This is a guest post from Mary at SimplyForties
Jeff recently contacted me and asked if I would be interested in telling my story in an article for My Super-Charged Life. While hardly a blueprint, if you are also seeking a different way, I hope you get something out of it.
Four or five years ago, I started down the path to a different sort of life. I had a nice house, a good job, lots of friends and an active social life. In spite of all that, I realized I was just coasting along, no longer leading the life I wanted. I started reading, watching, listening and being open to change and the conscious lifestyle movement resonated with me.
After thirty-one years in my small west Texas town I found myself beginning to mentally and emotionally detach from what had ceased to be a fulfilling life. This shift left me feeling like I was waiting for something, I just didn’t know what.
The famous quote by Gandhi, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world”, began to have a whole new meaning for me. I realized that if I wanted to lead a more basic, thoughtful life, I was going to have to stop waiting and take action. I started volunteering locally and making contributions globally. I turned some of my flower beds into vegetable gardens and got some backyard chickens. That helped but I was still leading pretty much the same life.
I began to think about where I would choose to be if I could be anywhere. What I came up with was a little cabin, a few chickens and a garden; in other words, a much simpler lifestyle. I put that out there and things started to get a little weird!
I stumbled across an article on a blog I’d never seen before. The article was about a small farm in southwestern Virginia, which the author had purchased but was not ready to occupy. He was looking for a caretaker. On a whim I sent him an email. He received dozens of applications but, after discovering and reading my blog and realizing we were on the same path, offered me the position.
“In for a penny, in for a pound”, I thought so I put my house on the market and made arrangements to sell the bulk of my possessions. In spite of the soft market I sold my house in three days for above my asking price. Within a month of having read that blog post, I was on the farm, leading a very different lifestyle!
I’ve been on the farm for six months now, with three more months to go before the owner arrives and I am in the wind. Although my income and my social circle has greatly decreased, thanks to technology I have been able to keep working and keep in touch with those of my friends who mean the most to me.
I’m learning a lot about myself since moving to the farm. I am confident that I will be fine wherever I go; that I will be up to the challenges that face me. I miss having people I can call to meet for lunch or catch a movie or go for a drink but there are nice, friendly people everywhere and I’m learning to reach out a little more. I’ve learned that I value free time more than money. I used to dream of a windfall solving my problems. Now my needs are few and all I really care about is being able to pay my basic bills and hopefully put a little away. The main thing I’ve learned is to stop pushing and allow life to happen.
How does anything get done if you stop pushing? It’s not about doing nothing, it’s about deciding where to put your energies. I’m no longer striving for a better job, bigger house, newer car or a bigger bank account. I’m striving to be a better person. That’s hard work. I figure if I can get that one down, the rest will take care of itself!
I don’t know what is going to happen next but I know that it will be the right thing and I’m facing it with a feeling of happy anticipation!
SimplyForties is a 48-year old single mother of a college-aged son who is navigating her way through midlife and documenting it at http://www.simplyforties.com, where she writes about personal finance, relationships, grown children, the environment and social responsibility. She is on an adventure caretaking a small farm in southwestern Virginia and looking forward to whatever life has to offer!
Photo by James Jordan
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Interesting REAL LIFE story of simplicity. It’s a decision of how to live your life. Having a wife and 2 kids I don’t have time to look at living simply, but it’s appealing. The RAT RACE gets old for sure.
.-= Ken´s last blog ..Money Rules: Making More Is Not Enough =-.
Mary, this story reminds me of a trip my 10 year old son and I took a couple of years ago to a youth hostel in southern Wisconsin. The woman who lives there bought the farm a couple of decades ago, and she lives off the land, as well as educates the community about organic farming. I was struck by the peace, the beauty, and the serenity of the place. There is a simplicity there that we in urban and suburban environments have lost, and we would all do well to connect with that simplicity always and often.
.-= Steve-Personal Success Factors´s last blog ..Build Your Life Like Martin Luther King Jr =-.
Thank you for the comments. I am blessed to be in a position to be able undertake this little adventure and I’m thankful for wherever it takes me. Even if you are unable to ditch everything and hit the road like I did, I think everyone can find simplicity in their everyday life and benefit from it. Just focus on doing less and enjoying more! Good luck!
I’m glad I found this blog where I can make more friends.We cant find new and interesting things together