m from a town with one traffic light.  It’s mostly antique shops.  There aren’t really any bars and all the restaurants close by eight.  So there’s not much opportunity socially or professionally.  I thought I’d have a house by now.  And a wife.  And kids.  But I’m still living in my parent’s basement.  Mostly it’s to save money and pay off loans, but it’s also comfortable.  My family is Italian.  We eat dinner together every Sunday.  My sisters bring their families over, and I get to see my nieces and nephews.  Everyone I love is there.  It’s really important to me.  A couple years back I had an opportunity to work in Chicago, but I turned it down.  I told them my family needs me, which is the perfect excuse. Because who’s going to question it?  But I don’t think it was the real reason.  I think I’m leaning on my family to avoid taking risks.  Every night when I come home, my dinner is waiting for me.  I don’t have to struggle.  I don’t have to progress and grow and get past problems.  I’m beginning to feel stagnant.  So I already told my boss: once an opportunity comes to move to the west coast, I’m taking it.”