I Retired Early and Now Travel the World Staying in Airbnbs

"I was living in Texas and working in oil and gas. As time went on, and the kids left, my job became extraordinarily stressful-to the point that I had to be wheeled out on a gurney through the lobby, hooked up to an EKG. After all those years of feeling like I needed to overachieve, my doctor said my job was trying to kill me."

"Once the job went away, all my stress dissipated and my levels returned to normal."

"I find travel quieter and calmer [than being at home]. I'm attuned to every little thing because it's new and different, so I relax and take it in."

"I love foreign languages and talking to people from different countries."

Burnt out from her stressful corporate job in Texas, Kelly Benthall decided to retire at 53. After consulting a financial advisor, she and her husband Nigel embraced a new lifestyle. Kelly had a limited travel background but became passionate about exploring after accepting every work trip. Now, she finds travel to be a calm and restorative experience. Instead of typical tourist activities, she enjoys the serenity of local cafes and engaging with different cultures and languages, emphasizing a more personal approach to exploring the world.

Read at Travel + Leisure