Former Podcast Host Trades Clean Energy for Slow Life in Mexico

Kristy Jansen wakes up each morning in Mérida, Mexico to the sound of geckos and birds, feeds overripe bananas to a family of iguanas, and practices Spanish with Mario, her favorite shopkeeper. It's a far cry from her former life building The Optimist Daily podcast and working in the renewable energy industry.

For years, Kristy was the voice behind stories of climate solutions and clean energy breakthroughs. She helped shape The Optimist Daily's podcast into what it is today, hiring team members and covering the environmental victories she believed in deeply.

Four and a half years ago, she left to dive back into renewable energy work firsthand. She wanted to be part of the solution she'd been writing about, to see the clean energy transition from the inside.

But life had different plans. The transition didn't go as expected, and Kristy found herself starting over in Mexico with her husband and their dog Tucker, who appreciates the air conditioning despite the tropical setting.

Now she spends her days taking Tai Chi classes, doing yoga, swimming in her pool, and watching butterflies flit through her indoor-outdoor home. She makes coffee, walks Tucker, reads the news (including The Optimist Daily), and plays Wordle. Time has become "squishy" in the best way.

The shift has prompted deeper questions too. Kristy rejects the term "expat," recognizing herself instead as an immigrant, just like her husband was in the United States. She's learning Spanish, studying local customs, and examining her own privilege in choosing where to live.

The Bright Side

What looks like a setback has become something else entirely. Kristy needed this slowdown after years of pushing forward in demanding industries. The iguanas, the language lessons, the morning walks are all part of rebuilding on her own terms.

She's not done with meaningful work. By year's end, she plans to return to doing something "productive and positive for the world." But this pause has taught her that productivity doesn't always mean busy, and positive impact starts with being present.

Her story resonates because so many of us face unexpected transitions. Sometimes the timing isn't right, the plan falls through, or life simply redirects us. What matters is how we meet those moments.

Kristy is meeting hers with curiosity and grace, learning a new language and culture while feeding fruit to reptiles and letting time feel a little squishy. She's proof that slowing down isn't giving up, it's often exactly what we need to move forward again with purpose.