I have ‘shorter work hours,’ ‘more energy’

As soon as I set foot in the Netherlands at 17, I knew I wanted to go abroad. But my dream of living abroad always seemed out of reach.

I made several attempts: studying Spanish in Spain at 21, teaching English there at 26 and even returning to pursue a master’s degree at 29. Each time, however, my story reached the same seemingly inevitable conclusion: I would return home. the State of Texas to “find a real job.”

There were practical obstacles, but the pressure to conform was equally limiting. Society, family, and my own internal expectations all pushed me toward a more traditional path: climbing the corporate ladder and measuring your worth by your title and salary. I gave it my all, but I never found fulfillment trying to fit into that box.

At 35, without a clear plan, I left another job and packed my bags. It felt like my last chance to fulfill a lifelong dream. Doubts loomed: was I too old? What if it didn’t work?

As I settled into my new life in Spain, something changed. Outside of the confines of a 9-5 job, I found creativity and clarity. I discovered new interests and within a year and a half, I started She pressed refreshwhich allows women aged 30 and over to transform their lives by going abroad.

Nearly a decade later, I have a thriving business, a fulfilling career, and a sense of identity that I had struggled to find in the United States. The new perspectives I discovered in Spain were not a coincidence: living abroad allowed me to rewrite my story. .

At home, I had internalized labels like “marketer” and “job hopper,” shaped by the belief that success meant following a conventional path. When I moved, I left behind the societal expectations, family pressures, and cultural norms that reinforced these roles.

In my new environment, I no longer felt bound by labels that didn’t suit me. It was transformative.

Anonymity created space to discover who I wanted to become. I explored interests I had never thought of, like starting a blog, public speaking, and organizing events in Madrid to help me find my people. These activities allowed me to acquire skills that will help me grow my community business.

In Spain, I could imagine a life bigger, bolder and more aligned with myself. I gained the freedom to redefine myself.

In Spain, my cost of living has dropped considerably. For example, when I arrived, my rent was only 540 euros ($604 at the time) and included electricity, Wi-Fi and water, compared to $1,440 for my mortgage alone in the United States. -United.

This Financial freedom has allowed me to take risks that would have been impossible before, like becoming self-employed, pursuing creative projects, and pivoting my career. With lower rent, affordable healthcare, and more disposable income, I had the flexibility to invest in myself and the courage to dream bigger and take risks.

Even though prices have increased significantly and my own lifestyle has evolved since I moved here in 2015, life remains incredibly affordable for Americans with foreign income.

Life in Spain had a gentler pace that I quickly adopted. Dinners turned into long, lingering conversations, and spontaneous get-togethers replaced the jam-packed social calendars I was accustomed to. Weekends were not for racing, but for leisure, including nights out followed by leisurely mornings.

With the slower pace of life and lower cost of living, I found myself with shorter work hours, fewer obligations and more energy at the end of the day. For the first time in years, I had space to breathe and think.

This downtime became a catalyst for self-discovery. I began to ask myself questions that I had avoided for a long time: what do I really want? What excites me? What kind of life do I want to create?

I never considered myself a creative person, but in Spain I was brimming with inspiration. I channeled this energy into exciting projects.

I conducted a (brief) experiment in preparing vegetarian meals from my kitchen. I built an online and in-person community for digital creatives that led to a year-long paid collaboration with Facebook. And I eventually started my own business.

Looking back, I can’t help but marvel at how far I’ve come since that pivotal moment when I took the plunge to settle permanently in Spain ten years ago.

The woman who left the United States doubted her ability to build the life she dreamed of. But by starting from scratch, I found not only a new place to live, but also a new path live.

I rebuilt my career, discovered new passions, and cultivated a sense of self that was impossible to access in America.

Tabibian Sword is the founder of She pressed refresha community and resource platform that helps women aged 30 and over move abroad, and author of “I’m out of here! The Ultimate Guide to US Visas for Living in Europe“As the daughter of Colombian and Iranian immigrants, Cepee grew up in Houston, Texas, before becoming an immigrant to Spain herself.

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