Lessons From A Month Abroad: Redefining Work, Family, And Freedom (Copy)
When my partner, Brendan, suggested we spend a month abroad this summer, I'll admit, it felt like a stretch. Aside from a summer abroad in college, I'd never spent that long away from home. Brendan, on the other hand, has lived on every continent (except Antarctica, though he's visited!) and was excited to introduce our little one, Willa, to other cultures and lifestyles.
At first, fear crept in. But I paused, recognized the anxiety, and invited a different mindset: one of possibility and potential. That vision soon took over (helped by Brendan's knack for trip planning), and voilà: we built an itinerary focused less on tourist frenzy, more on truly “living” in each place.
Behind the scenes, there was lots of strategy, wrangling everything our now 20-month-old needed, managing our home from afar, and prepping our workloads to flex with a new rhythm and time zone.
We skipped connections and took a direct flight to Paris to ease the adjustment. In just two days, we soaked in so much of what the city offers. (Fun fact: Brendan and I decided we wanted children together on a flight to Paris years ago, so returning with Willa was special.)
Next stop: two weeks in the South of France. We traded routines, conveniences, and old habits for new rhythms: walking everywhere, packing baguettes and cheese for snacks, slowing down, beach evenings at golden hour, day-tripping to St. Tropez and the Tour de France, spending more family time, and working later on U.S. hours. Our nervous systems felt deeply regulated.
After that, two weeks in Stockholm, embracing a different vibe. We connected with my brother's family to explore, then slid back into long walks, unhurried playground visits, bakery lunches, and family dinners. Brendan and I even squeezed in a night away at a Japanese bathhouse and spa on a nearby island (incredible!). Cooler temps were a bonus, and Willa thrived with each change.
We wrapped with my cousin's wedding in Krakow, including a deeply meaningful visit to Auschwitz to honor my ancestors.
After a final night in Amsterdam for sleep and a direct flight home, our month abroad was complete. It felt both long and short, yet surprisingly more easeful and “natural” than anticipated. While we expected discomfort and challenges, there were remarkably few.
Being away made me reflect on a lot, including:
9–5 is a construct and if you work for yourself, you don't have to abide by it. I structured my days to start between 3–5pm Central European Time to align with Eastern Standard Time, stacked my client calls, and spent far less time at my computer, without sacrificing the efficacy of my work. I'm bringing this perspective home to help reorient my schedule for freedom, flexibility, and impact.
Leading with curiosity reduces judgment (of self, others, and circumstances) lowering friction when things are new, challenging, or outside your norm.
Kids are more resilient than we think. New foods, environments, languages… Willa adapted beautifully.
Interrupt your patterns. It's easy to settle into comfortable rhythms, but sometimes perspective helps you see where change is needed, whether in mindset or daily routines. “Too much of a good thing” can dull your spark. We're already planning for another month abroad next summer.
Here's the thing: part of life design is knowing what matters to you and reverse-engineering for it. It means being bold enough to set aside what others think or do, and making aligned choices for yourself.
It also means experimenting and holding things loosely, seeing what works, what doesn't, and updating your approach as you grow.
With that, I invite you to consider:
How close are you to living your ideal life design?
How might you create space to shake up your routines, even briefly?
Where could you bring more curiosity into your life, and how might that benefit you?
What feels stagnant or tired and could use a new perspective?
Is any part of your life design ready for an update?
I'd love to hear your travel stories or experiments in shaking things up! Hit reply and share with me.