From Hustle to Surrender (and Back Again): My Work-Life Reset
I should probably start this by saying that moving to Bali completely changed my relationship with work, time, and ambition.
Before I came here, I had a stable full-time job and a side business and was a single mom doing it all by myself—because that’s just how I operated. Hustling was my default setting. I always had a plan, a backup plan, and a backup for my backup plan. I was always building something, working toward something, setting goals and meeting them.
And then I moved to Bali.
I didn’t have a job lined up. I had planned this move for a long time, saved up money, and knew I’d be okay even if I didn’t work for a while.
And for the first time in my adult life, I was just existing.
The Energy of Ubud: Where Flow is the Default
Ubud, Bali where I’ve been living has this strong feminine energy—one that encourages slowing down, tuning in, and letting things come to you. It’s woven into everything here.
It’s in the yoga culture, where people show up to classes and retreats designed to help them surrender and soften. It’s in the long-term travelers on sabbaticals, the early retirees, the entrepreneurs building businesses at their own pace. It’s in the sheer number of people who aren’t in a rush—because they don’t have to be.
Island life naturally moves slower. And the cost of living (though rising) still allows for a kind of freedom that’s harder to find in expensive, fast-paced cities. People here have time. They take long lunches, long yoga classes, long conversations. They prioritize presence over productivity.
And that energy is contagious.
When Flow Becomes Stagnation
At first, the shift felt amazing. After years of grinding, it was liberating to let go of goals, to wake up without a to-do list or alarm clock, to trust that everything I needed would come to me. And sometimes, it really did. I’ve had moments where I set my mind to something, did a few specific mindfulness practices, and watched it show up in my life effortlessly.
But then… sometimes it didn’t.
Sometimes I was waiting for things to happen to me instead of making them happen myself.
And somewhere along the way, I stopped dreaming so big. I stopped pushing. I stopped being the version of myself that always had something she was working toward. And for a while, that felt okay—until it didn’t.
I started to feel like I’d swung too far in the other direction. Like I’d lost a part of myself that I actually really loved.
The Art of Coming Back to Center
So now, I’m finding my way back to the middle.
I don’t want to be in full hustle mode again, because I know where that leads: exhaustion, stress, and a nervous system that never gets a break. But I also don’t want to stay in this passive, overly flowy state where I’m just waiting for things to come to me.
I want to take action—but from a place of alignment.
I want to set goals—but without the frantic energy of needing to achieve them.
I want to trust the universe—but also trust myself to create the life I want.
For me, that looks like:
Balancing stillness with movement. Meditation and breathwork keep me grounded, but I also need to take tangible steps toward what I want.
Using mindfulness as a tool, not a crutch. Regulating my nervous system is important, but I won’t use it to stay comfortable in situations that actually need to change.
Letting my ambition come back online—without letting it run the show. I like having big goals. I like creating things. I just don’t want to create from a place of stress or urgency.
Because I know now that there is no one right way to live.
Some people here are full-time digital nomads, working long hours in co-working spaces. Others are building businesses but with way more flexibility than a traditional 9-to-5. And then there are people who are truly just being—taking a break from it all, whether for a few months or for good.
I’ve experienced both sides of this spectrum, and honestly? The real magic happens in the middle.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever felt like you’re swinging between extremes—doing everything vs. doing nothing, pushing vs. surrendering—just know that balance is a moving target.
Sometimes you need to trust. Sometimes you need to take action. And the real art is knowing when to shift between the two.
