About the Better Living Quest
Welcome to Better Living Quest.
We are the Woods family—a husband and wife team with five kids, originally from Oregon and the Philippines. For much of our lives we’ve lived abroad, in places like Thailand, Mexico, Korea, Japan, China, and Saipan. In 2013, our daughter was born in China, and later that same year we returned to the United States after many years overseas.
In 2021, we settled in Arizona, where we spent the next four years. For two of those years, we lived fully off-grid—building our own solar-powered systems, learning self-reliance, and exploring the challenges and rewards of sustainable living. After that, we spent about a year and a half splitting our time between the property and a small place in town.
It was a time of growth, but it also took a toll on my health. Our time in the U.S. made it clear that the foods available and the fast pace of life were making it harder to recover and reset. That’s why we made the decision to come to the Philippines for a long stay—close to family, closer to healthier food choices, and with the space to step back and rebuild. This isn’t our final destination, but one step in a longer journey.
What is the Better Living Quest?
The Better Living Quest is our family’s commitment to rebuilding in three areas:
- Physical health – learning to eat, move, and live in ways that restore strength and energy.
- Mental health – building routines, resilience, and balance as we homeschool our kids and navigate life abroad.
- Financial health – creating long-term stability through simple living and meaningful work we can carry with us wherever we go.
What You’ll Find Here
This site is where we share our journey—our experiences, experiments, and reflections as we try to live more intentionally. You’ll find stories from our travels, lessons learned from homeschooling, practical insights into health and self-reliance, and honest reflections about the struggles along the way.
We’re not promising quick fixes or polished perfection. This is about the long road, the everyday steps toward better living, and the willingness to learn in public.
Why We’re Sharing
Our hope is that by documenting our journey, others might find encouragement for their own. Whether you’re looking to reset your health, simplify your lifestyle, or explore what life could look like beyond the ordinary path, we invite you to walk with us on this quest.