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Why Do I Love Costa Rica So Much?

(The Answer I Finally Have After 2 Months Back)


People ask me this question all the time:“Why do you love Costa Rica so much?”

For years, I’ve stumbled through half-answers.“The nature.”“The beaches.”“The lifestyle.”

They were all true — but incomplete.

Now that I’ve been back in Costa Rica for two months, the answer is finally clear. And it has very little to do with the scenery (though, yes, it’s breathtaking).


It’s the Feeling of My Nervous System Settling


The simplest, truest answer?

My body feels safe here.

Not in an intellectual way. In a nervous-system, exhale-you-didn’t-know-you-were-holding kind of way.

The moment I arrive, something softens. My shoulders drop. My breath deepens. My thoughts slow down. It’s as if my system remembers a rhythm it forgot existed.

Costa Rica doesn’t rush you. And over time, you stop rushing yourself.



A sunset on the beach in Costa Rica.
A sunset on a beach in southern Costa Rica.

Pura Vida Isn’t a Slogan — It’s a Value System


“Pura Vida” gets printed on mugs and t-shirts, but here it’s lived.

It means:

  • Life before productivity

  • Connection before convenience

  • Presence over pressure


People don’t ask, “What do you do?” as their first question. They ask how you’re doing — and they actually wait for the answer.

There’s a collective understanding that being alive is already enough.


Slow Living That Actually Feels Human


Life here unfolds at a pace that honors the body.

Meals are slower. Conversations are longer. Days are shaped around sunlight, ocean tides, and shared moments — not endless notifications.

Instead of squeezing life into the cracks between obligations, life is the main event.

And over time, you start to remember:

  • Rest isn’t lazy

  • Slowness isn’t falling behind

  • Presence isn’t wasted time


Caring About What Actually Matters


Costa Rica has a way of clarifying priorities.

Here, what matters is:

  • Health

  • Community

  • Family

  • Nature

  • Well-being


Not perfection. Not hustle. Not constant growth for growth’s sake.

There’s an unspoken agreement to take care of one another — to look out for neighbors, check on friends, and make sure no one is left behind.

That kind of collective care does something profound to the nervous system.


Clean Air, Clean Food, Clearer Mind


It’s impossible to ignore how deeply the environment affects how you feel.

The air is clean. The food is fresh and simple. Much of what you eat is grown nearby. There’s less processing, less artificial stimulation — and you feel it.

Your digestion improves. Your sleep deepens. Your mind quiets.

It’s not a detox in a dramatic sense — it’s a return to baseline.


Waving at Strangers & Instant Camaraderie


People wave here. They say hello. They acknowledge one another.

And while that may sound small, it’s not.

Those micro-moments of recognition send a constant message to your body: You belong. You’re seen. You matter.

Community here isn’t forced — it’s woven into daily life.


Why I Host Retreats in Costa Rica


This is exactly why I host retreats here.

Not to escape life — but to relearn how to live it.

My Costa Rica retreats are designed to help you:

  • Regulate your nervous system

  • Reconnect with your body

  • Remember what actually matters

  • Experience true rest — not just time off



Want to Go — But Need Affordable Flights?


I get asked all the time how people afford travel.

I personally use Going to find insanely affordable flight deals (yes, even to Costa Rica). I’m an affiliate because I genuinely use and love it.


✈️ You can find cheap flight deals through Going here: https://going.sjv.io/WqRD2X


Want the Retreat Feeling — Without Leaving the U.S.?


If Costa Rica feels out of reach right now, I’ve got you.


My Oregon retreat offers that same nervous-system reset — nature, mindfulness, community — without international travel.


And right now: It’s 10% off for one more month through Valentine’s Day 💗


This retreat is perfect if you’re craving:

  • Deep rest

  • Nature immersion

  • Connection

  • A reset without needing tons of PTO or travel logistics



Final Truth


Costa Rica isn’t just a place I love.


It’s a place that reminds me who I am when I’m not rushing, proving, striving, or surviving.

And once your nervous system experiences that kind of safety and simplicity — it makes sense why coming back feels inevitable.


Thank you for reading.

💚 Pura Vida

Jordan




*Disclaimers: this post contains affiliate links. AI was used to formulate my chicken scratch, journal notes into something digestible in a timely manner (I take FOREVER to write!)

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