There are times when life nudges us, sometimes softly, sometimes with a jolt. For me, that nudge came with an unexpected desire for change—a need to step away from my comfortable, predictable career path and follow something truer to myself. This journey led me to a new life in Mallorca, not just for a change of scenery, but as a commitment to live in a way that felt genuine and fulfilling.
In the world of project management and corporate life, we hear a lot about “work-life balance.” It’s a nice concept, but I realized it wasn’t quite what I wanted. What I truly craved was life-work balance. For me, this meant putting life first, making room for personal fulfillment, wellness, and growth—and allowing work to fit around that. It was a simple shift in words but a profound shift in mindset.
From Security to Self-Alignment
Leaving a stable job wasn’t in my initial plan. In fact, I had worked hard to build a career that I enjoyed and was proud of. But as I started reflecting on my values and what truly made me feel alive, I began to feel the pull of something more. The idea of life-work balance took hold, and with it, the realization that life was passing by—and I wanted to live it fully, not just fit it around my work.
This wasn’t an easy decision, though. It meant leaving behind financial security and all the things that made my life feel “safe.” But more importantly, it also meant stepping into the unknown and learning to trust that my path was valid, even if it didn’t look like the traditional career trajectory.
Taking That First Step
Making this shift started with a lot of internal work. There were plenty of doubts and what-ifs. What if this didn’t work out? What if leaving a safe job set me back professionally? What if this dream wasn’t sustainable? But alongside those doubts was a voice inside telling me to trust my gut, to listen to the part of me that felt drawn toward something more aligned with who I was becoming.
I had to become my own coach in a sense, encouraging myself to keep going, even when it was hard to see what lay ahead. And each time I leaned into that trust, it became a little easier to take the next step.
The Shift to Life-Work Balance
Life-work balance became my guiding principle. For me, it’s not about squeezing “life” in around the edges of a busy workday; it’s about letting life be the primary focus, with work taking its place as a supporting part of that. By changing this focus, I started to feel more present, more energized, and ultimately, more fulfilled.
This shift also led me to rethink what “success” means. Instead of measuring success by traditional career milestones, I began measuring it by the quality of my daily life, by the presence I felt, and by the way my work served my life, not the other way around.
Trusting the Path Forward
To anyone who feels the pull of a similar change, I’d say: Trust yourself. Trust that you can be your own advocate, guide, and coach. Making the choice to prioritize your life might feel unconventional, but there’s power in carving out a path that’s authentically yours.
In my next post, I’ll dive into the practical steps that made this transition possible—how I planned and managed this life shift, using my project management skills to bring it to life. I hope my journey encourages you to explore what balance means for you, and to take that first step, whatever it may be.