Transform Your Mindset: 7 Shifts That Helped Me Leave My Corporate Job and Move to Asia

Are you working a corporate job that doesn’t truly align with who you are or what you value? Been there, done that.

You’re living in the most comfortable setup: stable paycheck, predictable tasks, and ready to do it all over again while waiting for the weekend to finally feel like yourself again. At some point, you start wondering… Is this really how I’m supposed to live my life forever? Is this all there is?

The answer is — of course — no. The real challenge is finding the courage to follow that pull toward something different. Because that’s what most people are afraid of.

In this blog post, I’ll share the seven mindset shifts that gave me the courage to chase the life I’ve been dreaming of in Asia. And maybe — just maybe — they’ll help you do the same. Are you ready to transform your mindset?

Does This Sound Familiar?

I’m 27 and used to living that safe, comfortable corporate life. I couldn’t care less about the purpose of my job, and the entire luxury environment I was in didn’t align with who I am inside.

I’ve always known this wasn’t something I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but I stayed. Until that comfort slowly turned into discomfort.

That usually happens when you glimpse what you truly want. That glimpse came when I returned to my home in Asia: China.

After that trip, I knew I couldn’t go back to how things were, and I wanted to return to Asia. I wanted to build something of my own — something aligned with my personality and gifts.

It’s been almost a year since that trip. In these months, I’ve worked deeply on my mindset and started building my dream business.

So, if any of this resonates with you—if you feel stuck, scared, or like you’re missing the courage to leap—these seven mindset shifts might help you start seeing things from a new perspective.

1. You Have the Right to Find Your Purpose in Life

Let’s start with the basics…Do your parents also say things like, “All jobs are tiring at some point,” or “A job’s only purpose is to pay rent and bills — not to make you feel fulfilled”? Well — if you ask me — that’s total bullshit.

Just because most people can tolerate a job that doesn’t align with their interests or values, doesn’t mean you have to do the same. And in my case, even astrology agrees (hello, Virgo rising!)

If you feel the need to work on something that matters to you — something that aligns with your values and who you are at your core — then you owe it to yourself to follow that pull. Whether it’s another 9-to-5 that inspires you or building your dream business from scratch, what matters is that it lights you up inside.

How can we accept spending 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, doing something that doesn’t represent who we are — something that forces us to hide our true selves? I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy if you ask me.

2. You Don’t Need to Have it All Figured Out Now

Once you get a glimpse of what you truly want, it’s easy to start spiraling — How can I make this happen as soon as possible? You begin trying to fast-track your dream into reality. But that rush often leads you down the wrong path.

I knew I wanted to move to Asia… but how? I analyzed 300 different options. I looked for jobs in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and even Dubai. But something inside me started to whisper: Would this change anything? The same type of corporate job, just in a different timezone? Of course not.

The truth is, I had no idea what the right direction was. Until one day, a book had the answer I didn’t even know I was looking for — something my employee mindset couldn’t even conceive:
Becoming a freelancer. A digital nomad. 

So, that’s the advice I’d give you, too: once you discover what feels aligned, don’t rush. Instead, start pouring your energy into it. For me, that looked like working on my blog. Writing. Following digital nomads on social media and searching for freelance gigs.

Once you start putting energy into designing your dream life, the universe will meet you there, with signs, synchronicities, and new opportunities that will guide your next steps.

3. Focus on Your Actions, Detach from Results & Timelines

If you’re trying to achieve something new or change your reality, chances are you’ll need to start acting differently from the person you are today. Focusing on what you can do today to get closer is the best way to stay sane and avoid getting discouraged.

Your actions are the only thing you can truly control — and they should be your main focus. Want a new job? Focus on applying to at least one position a day. Want to improve your physical health? Focus on adding a few extra steps to your daily count.

Eventually, all those small actions will add to something bigger, leading you exactly where you’re meant to be. Don’t obsess over how fast things are moving or whether it’s all working out perfectly. Your only job is to show up, take aligned action, and trust that the results will come when the time is right.

4. Comfort ≠ Stability, but Comfort = Freedom

Letting go of the employee mindset was the biggest challenge. I had to constantly remind myself that I had to take a different path if I wanted the freedom and flexibility to explore, travel, and live abroad. And yet, for quite some time, I kept applying to remote jobs that would’ve still tied me to a desk most of the day.

