How the loss of a college job led one woman to discover her true purpose and build a life she never envisioned
Losing the job that once felt like a dream
I didn’t expect to be fired, but they were all signs in hindsight. In 2010, I was an academic advisor at a Washington, D.C.-area community college. I also volunteered to build a tutoring center from scratch—no money, no staff, and barely any backing.
I’d spent a decade or so in education, teaching GED composition, leading tech initiatives, and working with ESL students. But I was exhausted. I adored the students and worked endless hours for minimal pay—about $42,000 annually, even with a master’s degree.
When my one-year contract was up, they didn’t offer it to me again. It hurt, but it also gave me room to breathe.
Starting over with food and spirit
With six months of unemployment and short-term health coverage, at last I had time to think. I’d always loved food, especially the food and fresh produce in Whole Foods. So I took a leap of faith: I applied for a position in Whole Foods’ kitchen, even though it was only $12 an hour.
It was a radical change. I left my apartment, shared a house with five other adults, and sold almost everything that I had possessed—even my car. But I was excited.
Learning a new kind of work
I learned to cook on the job at Whole Foods. I filleted fish, seared steaks, and cleaned dirty kitchens until my arms ached. It was nothing like working at a desk. But the energy and creativity of the kitchen revived me.
Six months on, I realized the fast rate wasn’t for me. Something important had taken hold, however—a new rhythm of imagination. I began teaching healthy cooking and posting food writing on my blog.
Rebuilding with writing and purpose
Then, I was in an after-school program, teaching kids to cook and linking it to science. Their excitement reminded me of how deeply food is connected to culture, family, and identity.
That experience transformed me. I wasn’t a failure for losing my college job—I had just outgrown it. Food, health, and writing became the bricks I worked with to rebuild my life.
Taking the leap abroad
In 2013, I moved to Orlando to grow my freelance writing business. I did everything from blog posts to case studies—and then I took another enormous leap: I moved to Thailand.
Living abroad changed my life. I weighed 60 pounds less and started learning from local healers. I‘ve lived in 10 nations since 2018. Now I freelance write and coach writers in addition to researching healing herbs and foods.
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A life transformed
Today I live in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I ran my first half-marathon in January 2025 and still study local culinary traditions.
Looking back, losing that job was not the end but the beginning. None of us ever take the time to sit down and wonder if our life still fits who we are. I was lucky enough to be forced to question it. And in answering it, everything changed.
