What if….

What if there was another way to live? What if we didn’t feel the pressure to have an oversized house, excess space, excess belongings, a mortgage to match, a job we don’t really care for, the stress of the daily commute, the pressure to conform, outdo our friends, be on par with unrealistic expectations and ultimately only be a little bit happy?? What if there was a way we could sustain ourselves, to live more simply, with less. Well guess what…there is a way!

For us, the journey thus far has been a very personal one. One that has been shaping up without us really even knowing it, over the course of a few years, perhaps even longer. Having both come from different circumstances (both personal and work) from career jobs, to going out into our own business ventures (in total 3 times for Frank and 4 for me) deciding to sell our last businesses and make a lifestyle change. In our separate lives, we had worked corporate, we had lived city life, country and interstate life and in each of these, we both felt the urge to be off the grid. To be sustainable, free from constraints, open to change, to alternate ways of thinking. In the past couple of years, on our days off, we would wander, sometimes 20km in a day, from place to place, café to café, looking, observing, brainstorming…dreaming. We can do this. We can be the change we want to see in the world. We could be the shift away from being a consumer. We already lived so simply!

So as the Lucy dream was born, built and came to fruition, so did the beginning of our new life. This really is just phase one. Around 80% of our material possessions have been sold or gone to charity. 10% has gone into storage with family and the other 10% is coming with us. You’d be surprised by how little you actually genuinely “need”!!

Lots of people have questioned us and lots of people just don’t quite understand, and that’s ok! We are fine with showering in our sit down tub, we are ok with cooking with minimal bench space, we are ok with slow cooking with fresh produce, to being outdoors, living in a small space with each other and 2 dogs, to having a mobile home and Australia as our backyard. Sounds damn fine to me!

This journey around Australia will no doubt introduce us to some amazing experiences, to people, growth, change and even further determination to continue on our ‘simple life’ journey. I keep saying “when we get back” and we have only really just started this leg of the journey, but, when we get back, we look forward to acquiring some land, a few acres would be ideal. We look forward to loving and cherishing our little piece of mother earth, to having a tiny house (Frank’s dream is for a big yellow school bus!) to have a big veggie garden, grow our own produce, have some chickens, goats and maybe even a pig (who we’ll name Crackle!) to living off our land, off the grid, earning enough money to be comfortable, doing something that we love and believe in. Introducing a beautiful little child into this world, who we can teach the true meaning of life, to love, be loved, appreciate, grow, learn and be thankful. To be creative, enjoy the little things, be healthy and to look after the animals and plants we share this earth with. Not to be greedy, needy, rude and to consume unnecessarily!

I believe it is so important to know yourself, know your limits, what you do and don’t like and to truly know what it is you believe in. Then live that life. Perhaps phase 2 of this dream of ours is further away than we realise, perhaps we won’t have the funds to bring this dream to life just yet and perhaps our busy business minds will keep on running and take us to a new venture before we settle or find the right little pocket of land, but, so long as we hold this dream, we know it will come to life when the time is right, just as Lucy has!

Live your dream, share your passion..

JT xo