At 40, I was obese, so I moved abroad to Thailand, where I could focus on my health. Leaving the US saved my life.

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• At 40, I was burned out, obese, and stuck in a cycle of hustle.
• Moving abroad helped me prioritize my health and lose 60 pounds.
• Training for and completing a half-marathon in Mexico became a symbol of how far I’d come.

By the time I turned 40, I was deeply unhappy, unhealthy, and unsure of how to fix it. I was divorced, reeling from another failed long-term relationship, and living with my father and his wife while trying to regroup. My body felt like it was turning against me. I was obese, battling anxiety and depression, and stuck in a fog that dulled my creativity.

Just a few years earlier, I had left a 10+ year career in education and launched my freelance writing business. I was desperate to make it work. I stayed up late hunting for clients, eating deli sandwiches and french fries from delivery apps, and barely moving my body. I felt like I was racing toward an early death — just like my mother, who died 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 how to give anything back to myself. I knew I needed a radical change to reclaim my health and happiness, so I decided to move abroad.

Finding the courage to leave it all behind

After paying off some debt and saving enough to feel safe, I bought a one-way ticket to Thailand. I had about $2,000 to my name and no clear plan.

In Chiang Mai, I rented a bright, comfortable apartment for $350 a month and began working with a local herbalist who helped me address my weight and emotional health. For six months, I focused solely on healing.

I found it easier to choose myself in Thailand. The cost of living was reasonable for me, fresh fruits and vegetables were abundant, and I discovered the power of simple rituals: daily walks, massages, and weekly sauna treatments. I used to think self-care was for rich people. Thailand taught me otherwise. Well-being, I learned, could be a way of life and not just a reward for overworking.

Living abroad helped me build a healthier relationship with myself

By the time I left Thailand, I had lost 60 pounds. But more importantly, I gained confidence, clarity, and a renewed sense of self-worth.

That shift showed up in my work, too. I stopped chasing low-paying freelance gigs and started seeking out content marketing clients who valued my skills. I permitted myself to build a writing business that fit my life.

Since 2018, I’ve lived in 10 countries, including Vietnam, Rwanda, Turkey, and now Mexico. With each move, I had to relearn how to prioritize my health.

Running a half-marathon was about reclaiming my body

Eventually, I landed in Mérida, Mexico, where I discovered a thriving local running culture. I signed up for a few 5K races but quickly realized I wanted more.

I spent six months training for my first half-marathon, which I completed in January 2025.

Crossing that finish line was about more than physical endurance. It was about reclaiming my body after years of disconnection and burnout. It was a celebration of the life I’ve built. It’s a life where I can finally prioritize my health, joy, and creativity.

Leaving the US saved my life

Walking away from my life in the US wasn’t easy. I was terrified I wouldn’t make enough money, that I’d feel isolated or homesick. But what scared me more was staying in a life slowly draining me.

I always felt like I had to earn rest, health, and happiness in the US. Abroad, I gave myself permission to just be. I could move slower, eat better, and create from a place of fullness.

I still freelance, but now I also coach other writers. I run creative writing circles. I’m working on a memoir about my journey from burnout to well-being. I’ve built a life I truly love — one that doesn’t require me to be perfect, only present. And it all started when I said yes to something different.