We moved from Chicago to a much smaller Midwestern city. It had a lot of perks, but not enough to keep us.

Renita Quirls

As a girl who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, I was no stranger to crowded streets, sirens, and the hustle and bustle of city life.I loved the skyline, being able to walk to my favorite restaurants, and knowing there was always something to do.But about nine years ago, my husband and I felt stuck in our careers, and everyday life was beginning to seem more exhausting than energizing.As we tried to figure out our next move, we visited my dad in Lafayette, Indiana, a smaller city about two hours southeast of Chicago. To our surprise, he suggested we consider moving down there with him.My husband and I toyed with the idea for a few months, but we hesitated because Chicago was where our support system was. Moving away from that familiarity seemed like a big risk.However, after we were both laid off from our jobs, the idea of starting over in a quieter, more affordable place felt less unrealistic.With us no longer being tied to Chicago for work, we packed up our suitcases and used our savings to move to Lafayette. It felt like the reset we were supposed to take.At first, Lafayette seemed like the answer to our burnout

Lafayette was quieter than what we were used to in Chicago.