I left my life with one suitcase and a fear in the pit of my stomach.

Karen
May 23
3 min read

In 2022, after four years in Singapore, and many more in the corporate world, I walked away from everything I’d spent years building: my career, my home, my routines, my friendships. It was a decision that looked bold from the outside, but inside it felt uncertain, shaky, and far from glamorous.

Because the truth is, it wasn’t just a job I was leaving. It was a version of myself I had outgrown.

By all accounts, I had everything I was supposed to want. A high-flying role at the top of the ladder, the big salary, rooftop bars, luxury hotels, a glittering social life. The kind of life that, once upon a time, had felt like the goal.

But somewhere along the way, I stopped enjoying it. The sparkle started to fade. I was tired — deeply tired — and I couldn’t ignore the feeling that I was going through the motions. That I was constantly switched on but increasingly disconnected from what I really wanted. And that no amount of cocktails, status or career success could change the fact that something inside me had shifted.

So, I sold everything I owned. Packed one suitcase. And left.

It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.

I was terrified of leaving behind the life I’d built. Worried about what people would think, and some of them they did think I was mad. People were concerned. Some were confused. Others thought I’d regret it. And part of me wondered the same.

I was afraid of walking away from structure, routine, and a clearly defined identity. Afraid to travel solo again after Covid times stopped us from travelling. Afraid I’d regret walking away from everything I’d built, and want it back again.

But beneath the fear was something else: a sense of certainty. A clarity that this was what I wanted. That I needed to slow down. To reconnect with myself. To remember what brings me joy, not just in fleeting moments, but in a deeper, lasting way.

So I flew to Bali. I found a simple guesthouse with a big balcony overlooking the paddy fields. I slept. I read. I cried a bit. I did yoga. I wandered. I sat in cafés and watched the rain. I embraced the slower pace of Ubud, and started to feel parts of myself return. No pressure to achieve. No agenda. Just space.

That time reminded me that confidence isn’t something we wait for before we act, it’s something that builds because we act. Every step I took made the fear feel smaller. Every new experience added a little more certainty. And every day that I followed what I knew deep down, I felt more like myself again.

If you’re standing at your own edge — questioning whether to make a change, feeling stuck between fear and desire — I want you to know this:

~ You don’t need to have it all figured out.

~ You don’t need a five-year plan.

~ You don’t need to wait until you feel 100% ready.

Sometimes all you need is one suitcase, one decision, and the willingness to take the next step, even with the fear still there.

I don’t know what your version of starting again looks like.But I do know it’s possible.And I know you’re more capable than you think.

If you would like to explore working with me to reclaim confidence and control, so you can excel at work and enjoy life, book a free introduction call: https://calendly.com/karen-karenhaguecoaching/intro