Struggling with excessive workload, exhaustion, and poor health led to a life-changing decision: relocating overseas to recover and improve well-being.
Venturing into a foreign land at age 40, I was burdened with burnout, excess weight, and a cycle of stress that seemed endless.
Crossing international borders aided me in focusing on my health, ultimately helping me shed approximately 60 pounds.
Training for and completing a half marathon in Mexico stood as a testament to my remarkable journey.
At 40, I was trapped in a vicious cycle of unhappiness, living an unsustainable life, and struggled to see a way out. I was divorced, fresh off another failed long-term relationship, and living with my father and his partner while I sought stability. My body felt like an enemy, carrying extra weight, plagued with anxiety and depression, and drowning in a whirlpool of creative stagnation.
Only a few years prior, I had resigned from a decade-long career in education to pursue freelance writing. Overworked and exhausted, I was desperate to make this new pathway successful. I was working late into the night, chasing clients and surviving on sandwiches and fast food deliveries while barely moving my body. To make matters worse, I felt as if I was racing towards an untimely death, just like my mother who had passed away from breast cancer at 49.
I had spent most of my adult life giving to others through my work as a teacher and administrator, but I never learned to give back to myself. I knew I needed a drastic change to reclaim my health and happiness, so I took the bold step to move abroad.
I found the gumption to abandon everything
After paying off some debts and saving enough security for the journey, I booked a one-way ticket to Thailand. With roughly $1,750 USD in hand and no clear plan, I ventured into the unknown.
In Chiang Mai, I rented a vibrant, spacious apartment for around $310 EUR per month and began working with a local herb expert who helped me manage my weight and emotional health. For six months, I dedicated myself solely to my well-being.
In Thailand, discovering oneself became effortless. The affordable cost of living, abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables, and the power of simple care rituals opened my eyes to the possibility that wellness could be a lifestyle, not just a reward for overworking. I used to think self-care was reserved for the affluent. Thailand showed me otherwise. I learned that health and happiness could be attainable through deliberate choices and simple pleasures.
Living abroad fostered a healthier relationship with myself
When I left Thailand, I had lost approximately 60 pounds. More importantly, I gained confidence, clarity, and a renewed sense of self-worth.
This transformation was evident in my work too. I stopped seeking poorly paid freelance jobs and instead pursued content marketing clients who valued my skills. I learned to build a writing business that prioritized my life.
Since 2018, I've resided in ten countries, including Vietnam, Rwanda, Turkey, and now Mexico. With each location change, I've had to learn anew how to prioritize my health.
Completing a half marathon symbolized reclaiming my body
I eventually found myself in Mérida, Mexico, where I discovered a flourishing running culture. I signed up for a few 5K runs, but soon realized I wanted more. I spent six months training for my first half marathon, which I completed in January 2025.
Crossing the finish line was more than a test of physical endurance; it was a celebration of my body after years of estrangement and burnout. It marked a rejoicing of the life I've constructed, one where I can finally prioritize my health, joy, and creativity.
Departing from the USA saved my life
Leaving my life in the USA was challenging. I felt apprehensive about earning enough money, feeling isolated, or getting homesick. But I was even more afraid of staying in a life that was gradually draining me.
I always felt as if I had to earn my peace, health, and happiness in the USA. Abroad, I gave myself permission to simply be. I could move slower, eat better, and create from a place of abundance.
I still work as a freelancer, yet I now also coach other writers. I teach creative writing courses, work on a memoir about my journey from burnout to well-being, and have built a life that I truly adore. It's one that demands no perfection from me, just presence. And it all began with a simple yes to something different.
In Thailand, the affordable cost of living and abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables allowed me to learn about simple care rituals, showing me that wellness can be a lifestyle, not just a reward. Mexico, with its flourishing running culture, provided an opportunity to train for and complete a half marathon, symbolizing the reclaiming of my body after years of burnout. Departing from the United States saved my life, as it allowed me to give myself permission to be, move slower, eat better, and create from a place of abundance. This transformation, including the loss of approximately 60 pounds and the gain of confidence, clarity, and a renewed sense of self-worth, was more than just a physical change; it was the beginning of my journey towards personal growth in health-and-wellness, mental-health, fitness-and-exercise, nutrition, and travel. Education-and-self-development through my freelance writing and subsequent coaching of other writers further facilitated this growth.
