Elizabeth Perkins Left L.A. for a Farm—and Found Peace There
For decades, Elizabeth Perkins lived the Hollywood life. But about five or six years ago, the beloved actress made a decision that changed everything—she packed up, left Los Angeles behind and moved to a farm in the country. And if you’ve ever felt worn down by the pace of modern life, her reasons just might resonate with you.
Watch Episode 14 right here! ‘What Matters with Elizabeth Perkins: Art, Authenticity & Self-Acceptance’
The moment she knew something had to change
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re running on empty, you’re not alone—and Perkins has been right there too. She’s refreshingly honest about the slow build-up that finally pushed her to make a change.
“You get to a certain age you’re like wow ‘Am I burned out?'” she said. “I think here was a big transition about 15 years ago where I was just like, ‘Okay, you’re tired.'”
That quiet realization didn’t lead to an overnight transformation, but it planted a seed. Over time, she began making different choices about how she wanted to live—and what she was willing to give up to feel better.
“It’s a hustle in Hollywood and I made some big life decisions to kind of take it a little slower,” Perkins said.
It’s a feeling so many of us know well, whether we’re juggling careers, caring for aging parents, raising families or simply trying to keep up. Burnout doesn’t just happen to movie stars. The World Health Organization formally recognized burnout as an occupational phenomenon in 2019, and the conversation about rest, recovery and balance has only grown louder since.
How stress shows up in our bodies
For Perkins, the move wasn’t just about a change of scenery. It was about protecting her health in a deeper way—and she has strong feelings about how stress affects women, in particular.
“I think stress is one of the most aging things in our lives,” she said. “I don’t mean just on the outside, I mean internally.”
She also pointed to something many women have noticed in their own lives or among their friends.
“We process stress as women. There’s been a rise in autoimmune diseases for women,” Perkins said. “And I think it’s about managing your time and leaving room for peace and nature and clean living.”
While the causes of autoimmune conditions are complex and not fully understood, medical experts generally agree that managing stress is an important piece of the wellness puzzle. For Perkins, that means being intentional with her time—and giving herself permission to slow down.
Finding peace in nature and daily rituals
So what does her new life actually look like? Picture wide open spaces, fresh air and the kind of quiet you can really breathe into.
“I live on farm now in the country and that’s been a really good transition for me,” Perkins said. “I left Los Angeles five or six years ago and I think just having that nature and having that time to decompress.”
Farm life has given her something Hollywood couldn’t: built-in moments of stillness. Instead of squeezing peaceful moments into a packed schedule, her days are naturally shaped by nature itself.
She’s also leaned into wellness practices that have helped countless women find their footing.
“I do a lot of yoga and meditation,” she said.
What her story can teach all of us
You don’t need to move to a farm to take Perkins’ message to heart. Most of us aren’t going to uproot our lives overnight—and we don’t have to. The beautiful thing about her story is that the principles behind it can fit any life, any budget and any stage.
Managing your time. Leaving room for peace. Stepping outside. Choosing rest when your body asks for it. These are small, doable shifts that add up.
Maybe it’s a 10-minute walk after dinner. Maybe it’s a few quiet minutes of meditation before the house wakes up. Maybe it’s simply saying no to one more obligation so you can say yes to yourself.
Perkins hasn’t walked away from her career—she’s just restructured her life so that her work no longer crowds out the things that matter most. And in doing so, she’s protecting not just how she feels today, but how she’ll feel in the years to come.
“Stress is one of the most aging things in our lives,” she said—a gentle reminder that the way we live shapes the way we age.
It’s wisdom worth holding onto.
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 6:30 PM.