Woman drowning in debt sells her longtime home — and ends up rebuilding her life on a cruise ship

A New Jersey woman in her 60s knew something in her life had to change, but she did not expect that realization to take her across oceans. Sue Barr, a longtime photographer and single mother, recently shared how "overwhelming" debt and a changing sense of purpose led her to sell the home she had lived in for nearly two decades and eventually to live and work on a cruise ship. In a first-person essay written for Business Insider, she explained that after her son, now grown, moved to Orlando, something changed.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, she said, "All I wanted to do was travel, but I couldn't get out from under it. Every time I had a little extra money, it wasn't enough to actually make a dent. It felt like playing whack-a-mole." At one point, Barr managed to save enough money for a trip to Costa Rica. But before she could go, her furnace broke, and the funds she had set aside went toward repairs instead. Despite the disappointment, Barr realized "it was time to sell the house." However, she couldn't figure out what came next. While trying to imagine a different future, Barr thought of a friend who worked as a sommelier on cruise ships. "They seemed to have the life I craved," she told the Daily Mail.

Around the same time, she began seeing cruise ship job postings online. "My algorithm took over, and suddenly Master Photographer roles started appearing in my feed. So I applied," she said. She was soon offered a contract as a master photographer on a premium luxury cruise line, a role that would take her across multiple continents. To qualify, she needed a Seafarer Certificate, which required extensive medical tests and functional exams. "It was humbling, but I passed," she wrote. Not long after, Barr found herself boarding a flight to Sydney, Australia, to begin her contract. In the first six months, she said she visited three continents and began feeling physically and mentally healthier than she had in years.

"For the first time in decades, my smile came without hesitation," she wrote. Still, Barr was candid about the downsides of life at sea. In a separate first-person essay shared with PEOPLE, she described working "relentless hours" under "tight deadlines," noting that "guest satisfaction came at the expense of crew well-being." Barr also described the work itself as less creative than she had imagined. Despite the challenges, Barr said that without a home to maintain, her largest expense disappeared. Room, board, and food were provided, and while the pay was modest, her spending dropped dramatically. "If you need financial stability, can live small and don't mind giving up control, it can be a viable reset," she told the Daily Mail.

That kind of major shift, especially later in life, has been shown to improve emotional well-being for many people. A 2018 study published in The International Journal of Aging and Human Development shows that those who successfully pursue a meaningful new direction often experience more positive emotional outcomes, including greater happiness and reduced stress, when they have the agency to make the change and enough resources to support it. Looking back, Barr said selling her home allowed her to let go of more than just debt. "It was never the things, only the memories," she wrote. "I had let go of everything that once held me back." "What I gained was freedom," Barr added, "the freedom to create, to travel and to smile freely again, with my camera as my ticket forward."

More on Scoop Upworthy

Couple decides to spend their retired life on a cruise ship: 'It's cheaper than a retirement home'

This 88-year-old woman traded her home for a cruise ship — and it costs less than a retirement home

Man retires from US Postal Service and pursues his long cherished dream at the age of 56