How We Decided to Move to Mexico: A 55-Year-Old’s Quest for Sanity and Sunshine

I’m a 55-year-old ex-corporate tech warrior, now living with my husband in sunny Mexico. Yep, that’s me — a former suburbanite who once thought “burnout” was just a catchy term for a bad day at work. Let’s rewind to 2016, shall we?

The world seemed to go bananas after the election. Hate and vitriol were flying around like confetti at a parade. The social vibe was all about fear, and there was this constant whisper of “us vs. them.” It was exhausting. I had lost friends to cancer who were too young to die, and was terrified that one day I’d wake up to realize I’d spent all my time chained to a desk, rather than living the life I actually wanted.

Our life in California was comfortable. We had great friends, all the creature comforts we could ask for, but something felt… off. It’s like we had all the puzzle pieces, but the picture just didn’t make sense. And then, the existential questions started popping up like annoying ads: Why am I putting so much energy into a job that sees me as just another cog in the machine?

Fast forward to January 2023, when my company decided to do a “spring cleaning” and laid off a massive group of friends and colleagues — some of the best and brightest people I knew. It hit me hard. Here we were, giving 100%, told we were “family,” but to the company, we were just numbers on a spreadsheet. Loyalty? Ha! That’s for shareholders, not for employees.

At that moment, the burnout set in. I was officially done. Stick a fork in me, I was overcooked. Why should I give all my energy to a company that could kick me to the curb the next day? It was clear that when I’m on my deathbed, I won’t be reflecting on that one client presentation that landed us a big deal. Nope, I’d be thinking about the adventures I didn’t take, the places I didn’t see, and the life I didn’t fully live.

So, the search began in earnest. We wanted out. We wanted a fresh start somewhere far away from the rat race, the corporate hamster wheel, and the never-ending cycle of work, stress, and more work. After considering a few options, we set our sights on Mexico. Why Mexico? Well, that’s a story for another day. But for now, just know that it was about finding a place where we could truly live, breathe, and enjoy life.

So, here we are, two former suburbanites, now embracing a sun-soaked adventure in Mexico. It’s scary, it’s exciting, and it’s probably the best decision we’ve ever made. I’ll be sharing how we did it and all of the mistakes we made. My goal is to provide information, answer questions, and hopefully inspire others who are thinking about moving abroad.

Cheers to new beginnings and to finally living life on our own terms!