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Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, 38-year-old Intan Syazlin Diana was living a life many Malaysians would consider a dream.
Like many, she worked hard to build the ideal city life of owning her dream car, living in a comfortable home in Damansara, and earning a steady income along the way.
Her life largely revolved around chasing goals, building a career, and staying productive. Weekdays were filled with work, while weekends were spent catching up with friends and family or simply enjoying the city she had always known.
It was one that looked complete on the outside, but seemingly the opposite on the inside.
A career-driven life that never slowed down
At the time, Intan was working as an insurance agent while her husband was a property agent.
Both of them were deeply focused on their careers, with most of their days packed with meetings, site visits, and client appointments.
Even outside of work, our minds rarely switched off. There was always something to plan, follow up on, or improve.
“It was productive, but also a phase where we were constantly busy and always moving,” she shared.
Financially, Intan and her husband were doing well, where their combined household income was close to RM200,000 a year and they lived comfortably in a condominium in Damansara
Spending was shaped by convenience and they rarely had to think twice about day-to-day expenses.
“I finally got to enjoy the results of my hard work. But at the same time, life felt very full yet always in motion.”
A simple conversation that changed everything
In 2022, during a casual weekend at a coffee shop in The Curve, Intan’s husband said something that would eventually change their lives.
I feel like going back to the kampung to take care of my mother.”
While most would reconsider or protest the suggestion, Intan replied with a “Let’s go” without any hesitation.
But as the reality of that decision settled in, she began to reflect more deeply on what it would mean.
“I was scared. Scared that I wouldn’t be able to cope with a completely different lifestyle as I knew that leaving KL meant more than just moving.
“I was also afraid of losing the identity I had built as a career-driven woman and the life I had worked so hard for,” she admitted.
While the idea of moving had already been discussed, one particular incident made the decision feel urgent.
“During a visit back to the kampung, my mother-in-law shared that a snake had entered the house while she was alone.
“The incident happened during heavy rain, and there was no one else around to help. When I heard her story, my heart just sank.
“My first instinct was to ask why my mother-in-law never contacted me or my husband, but I realised that even if she did, we were 400km away and could do nothing to help,” she recalled.
The incident made Intan realise that while she and her family were living in comfort in KL, her mother-in-law was all alone in dealing with her worst fears—and it just didn’t sit right with her.
Letting go of life as she knew it
The transition was not easy, especially when it came to letting go of things she had worked years to achieve.
One of the biggest changes for Intan was selling her Mercedes, something she had dreamed of owning for a long time.
“It wasn’t just a car to me. It was something I had worked so hard for. To settle the loan, I had to personally top up around RM25,000. The house also took about a year to be sold off after more than 20 viewings.
“So letting them go wasn’t just a financial decision. It was an emotional one too.”
After moving to the kampung, Intan saw her household income drop by more than 70%. Naturally, this meant major changes in spending habits and intentional deliberation behind every decision.
We went from having a more stable and comfortable financial flow to being much more mindful about our spending. Every decision had to be thought through.”
“That was when I realised this wasn’t just a physical move. It was a complete overhaul in how we live.”
Adjusting to a slower pace
The first year was not an easy transition as Intan and her husband found themselves returning to KL almost every month.
Looking back, Intan believes those trips were a way of coping.
“Maybe at that time, we couldn’t fully adjust yet, and a part of us was still holding on to our old life.
“One of my biggest personal adjustments was becoming a stay-at-home mother. There were days where I felt like I lost my sense of identity because so much of who I was before was tied to my work.”
Today, her days look very different, as she begins her routine as early as 5am by reading the Quran and performing Subuh prayers, before exercising later in the morning around 7.30am to 8.30am, either lifting weights in her small gym set-up in the storeroom or going for a brisk walk or jog by the sawah.
On most days, Intan joins her husband at their backyard farm feeding the chickens, geese, and ducks together.
By midday, she prepares meals, spends time reading, and waits for her 6-year-old daughter to return from school. Afternoons are slower, often filled with simple moments with her children, from reading together to just being present.
In the evening, the family heads outside again to tend to the animals and enjoy some time together. Dinner is usually followed by Maghrib and Isyak prayers, with some quiet family time before the day winds down.
By 8.30pm, her children are already asleep and the house settles into a calm stillness, something she has come to appreciate in this slower, more intentional life.
“Compared to my life in KL, it feels more present, slower, and peaceful,” she remarked.
Redefining success and what truly matters
Looking back, Intan does not see the move as a sacrifice, but a deliberate choice from her end.
She also added that it has also changed how she defined success.
“In the past, success was all about my career and stability. But now, it’s about whether the choices I make bring peace into our lives and to our loved ones, in our case, my mother-in-law.”
“For me, living debt-free isn’t just about numbers. It’s about peace of mind. For the first time, I felt like I could breathe easier and live more intentionally, without constantly worrying in the back of my mind.”
I only truly understood what freedom means when I was no longer tied down by monthly commitments and financial pressure.”
After three years, there are still things Intan misses about KL, such as being close to family and friends, as well as how easy it was to meet people anytime.
Despite this, she does not miss the constant rush she once experienced back then.
“Over time, I’ve come to appreciate this slower pace of life. It feels less rushed, more present, and more intentional and that’s something I’ve grown to love.
For those who feel stuck in a life that looks good externally but feels different internally, she has one simple advice:
“Listen to that feeling. Sometimes we stay in a lifestyle that looks good on the outside, successful and stable, but deep inside, something just doesn’t feel right. It’s important not to ignore that voice.”
“Because life is not just about how things look to others, but how it feels to you when everything is quiet.
“You don’t have to make big or sudden decisions. Just give yourself space to reflect honestly: what feels heavy and what truly feels like you? Slowly, you’ll start to see what needs to change, even if it’s small at first.”
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