I gave up my dream career in NYC to move abroad without a stable job. I miss my old life but don't regret leaving.

I relocated to Florence after living in New York City for eight years. Justine Golata

Less than a year ago, I left everything I knew in the US — job security, friends, and financial stability — to start over in Italy.

For five years, I worked in New York City as a culture writer, my dream career . I'd always wanted to climb the corporate ladder, but the higher I got, the more my identity became intertwined with my job title.

The issue is that not all of my life goals were work-related, so in the fleeting moments between filming TV segments and attending meetings, I wondered when I'd find the time to do things like learn a new language or experience a different culture.…