With the current political situation in America, we’ve all heard at least one of our friends joke about how they’re planning on moving to Canada or getting out of the country for the next four years. Despite, the sad reality of even having to bring up that satire, the truth is… moving abroad will change your life in many ways and now is the perfect time to do it.
Most of us spend our days going through monotonous routines, longing for something more, but we don’t know how to escape the cycle and start creating a life we truly want to be living. Since my first encounter living outside of the 5 years ago, I’ve created a life where I wake up each morning with a sense of purpose and have realized that there is more to life than the ongoing capitalistic race that we’ve grown to deem normal.
Today, we’re going to break down three reasons why living abroad is beneficial to your mental, physical and emotional states and why now is the perfect time to start thinking about your plan of action.
Despite Popular Belief, Various Work Opportunities Are Available
According to a NY Times Report in 2015, almost 90% of workers are non-engaged or actively disengaged from their jobs. Let’s take a moment…
9 out of 10 people spend most of their hours doing things they don’t want to be doing, in a place where they really don’t want to be.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Rent needs to be paid and you have financial responsibilities but do you really want to be spending 1/3 of your life doing something you hate. You might have “invested the past 8 years” in your current job, but does that mean that you need to spend the rest of your life dedicating your time to something that doesn’t make you happy?
Finding work opportunities in different countries (especially for native English speakers) have been on the rise and there are a variety of professions that one can do while living in a different country. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, remote worker, digital nomad or skilled professional, there is something for everyone. Even if you don’t find yourself in any of those categories, you can apply to teach English to students abroad.
Some useful resources to search for remote work or jobs abroad can be found here.
Now that we know that job opportunities are out there, is that really the reason why you would want to make the move? Or is it about creating a lifestyle that speaks to your values?
You Won’t Have To Wait For Retirement To “Enjoy Life”
Raise your hand if you work at least 40 hours a week and by the time you get home, you are too exhausted to fully enjoy your friends, family and/or creative hobbies you love?
We all know that the workforce in America is a constant rat race but what if you could thrive professionally and still have time to have a sustainable lifestyle?
According to Business Insider, countries like Switzerland, Germany and Thailand are some of the best places to find work and still have a nice salary. When talking about work/life balance, the World Economic Forum proves that countries like Spain, Denmark and the Netherlands are top on the list.
In Spain, the average worker has 16.1 hours of leisure time per day. Imagine what you could do with all of that time?
With the cost of living in various countries being much lower than that in the states, you could work less hours, have more free time and maybe even save up for your future or to pay off debt.
When living abroad, odds are, you’ll be focusing more on living than on working… because why should we wait until we’re retired to enjoy life?
Speaking from personal experience, as an English teacher in Spain I work three hours a day… four days a week.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Which means that in my free time, I have enough time to double my salary with private English lessons, run and grow a business that I’m passionate about, grab a coffee (or drink) with friends and still get 7 hours of sleep at night. In short, I’m doing what I love and I’m happy that I’m doing it.
Which brings us to our next point…
Want To Know The Secret to Real Happiness?
We’re about to talk about the secret to happiness (according to Forbes) and odds are people who live in a different country are more apt to know what I’m talking about.
You know those people on Instagram who are constantly seeing new places or their morning walk looks like something out of Conde Nast Traveler? Well, that can be a reality for you as well.
Long term happiness comes from spending your money on experiences over material objects.
In this FastCo article, psychologist Thomas Gilovich says,
"You can really like your material stuff. You can even think that part of your identity is connected to those things, but nonetheless they remain separate from you. In contrast, your experiences really are part of you. We are the sum total of our experiences."
When you’re in a completely different environment and culture, you will begin to create a life narrative that you’re proud of sharing. Granted, life abroad isn’t always lavish trips and working on the beach… trust me, there are real responsibilities as well but everything is a little bit better when you’re able to see new places and be surrounded by beauty.
So, wouldn’t you rather spend your days (and money) creating unforgettable experiences and seeing the world instead of buying a new car, getting the bigger house or spending your Christmas bonus on a new iPhone?
I know I would.
Of course all of this sounds amazing, but you’re probably thinking… how do I actually do this? Where do I even start?
It can be overwhelming when you don’t know where to begin, but that’s why Limitless was created. This online course is the perfect solution to help you start living a life that you’re proud of while living abroad and growing professionally.
Registration opens in February so sign up now to be one of the first to have access when spots open. If you have any questions or hesitations, my inbox is open, feel free to reach out at sienna@lasmorenasdeespana.com for more info.