Looking back, I’m actually grateful none of them hired me. They would have trapped me in a lifestyle that wasn’t aligned with the one I was trying to build. Now that I’ve quit my job and embraced a freelance life — unstable, yes, but flexible — I finally understand what I needed. Right now, freedom matters more to me than income stability.

I’m not crazy — I can afford to move to Bali because I’ve saved (aggressively) for months. Those savings give me the freedom and time to figure things out in this transition phase.

But here’s the mindset shift: if you’re building something new or completely changing your life, there will be a transition period. And the sooner you accept that, the better. As always, you’ll figure it out if you keep showing up with aligned action. So, what does comfort look like for you? Stability — or freedom?

5. If Not Now, When?

If you’ve felt a strong pull toward something — a new career, a new country, a completely different life — it’s probably because this is the right moment to start acting toward it. To take a risk.

In my case, I’m 27, single, with no kids and no major responsibilities. I felt a strong pull to move to the part of the world where my soul feels most alive. I want to travel, build my business, and follow that sense of purpose.
Yes, I’m taking a risk. I quit a safe job. But if not now, while I have the energy, the freedom, and nothing truly holding me back, then when? And that’s the same thing I want to ask you.

If you’ve made it all the way here, reading this blog post, it’s probably because you’re in a similar place. You know what you want, but maybe you’ve never taken a big leap.

So let me repeat it: If not now… then when? So take a moment. Ask yourself honestly:

What would I do if I stopped waiting for the “perfect time“? Because sometimes, the right moment isn’t something you wait for — it’s something you choose.

6. Doubt is Normal, But Alignment Feels Like Peace

You’ll always have doubts — doubts that you’re making the right choice or taking the right path.
But I truly believe that doubts come from the mind. Because if you manage to quiet the fear in your head, you’ll hear a whisper from within, telling you that you are making the right decision — that this path is meant for you. That’s your intuition speaking! (If you want proof that you need to start listening to it, check out this podcast episode from The Mel Robbins Podcast)

It’s not easy — I get it. But eventually, you’ll start to notice that when your actions align with who you truly are and what you’re here to bring into the world, things begin to flow. Opportunities appear, synchronicities guide you, and small miracles remind you’re exactly where you need to be.

I struggled for months. I kept applying to freelance gigs, but most didn’t reply. Then, the one gig I did have started to pick up, and I finally stopped looking. That shift gave me space to redirect my energy toward myself and my business. From there, new ideas came, inspiration returned, and the flow began.

Now, I get to put my time and creativity into building something that is mine, not someone else’s dream. So, if you’re filled with doubt right now, ask yourself: What if the doubt is just fear, and what if you’re closer than you think?

7. Things Don’t Have to Be Perfect For You to Be Ready

How often did I repeat to myself that I wouldn’t leave for Asia until I had a stable solution?
A million. And yet — here I am, with an income that’s still not entirely stable, ready to move.
So what changed?

A mix of the mindset shifts I’ve shared in this blog post has completely transformed how I see things. I realized I already had everything I needed to take that bold step, even if not everything was perfectly sorted out. Because let’s be honest… is anything ever completely sorted out in life?

Things are not perfect (at least, not according to what my mind would consider “safe”), but I’m ready. I have my savings, my vision, and a freelance job. Most importantly, I have enough self-trust to make it work.

So, if you’re waiting to make a bold move — whatever that looks like for you — but you’re waiting for the “perfect” time… don’t. Reflect on what’s really necessary for you to take that step. Don’t listen to your brain that craves control and perfection. Listen to your intuition.

Because if you keep waiting, the energy may stagnate. Life keeps moving, piling on new responsibilities and reasons to stay stuck. But if you trust that you have the bare minimum to begin — and that you’ll figure out the rest along the way —then do it.

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Sometimes, what we need to take that first step toward the life we’re meant to live is simply the courage to start trying.

Try — even if you have doubts, even if you’re not sure it’s the right direction. Eventually, the right path will reveal itself while you’re walking it. But if you never begin… you’ll never know.

I hope this blog post gave you some food for thought on how to transform your mindset and finally start chasing your dream life, whatever that looks like for you.