What Happens When You Stop Chasing “More” in Life…
In the U.S., more is the mantra. More work. More money. More square footage. More side hustles. More everything—until you’re so exhausted from chasing success that you forget what you were even chasing to begin with.
Then I moved abroad. And slowly, that “more” obsession started to fall away. Not because I gave up—but because I woke up. Living in places that valued simplicity, balance, and enough-ness shifted everything. I didn’t lose ambition—I just stopped tying my worth to overachievement.
Here’s what really happens when you stop chasing “more”… and start living with enough.
Table of Contents
You Finally Feel Like You’re Caught Up
Back home, I always felt behind. Like no matter how hard I worked or how much I saved, I wasn’t doing enough. Abroad, that pressure dialed down—because the whole environment shifted.
People weren’t obsessed with climbing ladders or comparing salaries. There was less FOMO, less status-chasing, fewer conversations about “grinding.” For the first time, I didn’t feel like I was trying to catch up. I just felt… here.
You Redefine What Success Looks Like
Is success a job title? A bank balance? A house you barely spend time in? That’s what I used to think. Until I met people abroad who defined success as afternoons with their kids, long vacations, or a job that paid enough to support a simple, happy life.
Living outside of the American hustle bubble showed me that success doesn’t have to be loud, busy, or exhausting. Sometimes it looks like free time, mental peace, or a sunset walk on a Tuesday.
Your Spending Becomes Intentional—Not Emotional
Back in the U.S., I constantly spent money trying to feel better. New clothes, expensive drinks, DoorDash at midnight—little dopamine hits to break up the stress cycle. Abroad, I realized I didn’t need to constantly “treat myself” because I wasn’t always in recovery mode.
When life feels good on a daily basis, you’re not chasing quick hits of joy. You spend money on experiences, not distractions. It’s not about being frugal—it’s about being fulfilled.
You Remember What You Actually Like to Do
When you’re not working 60 hours a week or recovering from burnout, you remember you have hobbies. Interests. Creative ideas. Space to think. I picked up new languages, started hiking again, and found joy in cooking—not because I had to, but because I wanted to.
Stepping off the hamster wheel gave me back time, energy, and curiosity. Turns out, “more” isn’t always better. But more you? That’s priceless.
You Stop Measuring Your Life by Output
Living abroad helped me shift from measuring life by productivity to measuring it by presence. Did I laugh today? Did I feel calm? Did I connect with someone? That started to matter more than inbox zero or monthly revenue.
Stopping the “more” chase didn’t make me lazy. It made me aligned. And once you feel that—there’s no going back.
