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Lifestyle Design: Taking the Narrow Path and Living Off the Grid

Alternative lifestyle design

What it actually means to live off the grid :

Living off the grid is relative depending on whom you ask. But it all boils down to an alternative lifestyle from the daily grind. When I found Tim Farris book “the 4-hour work week” 5 years ago, I was sold. I knew alternative lifestyles existed but I had never had anyone properly document the happening in a book. That’s when my journey began. I had only 3 requirements, freedom of time, location and cash flow.

Now… Implementation is a different animal. The process of transition tests every element of your being, mental strength, believe system, maturity in your spiritual walk. Remember you are going against the grain and taking the very narrow path of life. Which is more desirable, full filling and purpose driven but at a high cost. It’s the strength of your convictions that will keep you going until you get to a place of peace and enjoyment.

How to determine whether it’s a good choice for a you:

Most people, who live off the grid, have an inner longing of experiencing life in a different way compared to the norm. They know there is more, even if they may not know how to get there. They know it’s possible to live a full-filled purposed driven life verse the daily grind.

How
 to go about it:

The best way to go about the process is to find your “WHY”. Is it to spend time with family, to travel the world or start your own business. Your ‘WHY” will help you stay the course when you encounter resistance. For example my “WHY” was to have freedom of time, location and cash flow using my purpose. These are still the 3 filters I use to consider business opportunities that come my way.

You have to create a transitional and sustainable plan of action based on your “WHY”. Where to live, how to live, what will you do with your new found freedom of time and location, what career path or business opportunities are you willing to accept in order to sustain the new lifestyle. Locating likeminded people for support, accountability and mentorship makes the process easier.

What it’s like to live off the grid:

Some people feel a sense of freedom and accomplishment. I call it “heaven on earth” experience. Where you live your life based on the things that are important and full filling to you.

The positives:

From personal experience, the quality of life improves dramatically since you are feeding your hearts desires. You prosper in your mind, body and soul. After a certain point, others will want what you have but they may not willing to pay the price. The price being crazy faith, discipline and taking massive action towards the lifestyle you have chosen.

The negatives:

It can be lonely especially if your circle of friends is still living life the traditional way. While you can jump on a plane on short notice for an unlimited time, most of your friends have to ask for a vacation ahead of time and have a minimum of 2 weeks a year. That’s quite disturbing.

The reality of determining your purpose becomes vital. If you have the time, money and freedom of location, you should know your life’s purpose otherwise, doing the wrong things may lead to doubt, fear and boredom.

 What a person might miss from ordinary life:

Surely if you have the desire to go through the transition process and succeed, it’s unimaginable to miss ordinary life. Once you find a better way of doing things, you can’t imagine how you survived doing thing wrong for so long. For example, I choose to remove TV from my life thus freeing up time to be creative and reducing the negative intake drastically. My rule of thumb is simple; whatever I do must be purposeful and contributing to my overall goal. Anything that takes away from the goal is destruction.

What a person 
might *not* miss !

The personal growth that takes place during the transition to “living off the grid” is worth all the effort. You have now trained yourself to think outside the box and live a life of fulfillment and purpose. No more working on someone else’s schedule or having a cap on your income because someone else said so. You are in the driver’s seat, in command of how much you want to earn and how much you want to be involved in your life’s purpose.

Do you live off the grid or live an alternative lifestyle from the norm?

Share your story, comments and questions below.

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