How I’m Redesigning My Life to Be Happier

Feeling Stuck Living in a Cold, Grey City?

Photo by Sebastian Staines on Unsplash

I’ve been living in Amsterdam for a while now. On paper, it all makes sense — solid salary, steady job, beautiful city, close to family. It’s a good setup. And for a long time, I felt proud of what I’d built here. But lately, this quiet thought keeps creeping in: Am I actually happy here?

It didn’t hit me all at once. It started small — just random moments scrolling through Instagram, seeing people lounging by a pool or soaking in the sun somewhere tropical. I’d feel this weird pang — not jealousy exactly, but a deep craving. Then winter rolled around. Dutch winters are… a lot. Cold, gray, and endless. I noticed I was dragging myself through the days, feeling uninspired and kind of numb. Not sad, but definitely not thriving either.

So, I started digging into it. I brought it up with my therapist. I journaled. I asked myself real questions: What am I missing? What actually makes me feel good? Where do I feel most like me? And the answer kept showing up in bold: I don’t just miss the sun — I miss the way of life that comes with it.

Whenever I’ve traveled to Asia, I come alive. Seriously — something in me just lights up. It’s not only the sunshine (though that helps a lot). It’s the food, the people, the colors, the rhythm of…