Today we’d like to introduce you to Grizel Ubarry.

Hi Grizel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
During my early college years and after graduation, I worked in the nonprofit sector. I eventually became the CEO of a community-based service organization in Newark, NJ. From there, I transitioned into government for several years, working both in New York City and New Jersey. I found government a bit constraining. So, I chose to start a consulting practice with a niche in community development. My goal was to continue working in economically depressed communities, facilitating the work of nonprofit organizations in rebuilding neighborhoods using every possible tool for change. I always saw myself as a change agent and advocate for social causes. Assisting organizations become more sustainable by planning for a future that includes the communities they serve has been extremely gratifying for me. A comprehensive approach that supports basic community needs such as affordable housing, small business lending, commercial corridors, and job creation combined with social services has proven to be an effective model in rebuilding neighborhoods. Helping organizations built their infrastructure, plan strategically, mentor and strengthen their boards and staff leadership ensures there will always be institutional anchors in low-income communities. These activities became the focal point of my work, allowing me to become an expert in community development and nonprofit management from 1985 to 2023. Thirty-eight years in the business was an important milestone for me to reach and the right time to let go. I yearned to explore a new chapter in my life once I reached my 70th birthday. The pandemic was a helpful push. It gave me time to start a plan to close my business and explore other passions. By coincident, in 2020, same month and year as the start of the pandemic, I started a blog (Limitedlimitlessliving.com) encouraged by many who have seen my stories and photos on Facebook. I wanted to be more creative in the next phase of my life and so a blog would help build a discipline to be more creative. Photography is something I have always loved doing. Combining it with storytelling interest me. My desire for traveling was also continuously on my mind, not feeling I had done enough. Why not become a nomad for a couple of years embarking on a self-journey? Stuff I mostly daydreamed about. I had 3 ½ years to make this work. I had gradually reduced my business already impacted by the pandemic. I handled fewer clients each year, with the last two ending July 2023. During the same period, I began downsizing 50 years of accumulating stuff to prepare to sell my home. Next step was to organize my finances. Then, plan out all the details that go with living abroad, recognizing I will be homeless the week my house closes in July 2023. Before embarking on traveling internationally, I spend 6 weeks in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, a bucket list summer dream. Presently, I am in Egypt having spent 10 months traveling through many of Mexico’s vibrant cities., three months in Italy, a month in London and a month in several middle eastern cities. I plan to continue my travels through the month of September 2024, returning to New Jersey to be with family and friends for a two-month break. By December 2024, I plan to leave for South America and then to Europe in the spring for a second year. After that, I should have more clarity about where I want to live and what I truly want to do next.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Planning anything beyond a year requires some discipline. It also requires dealing with anxiety and uncertainty. You do feel the pressure of so many details in determining what comes first and how best to do it. After the second year, I was on a mission to stick to my plan and on January I took a one-week trip to a resort in Mexico to clear my mind, reflect and rewrite what was a sketchy plan into something more detailed with timelines. Selling my home was hard. I truly loved living there. But, the home was too big. It was time to move on. The fear of a recession after the pandemic was also a motivating factor in selling. Downsizing for baby boomers is almost a crisis in itself. We become so emotionally attached to stuff. I was committed to getting rid of 50 %, storing only what was most important to keep while trying to visualize what my new life was going to look like. My finances were in good shape having started investing early on in my career as a small business owner. Unless the stock market hit bottom, I had nothing to be concerned about. Once a closing date was set, the pressure really comes on. I now had to vacate the property while handling all the relocation details and transitioning my two last remaining clients. There has many hiccups along the way but done have been catastrophic. Once you jumped on that plane there were sleepless nights as you begin to feel alone having separated yourself from your home, business and eventually your friends and family. In the beginning, I missed everything and did feel a bit isolated, not having a daily routine while trying to adapt to a foreign country and learning to be a nomad.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My six-week hiatus in New York offered me some planning time to think and explore what I like to do next within the creative space. I know I wanted to b continue to be a content creator. However, building and managing the blog was not the only thing I planned to pursue. What else is out there that I could consider and how do I prepare for a more purposeful life with the goal of inspiring others to do the same. Frankly, the word retirement is not part of my vocabulary or mindset. I view these two years of travel as the best opportunity to explore and engage in several preparatory goals for my next chapter. As I complete my first year on the road I have been working and exploring other opportunities. For the most part I am pleased with where I am, recognizing when traveling there are limitations that get in the way, the biggest one is the lack of time. At the present I am working on the following: 1. Understanding the world of blogging and how it is continually changing. Besides educating myself about Blog technology, I have already made significant changes revamping the blog and newsletter format to allow it to be more interactive and not just be limited to stories. I now have two young contractors who are working on improving the efficiency of the website and enhancing the newsletter. How best to monetize the newsletter is second to first building a broader subscriber base which takes time.
2. Next to continue to experiment and practice my photography. Taking courses to further my knowledge of photography. Continuously taking photos, building story themes to write about. Creating various portfolios of my works and entering as many photo competitions as is possible. To date, my photos have been accepted in two exhibitions, one in the UK and in Upstate New York. I
3. Continue to write stories with or without photos that support the topics that I have been promoting on the blog. They are: the experience of traveling solo in my 70s, the world of art and creativity, issues of humanity and sustainability, and living a purposeful life. I am presently working on a photo book on street vendors in different countries as well as the preservation of traditional customs impacted by over tourism and modernization
4. The goal where I have made little progress is applying for grants to do a photojournalist project mostly on issues of humanity and sustainability through my lens as a community development practitioner.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I have relied quite a bit on the internet to engage with colleagues within my various interests. I belong to many photographer networks. They share their experiences and expertise. I have similar networks with bloggers who I admire. I have taken courses. I also join conversation sessions. These sessions are set around themes that interest bloggers and photographers. Keeping up with emails can be difficult at times, as there is quite a bit to read. I don’t have a mentor. I engage with others like me who are trying to figure out how to redefine retirement. All these connections are important to not feeling isolated. Allocating the time to do them all while also planning and exploring your travels while reaching your objectives can be challenging.

Contact Info:

• Website: limitedlimitlessliving.com
• Instagram: grizelubarry.limitlessliving
• Facebook: grizelubarry
• Linkedin: grizelubarry
• Twitter: ubarrygrizel

Image Credits
Grizel Ubarry