8 Things That Have Changed In the 8 Years Since I Moved Back to Kenya

I love an anniversary and the chance it offers to reflect and remember. As I celebrate my recent anniversary of moving back to Kenya, I’ve been thinking about the many ways life has shifted, both externally and internally. It’s wild to realize it’s been eight years already. So here are eight things that have changed since I made the big move home:

1. I’m Less Afraid to Go After What I Want

I care less about what people think and more about what I truly want. Whether it’s going on solo adventures, creating something new, or defining success on my own terms—I’m learning to move through the world with a little less fear and a lot more purpose. I’m not perfect in this, but I can see the change, and it feels good.

I used to have a hard time moving forward if things weren't “just right." Now, I'm getting better at just starting. My Instagram page is a great example of this. Sometimes it’s maybe too sentimental or awkward, sometimes the audio is terrible, and sometimes I get zero likes. But I like making content, and that’s enough. The movement away from seeking approval and towards enjoying the process has been huge.

2. I've Become More Disillusioned With the State of the World

I don't know if the world is actually a worse place or if I'm just more aware of it, but I have spent the last eight years being disappointed—over and over again—by the way leaders have misused their power. I used to closely follow the news, listening to the BBC every day. Now my capacity for taking in what's going on across the world has totally plummeted and I've found myself burying my head in the sand. My goal moving forward is to find a good balance. I don't think I can go back to my previous levels of news consumption, but I want to be informed. I want to care about what's going on in the world and do what I can to contribute positively.

3. I Trust My Expertise

With experience comes clarity. I know what I’m good at, and I’m no longer shy about it. Whether I’m crafting strategy, managing a project, or helping a client find the right words—I know the value I can bring. That quiet confidence didn’t happen overnight, but it’s made me a stronger, steadier version of myself.

Just as importantly, I know what I don’t enjoy or excel at. I’ve gotten better at setting boundaries and saying, “That’s not my strength,” instead of overpromising and underdelivering. This honesty—both with myself and with others—has saved me a lot of stress and helped me build trust in my work relationships.

4. Living Solo and Loving It

My living situation has changed a lot. I’ve had amazing roommates, including my parents, who I moved in with when I first came back. But now I have my own apartment that I adore. As an introvert, having my own space is a real gift. It’s peaceful, grounding, and entirely mine.

5. I Went From a Vague Idea to Running a Real Business

When I moved back to Kenya, I had some fuzzy ideas around the type of the type of business the market needed. Fast forward nearly seven years, and I now run a functioning business with clear services, a defined vision, and even an employee. That still blows my mind a little! I don't know what the future holds, but I know I will always be proud of what I've built.

6. My Hair Is so Much Grayer!

Ah, the visible reminder of passing time! I’ve been graying since my late 20s, so this isn’t a huge surprise—but it’s definitely more noticeable now. I look back at photos from when I thought I was so gray, and I laugh. We spend a lot of time worrying about our appearance and are so often dissatisfied with it in some way or another. It's just not worth our time to think about this because I know someday I'll look back on my current appearance and think I looked like a baby! So I'm trying to celebrate my current face, body, hair color—because we're only getting only getting older, people! Might as well embrace it!

7. I'm Worse at Having a Routine

I feel like I used to be much more disciplined about my routine. Since the pandemic, I have noticed I'm not as good at staying consistent with things like working out, journalling, and phone-free time. I also am not the best with protecting my time and find myself working when I should be resting. The hustle is real, sometimes we need to sacrifice down time for following through our commitments, and there's definitely no way to be perfect at this, but I feel like I have some room to grow.

8. More Travels

One of my goals for my 30s was to visit 10 new countries—and I’ve done it! The vast majority of these were within the last eight years, including Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Iceland, Senegal, Rwanda, DRC, UAE, and Norway. I’m grateful for every experience and every stamp in my passport because it comes with lots of special memories and fun experiences.

So much has changed in the last eight years. Some shifts are visible, others deeply internal; some of them are positive, and some highlight how I need to grow. Moving back to Kenya was one of the biggest decisions of my life, and while it hasn’t always been easy, it’s been rich and rewarding in ways I couldn’t have predicted. I can’t wait to see what the next eight years hold.