I just want freedom from the 9-to-5

I frequently tell people that my dream is to be job-free; shortly, when we move into the van, that desire will become a reality, and I couldn't be happier. However, whenever I disclose this, I am met with shock, judgment, or the standard response: "But everyone has to work; that's just how life is."

I do not agree. I don't believe life is designed to be about working ourselves to exhaustion in order to survive. We're trained to accept jobs that exhaust us, even if they threaten our health, and to keep going until we can't anymore. If we're lucky, we'll reach retirement age an age that's steadily increasing only to discover that our health has worsened, preventing us from enjoying the time we were urged to wait for. That does not sound like life to me.

I understand that bills must be paid, and that we require shelter and necessities, but I refuse to make work the center of my existence. If I can discover a way to live simply where I work less or not at all, you can bet I'll go that route.

I was not always this way. I used to work quite hard and even took joy in it. But something changed inside me over time. It was not an immediate discovery, but rather a gradual awakening over the last five years. I began to question everything society implanted in me. Is this what I actually want? Is this actually the only way? What if I choose to opt out?

I began to seek more time, recognizing how short life is. I witnessed how our consumer-driven culture promotes unending spending, trapping us in a loop of working simply to acquire items we're told we need, but do we? True pleasure does not stem from gaining more. It's in the small, ordinary moments: the first sip of coffee, the sun's warmth on your skin, watching the dawn, laughing with a loved one. That is what matters.

Simply look at that vista. The way the clouds float above the water is magnificent. I could look at it for what seemed like forever. Isn't this what life is all about? Are you taking in the weight and beauty of these moments?

I've realized that many of the rules we live by are essentially constructs, things we've been taught to do but don't have to. If they make you happy, that's great. I'm so happy. But for some of us, these rules do not apply, and we should not feel constrained by them. We have the right to examine, reinterpret, and forge our own path.

Some may view my renunciation of traditional labor as laziness or a lack of vital skills. That is OK. People are allowed to think whichever they wish. But I refuse to live a life that doesn't seem right. I'd rather face judgment than spend my life pretending everything is OK while suffering from severe sadness.

To be honest, life feels heavier as I get older. Things that should be simple getting out of bed, taking a shower, going to work, and managing daily responsibilities can feel impossible. Discovering that my brain processes differently than what is deemed "normal" has helped me be more compassionate toward myself, but it does not eliminate the difficulty.

I've previously discussed my struggles with mental health, but to be really honest: I've been in some quite dark places. Sometimes I didn't want to keep going. I can't go back there. I will not. And at this point, this change this commitment to embrace a different way of life is more than a desire; it is a need.

A recent health issue served as my final wake-up call. Sitting with the uncertainty of test results while working in a workplace rife with disease and grief made it evident that something needed to happen.

This is more than a fantasy; it is a matter of survival. I have to choose a new road.
And I need to make it happen soon.

When we transition into life with Dolly, we’ll be turning everything upside down but in the best way. I truly believe that this shift in how we live will bring more joy to both of us. We’ll work when we need to on farms, at campsites, in hostels, wherever we can find short-term jobs to sustain the journey.

Work will no longer be an endless grind but something we do in bursts intense when necessary, followed by long stretches of rest, adventure, and joy.

If I stumble upon work that genuinely excites me, I’ll embrace it. But I’m not rejecting work for the sake of it, I’m choosing a life centered around happiness. If I find that fulfillment through a job, great. But more often, I find it elsewhere: on long walks, snorkeling , painting in nature, or playing cards.

I know this mindset might feel uncomfortable, it did for me for a long time. We’re conditioned to accept exhaustion, burnout, and struggle as normal. Society pushes us toward milestones we may not even want having kids because it’s expected, upgrading to a bigger house with a crushing mortgage, chasing promotions that steal our time. Saying, “Actually, I think I’ll pass” isn’t encouraged. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it.

I understand that walking away from a job overnight isn’t realistic for everyone. I’ve been in debt, I’ve faced financial uncertainty. I still have a bit to pay off before we move into Dolly. But we’re taking steps to free ourselves.

We’ll be cutting expenses, letting go of unnecessary spending fewer streaming subscriptions, no shopping for things we don’t truly need. Instead, our money will go toward fuel, food, and staying warm the essentials.

Because at the end of the day, this is about something bigger: experiencing the world while we still can.

I won’t rule anything out, maybe a decade from now, I’ll look back and wonder what I was thinking. But in this moment, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m exactly where I need to be. That choosing a simpler life, prioritizing joy, and stepping away from societal expectations that don’t align with me is the right path.

Thank you

EL!!!h