Additional Coverage:
- At 40, I was obese, so I moved abroad to Thailand, where I could focus on my health. Leaving the US saved my life. (businessinsider.com)
At 40, Halona Black was burned out, overweight, and caught in a relentless cycle of work. She’d left a decade-long career in education to pursue freelance writing, but the pressure to succeed led to unhealthy habits and deepening despair. Feeling like she was racing towards an early death, much like her mother who passed away from breast cancer at 49, Black knew she needed a drastic change.
Her solution? She moved abroad.
With $2,000 and a one-way ticket to Thailand, Black embarked on a journey of self-discovery and healing. In Chiang Mai, she found an affordable apartment and worked with a local herbalist, focusing on her physical and emotional well-being.
Daily walks, massages, and sauna treatments became integral parts of her routine, reframing her perspective on self-care. Thailand, she discovered, offered a different way of life, one where well-being wasn’t a luxury but a daily practice.
The results were transformative. Black lost 60 pounds and, more importantly, gained confidence and a renewed sense of self-worth.
This newfound clarity extended to her professional life. She shifted her focus to higher-paying content marketing clients, building a business that aligned with her values.
Since 2018, Black has lived in ten different countries, continually adapting and prioritizing her health. In Mérida, Mexico, she embraced the local running culture and trained for her first half-marathon. Completing the race in January 2025 was a triumphant moment, symbolizing her journey from burnout to a vibrant, fulfilling life.
Leaving the US, while daunting, was ultimately a life-saving decision for Black. She traded the pressure and expectations of her American life for a slower, more intentional existence abroad.
Today, she continues to freelance, coaches other writers, leads creative writing circles, and is working on a memoir. Her story is a testament to the power of embracing change and prioritizing well-being, even when it requires a leap of faith across continents.