After living in London for over seven years, I decided it was time for a change—a new city, a new adventure. Every big decision I’ve made so far has been driven by my gut. But trusting your gut is such a personal, subjective thing. I thought I’d share my journey with you—how I navigated this transition and what I’ve learned along the way.

The Early Days

If you’ve lived in London, you know how incredible it is. Restaurants, museums, running trails, parks, a wild nightlife—you have it all in one big, buzzing melting pot. My early years there were some of the best. I met incredible people—just look at the first 55 episodes of TL;DL, which are all conversations with Londoners.

But after a while, the city’s energy started to wear me down. The constant need to achieve, to showcase success, to keep up with a competitive environment—it all kind of pulls you in without you even realizing it. I had no clue it was affecting me until I got a remote job and started experiencing life outside of London. That’s when I saw it clearly: I was exhausted. It was time for a change.

Job vs. City

I had to ask myself a tough question: was it my job making me unhappy, or was it the city? The answer: a bit of both. Exploring new environments reignited a spark in me—one I thought I had lost. It also gave me the clarity to reassess my priorities. If you know me, you know I’m extremely career-driven, and I had reached a point where I wasn’t growing the way I knew I could. I wasn’t being challenged or rewarded in the ways that mattered to me.

That realization, combined with a trip to New York City, set something in motion. I felt a pull—an undeniable gut feeling—that I needed to move to the U.S. and explore the tech scene there. So I went all in. I started applying to companies in both San Francisco and New York City, aggressively pursuing this new goal. A few weeks in, I got an opportunity to move to SF—but something felt off.

Gut vs. Reason

I spent a week working with a startup in SF and quickly realized I wasn’t ready to move to the other side of the world. New York felt like the right balance between familiarity and challenge. It was a tough decision, and I sought advice from so many people, but deep down, I already knew the answer. It wasn’t just about moving to a new country—it was about moving somewhere that felt right.

So, I turned down the SF offer and kept searching for NYC-based roles. After a few weeks, I flew to New York for an interview with a company that, at the time, felt like the perfect fit. I quit my job in London, accepted the offer, moved to NYC… and three weeks in, I knew it wasn’t going to work out. So I quit.

At this point, you’re probably thinking, This girl is impulsive and has no idea what she’s doing. And honestly? Fair. But I was listening to my gut. When something doesn’t feel right, why waste time forcing it?

I had to learn this the hard way. I’m naturally a people-pleaser, and in startups, that trait can get amplified in unhealthy ways. I had to make a choice: keep trying to make an unfit situation work, or put myself first. And let me tell you, putting myself first was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

Meanwhile, another company was actively recruiting me—pulling out all the stops to bring me on board. I was torn between making things work with my current role and taking a leap toward something that actually excited me.

But in the end, I knew what I had to do. It wasn’t working, and I had a way out.

So, I followed my gut, accepted the new offer… and here I am, sharing my story with you.

All in all, here are my three biggest takeaways from this experience:

1. Trust your gut—but within reason. Listen to what feels right for you, but back it up with reflection and action.

2. Putting yourself first is not selfish. It’s okay to reassess, pivot, and make decisions that serve you.

3. The sooner, the better. I’m impatient, so take this with a grain of salt—but the sooner you make decisions aligned with your intuition, the lighter you’ll feel. Trust me.

If you have questions or just want to chat, feel free to hit reply and let’s chat!

Helpful Resources

• PMM Talk episodes

• Career post on LinkedIn

• PMM career hub