Be Where Your Feet Are

Have you ever heard a phrase that stopped you in your tracks because it just made sense? For me, it was this one: Be where your feet are.

I am a very visual learner, and those words resonated deeply.

In 2004, I moved from Switzerland to the United States. Over time, I realized something strange. Switzerland no longer felt fully like home, but the U.S. didn’t either. No matter where I was, I often felt out of place.

It wasn’t about family. Being around my husband and kids was the one constant that always felt like home, no matter where we were. But outside of that, things were harder.

On trips back to Switzerland, my friends had moved forward with new routines and new circles. Their kids grew up together, while mine did not share those memories. They talked about people, places, and experiences that were unfamiliar to us. And in the U.S., I stood out right away. People noticed my accent, and culturally I didn’t always fit in.

I remember journaling for hours on those long Zurich to Newark flights, pouring out all the sadness and the “in-between” feeling of not fully belonging anywhere.

And then one day, I heard the words: Be where your feet are.

It clicked. I realized I had a choice. Instead of carrying the weight of not belonging, I could choose to feel at home wherever I was, simply by being fully present.

My kids now hear me say this all the time: “Be where your feet are.” It has become a guiding principle, especially now that we split our time between Europe and the U.S. In the States, I decided to enjoy family, friends, and conveniences like grocery stores being open late every day. In Switzerland, I love the slower pace, everything is closed on Sundays, the nature, time with my husband, visits with my parents, and connection with my brother’s family and my old and new friends.

My life feels full because I made a decision to be where I am. Today, for example, I get to spend the day with my husband, my daughter Cheyenne, and my son John-Luca in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at a college football game at the “Big House.” We will be missing our oldest daughter but it will still be a wonderful day. Tomorrow is a new day, and I will be where my feet are then too.

For me, this decision gave me back peace, mental bandwidth, and a sense of belonging.

Where do you feel stuck or torn? Maybe freedom is just a decision away for you too.