Not Everyone Has "A Place" and I believe, that's ok. Have you ever felt like you don’t quite belong? Like you’re not rooted to one spot, one community, one way of life?
This morning, I had a heart-to-heart with a fellow wanderer—a conversation that felt like a warm light in the haze of uncertainty. We talked about how, sometimes, Costa Rica can be incredibly hard. As beautiful as it is here, it’s not all paradise. And among the expats, there’s often this undercurrent: we’re seekers, misfits, searching for something undefined.
And I say “misfits” with nothing but love and respect, because I am one of them. I always have been. I’ve never felt like I fit into a tidy box, not even within my own family. My heart has always been pulled toward discovery, toward adventure. For some of us, “a place” isn’t a town or a house or a routine. It’s the journey itself.
The Joy and Solitude of Wandering
Living on the side of a mountain in Costa Rica has been both a blessing and a challenge. As an introvert, I adore the solitude, but let’s be real: there are days when the isolation feels like too much. On those days, I’m beyond grateful for the close-knit circle of friends I’ve found here and for the connections my coaching business gives me with incredible, like-minded people from all over the world.
It reminds me how important it is to have those ties—not to a place, but to people, to purpose.
A Reflection on Choices
I look at my sister sometimes—a nurse who’s worked in the same hospital for 35 years, living in the same town we moved to in high school, surrounded by the same friends. And honestly, she's had a beautiful life. There is so much beauty in stability, family and friends. But it’s not my path. My life has been about variety, exploration, and, at times, risk.
If you’re reading this and resonating, I encourage you to start journaling about the life you’ve created. Write down all the places you’ve been, the experiences you’ve had. You might be surprised at the richness of your journey.
Personally, I’m incredibly proud of mine. Yes, there have been moments of doubt, and yes, it’s required courage to keep stepping into the unknown. But the alternative—a life that would have felt like a slow death in a box I don’t belong in? No, that wasn't for me.
A Life of My Own Making
When I was a young woman, a single mom with a little boy, living in Ohio, I knew I couldn’t stay there. I knew that life wasn’t for me. Straight out of college, I packed up and moved to a ski resort town, where I hiked the mountains, learned to ski and snowboard with my son. We spent weekends whitewater rafting and mountain biking. Those were some of the best years of my life, and I shared them with my son as we created memories of a lifetime.
Then came Florida, where I raised my twin girls, built a career as a realtor, learned to surf at the age of 44. We experienced amazing vacations to the Caribbean and the Bahamas around the US and Canada.
And now, here I am at the age of 59 in Costa Rica, living in a home I manifested with a breathtaking view of a lake and a volcano. I'm hosting women's retreats, and creating transformation—for myself and others.
None of this would’ve been possible if I’d chosen the “safe” route, stayed in that small town, or chosen the 9-to-5 job. I would’ve missed out on all the magic and juiciness.
Embracing the Journey
Even now, with a beautiful home and a life I love, I don’t know if this is my “forever” place. And that’s okay. It’s an exquisite chapter in a book that’s still being written. The mystery of what's next lying before me.
If you’ve ever felt out of place, I want you to know: you’re not alone. Maybe you’re not meant to settle down in one spot. Maybe your place is in the discovery, the adventure. And that’s not a weakness; it’s a gift.
And maybe you are the one that settled down, and now, your ready to become one of the wild and wonderful wanderers of the world? Just know that it's not too late. Wanderers, seekers, the misfits of the world, can begin their journey when their time is right. That is the beauty of the books that are
still being written.
To all the wanderers, the seekers, the misfits. May you embrace the journey and find your place—not in a location, but in the beauty of the life you’re creating.
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