We lived in Seattle for 12 years. Life looked good on paper, but in reality we were miserable.

Sarah Szczypinski with her son and her husband at a Cubs game in Chicago after they moved back.

Courtesy of Sarah Szczypinski

• We moved to Seattle in 2012 because my husband got a high-paying job in tech.
• We spent 12 years in Seattle but never found true happiness.
• We finally moved back to Chicago and are thriving.

We went with the best intentions; that's what we tell ourselves now.

In 2012, my husband and I made the sensible decision to move from Chicago...