Living abroad taught me that freedom doesn’t guarantee friendship.

Hola! Before we dive in, let me tell you why this piece matters and where it comes from.

I didn’t just wake up one day in Mexico sipping mezcal and deciding I didn’t need friends. I came here after life broke me wide open. After almost 20 years in corporate America, I was laid off and eventually ended up homeless. I clawed my way back step by step, brick by brick rebuilding my life. And just three years after putting myself back together, I moved to Mexico.

I created Tia Niki out of passion and survival, to help others leave the U.S. the way I did to find safety, to heal PTSD, to breathe in a country that actually cares about its citizens. But here’s where I miscalculated: I thought people would share my urgency, my depth, my hunger for freedom. The truth? If you haven’t lived through homelessness, deep loss, or systemic betrayal, you don’t see life from the same lens. What felt like liberation to me felt like a lifestyle option to others.

I am an INFJ, an empath, and a Highly Sensitive Person. I literally feel the low frequency of the United States, and I knew I couldn’t survive in it anymore. So, I left. But trying to guide others out of it, I learned the hard way: most weren’t interested in healing or transformation. They wanted quick fixes, comfort, or access to me as a “friend,” not as a leader. And when I didn’t play that role, I was met with rejection, disdain, even outright hostility. That’s America’s conditioning entitlement, perfectionism, immediate gratification, and emotional immaturity dressed up as independence.

Meanwhile, I kept working. I didn’t come here with a pension or stipend. I formed a business in Mexico, legally incorporated it, got my RFC, opened a bank account, bought property, and even a car. I’ve accomplished a lot because I moved step by step with intention. Most of the expats around me? They’d rather hit the beach and order another margarita. And listen there’s nothing wrong with that. But we’re not equally yoked. I’m not adjusting myself just to “fit in.”

So yes, I sit in my accomplishments. I am grateful. I sit in my solitude. I am thankful. And I keep elevating higher, because that’s my calling. If that looks intimidating, or even breeds jealousy, that’s not my burden to carry. I’ve already carried enough. Haven’t you? Read More Here…