theratracejournal.com

Coming to terms with one’s self is absolutely critical before you can move on into the implementation stage. I experienced a huge influx of emotions from one end of the scale to the other while asking myself what I really wanted and how I truly wanted to live my life. For anyone going through this, you know exactly (more…)

Is it possible to become self-sufficient without trading work for money? Possibly – but unlikely. Yup, I realize that’s a bold statement and it might ruffle the feathers of a few hard-core, minimalist, live-off-the-land types, but I can’t see any way around it.

It’s not that I am missing the true essence of what it means to be free of the system. I would love to find a way to get around the work-for-pay dependency. In fact, I have spent a considerable amount of time in the past year going over every possible scenario with regards to living a life free of the shackles of our modern system. (more…)

My home sits on a 2.42 acre lot, in the country, on a concession road. It is about a 3 hour drive north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. To say that I live in a remote area is an understatement. Still, I do have electricity, telephone service, and my road is plowed in the winter time. Mind you, even though I’m in no-man’s-land, I am still expected to pay property tax (though it’s a fraction of what I’m used to). (more…)

In the spring of 2007, I bought a house.

I began my search as I still occupied a room at my parents place. I knew I needed to get out; it was just a matter of where I wanted to live and whether I was going to buy or rent. I eventually decided that I wanted to purchase my own property (for cash, if possible). Once I had that, I’d have something that no one could take away - no matter what happened. Well, provided I didn’t fall behind on my taxes. (more…)

Before I get into the specifics of how I managed to sustain my lifestyle (and continue to do so), I just wanted to touch on something a little less obvious, but just as important – emotional health.

For anyone considering a move like this, I would first take inventory of your ability to cope with the consequences of your actions. While quitting your job and living on your own terms may sound good in theory, there is a lot to consider. I can tell you that I underestimated how much stress was involved and how hard it was to really break free of the 9-5 mentality. (more…)

January and February of this year seemed to drag on forever. I used this time creatively, however, and mapped out a few things – strategies mainly. It’s not like there was much else to do in the middle of a Canadian winter – what with four feet of snow and -30C temps.

I knew the type of lifestyle I wanted to maintain. I calculated how much per year I would need to fund that meager existence. And, I had a plan to generate enough money to cover my needs.
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The way I saw it, I had two choices: Not work at all and become homeless after my money ran out, or try to find a way to generate a simple income to sustain my simple lifestyle. Keep in mind that holding down a job is not the only way to create an income. It took me a long time to get that into my head – All part of society’s programming, I suppose. (more…)

The two months I spent back at home proved to be invaluable. It provided the time and space I needed to do some serious planning. In fact, it would have been perfect had it not been for the fact that I sensed some resentment among other family members. Yes, I’m sure they thought I was “back home for good” - home to sponge off my parents. Hey, it’s not like I was 20 again. At 46, that would have been weird, and it’s simply not the way I wanted to do things. (more…)

So I thought it would be best to start where I left off last December.

I moved from the city just before Christmas, put my few meager possessions into storage, and went to stay at my parents’ home for a few months. This gave me time to think about my next move.

They live in a very small, quiet town in Northern Ontario – the perfect place to really do some serious thinking, write a novel, or retire. I really valued that time as it was the turning point for me in many ways. (more…)

Leaving the corporate world takes courage and will change your life in ways you couldn’t imagine. Personally, I have learned a great deal about myself during the past 10 months or so. Admittedly, dealing with society’s ridicule and negativity has been a challenge; however, the experience has made me a stronger person for it. (more…)