I lived in New York City for the first 24 years of my life. It was all I knew growing up, and for a long time, I thought I’d never leave. But when the pandemic hit, things started to shift fast. My college went remote, I was laid off from my fashion job at Chanel, and the US’s inconsistent response to the crisis left me feeling disillusioned. Everyone dreams of going to New York but I found myself dreaming of getting out.
In 2023, I left my corporate marketing job and moved to Montreal to live with my husband and launch my own business. It’s been far from perfect. My income has been unstable, and adjusting to a new language and climate has had its challenges. But my nervous system is calmer, I feel more grounded, and for the first time in years, I can actually breathe.
After college, I took a trip to Dubai to reset. It was just for a month, but the city captivated me. It was clean, efficient, and full of opportunity the kind of energy I loved about New York, minus the chaos. I began imagining myself building a career there. Then, fate stepped in. During that trip, I met someone who introduced me to my now-husband, who lived in Montreal. We hit it off immediately, and soon I was splitting my time between New York and Canada.
I still had my eyes on Dubai, actively applying to jobs there. But as time went on, the cost of living there proved to be too steep. The entry-level roles didn’t offer enough financial stability to justify the move. That’s when I took a deeper look at Montreal. It was more affordable, artistically vibrant, and most importantly it offered the kind of lifestyle balance I desperately needed.
Back in New York, I was climbing the corporate ladder fast. I worked at Christian Dior, then moved into a marketing role at a media company. I was pulling long hours, skipping lunch breaks, bringing mental baggage home every weekend. It was all-consuming. And although I was good at what I did, I couldn’t ignore the exhaustion building up inside me. I had sacrificed sleep, joy, and well-being in the name of “proving myself.” But in the end, it felt like I was just surviving.
I reached a breaking point. No promotion, no title, no paycheck could make up for how empty I felt. I realized I was done sacrificing myself to make my bank account happy. It was time to make my soul happy.
Later that year, I married my husband and officially moved to Montreal, entering on a work permit through his name. I launched my own LLC still registered in the U.S. and started creating content and recording a podcast. The business hasn’t generated income yet, so I’ve picked up babysitting jobs to help cover expenses while maintaining a flexible schedule. It hasn’t been easy. My husband is covering most of our bills, but I’m seeing slow, steady growth in my work and that keeps me going.
Montreal, in many ways, is a creative’s dream. The city has a deep respect for modern art and music, and I've found a vibrant community of artists and musicians who’ve shown me an entirely new way of living one that doesn’t revolve around burnout. They've inspired me to create for joy, not just for metrics or market value.
Still, it’s been an adjustment. The language barrier was one of the first hurdles I faced. My husband and his friends mostly speak French, and early on, I often felt left out of conversations. Fortunately, I took a government-funded language course that helped me pick up Quebecois French and better understand the culture around me. Now, I can navigate daily interactions with much more confidence.
Then there’s the weather. Winters in Montreal are no joke they last almost six months. Growing up in New York, a snow day was rare and usually meant skipping school to make snow angels. In Montreal, snow is just life. Things rarely shut down, no matter how heavy the snowfall. I had to rewire my entire perception of winter.
But what Montreal lacks in sunshine, it makes up for in peace. The lifestyle here is noticeably slower and more intentional. People linger in cafés for hours. Lunch breaks are respected. Strangers hold the door for you. One time I found myself sprinting down the street to get to a hair appointment old New York habits and people looked at me like I was unhinged. That moment stuck with me. It reminded me that I no longer have to rush. I’ll get there.
Despite everything I love about Montreal, there are still things I miss about New York the energy, the diversity, the spark. It will always be home. My husband and I plan to relocate to Toronto in 2026 to streamline the immigration process, but I’ll always carry NYC with me.
If the right opportunity ever came along one that aligned with both my family and creative goals I’d consider returning. But I’m no longer chasing the hustle. My definition of success has changed. I used to think it was about speed, status, and checking boxes. Now, I believe it can be found in slowness, steadiness, and even rest.
Leaving corporate America wasn’t just a career move it was a nervous system reset. And I’ve never felt more alive.
