Every time I see people complaining about their lives, how it sucks so bad, or how messed up their situation is, I cringe a little. People blame life for everything. You got a bad grade at school, you blame life. You didn't get the job you wanted, you blame life. You feel like you should earn more? Guess what, you blame life.
Life, at its core, is simply about survival, but we have grown accustomed to this materialized world where material gains are seen as superior, whereas people who live day by day are seen as inferior. I know this because I was one of them chasing the "American dream", owning cars, saving money for a mortgage, trying to earn as much as I can doing jobs I hate. It was not until I started traveling the world alone that I realized how simple life actually is.
I have been meeting people from around the world, talking about what they do at home, and how they were able to enable such nomadic lifestyles. Here are the stories that will change how you look at life.
1. A French Author
Currently Cycling Around the World
Two months ago, when I was traveling in Johannesburg, I had the opportunity to share a hostel with one of the most inspiring guys I have ever met - a guy I could sit and listen to his stories all day. He is currently cycling around the world from Europe to New Zealand. He shipped his bike to South Africa to continue his journey up the northeastern side of Africa and so on.
I was extremely interested in how he managed to pursue such a feat, so I asked him what kind of career he has back home. To my surprise, his answer was simple: he rented out his house in France. At first, I thought he must have a really big house that earns him a large amount of cash each month, but as I realized and he admitted, it doesn't cost that much to travel the world on a bike. Instead of flying, he bikes for free. Instead of staying in hotels, he either camps out or stays with the locals. He only has to pay for his food.
I was expecting an elaborate answer that requires years of planning and hard work, and as he explained what he does in one simple sentence, I was stunned. Can life get any simpler than this?
2. A Freelance illustrator
Traveling One Country at a Time
During my trip to the Australian outback, I shared a room with one of the best illustrators I know. After learning about what she does for a living, I started to admire her initiatives. She is a self-taught illustrator who, without the help of the education system, strives to make a living doing what she loves most: drawing. Out of school, she started freelancing without taking any corporate jobs, like most people do. Six years have passed, and she has illustrated several children's books, gone on multiple book signing events in several countries, and is currently planning for a big trip to the US.
What I respect most about her is that she simply pursued her dream and strived even when all odds were against her. She sent her resume to countless publishers without receiving a reply for several months before she landed her first job. She has no design degree and yet she persisted. Live by your passion. Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.
3. A Law Graduate
Choose a Country First, Ask Later
While I was on a 4-day safari tour, I met a recent law graduate from Switzerland who decided to come to Africa for volunteer work. I asked her what brought her here, and she simply replied, "I like African music." That's all it takes for her to come to a country. No elaborate planning, no excuses, just a ticket and bam, she is here. We had a few beers together, and as the night went by, she started telling me about Berlin and how it drew her attention. The culture, the art, the music - these are all she needed to have her mind fixated on a city.
What I admire most about her is that even though she is a law graduate, she doesn't mind working in jobs that some people may consider her overqualified for. She wanted to live in Berlin, so she simply took a job as a bartender, and her dream is complete. It is as simple as that.
4. My Take on Simple Life
Trading freedom to earn more? No thanks!
After hearing countless stories like these, I decided to do something about my life. I quit my job and decided to work on my own terms, running BucketListly and occasionally doing freelance work along the way. Even though the first few months of being unemployed were tough as I was earning less money than before, I realized I didn't actually need that much money to survive in the first place. I reassessed my life and cut back on unnecessary costs such as Starbucks and commuting, to a bare minimum. To my surprise, I was able to save more money than I previously could. I live a simpler life and, in turn, have more money to spend on what I am actually passionate about: travel.
What You Can Take From This:
From observation and personal experiences, I have come to a conclusion that the modern society is the reason why our lives seem so difficult. We are always striving to earn more and more money. There's never enough in this surplus society, and that's what is driving us crazy.
Take a step back from society and look at it with a fresh pair of eyes. Why are we working at a job we hate? To earn more money? Why do we have to earn more money anyway? Does more money make our lives better? Does it make us happier?
Time is the only monetary worth spending, and if you spend all that time trying to earn more money, then what's left for you to spend on? Your time is gone, and you will never get it back.
Life is as simple as you make it to be.
Further Reading for Inspiration
Looking for more articles to help inspire you to travel more? Here are some articles you might like:
- Hiking to the Everest Base Camp is one of the most memorable epic moments of my life. Here's a long-read piece about my experiences hiking the Everest Base Camp: On My Way To Everest Base Camp.
- Ever wondered what it's like to travel the world on a third-world passport? Check out: Traveling The World On A Third World Passport.
- Here's why I always celebrate turning a year older with a hike: Climbing Kilimanjaro On My 33rd Birthday.
- Are you currently planning a trip around the world and looking for cheap countries to visit? Here are the 13 Cheapest Countries To Visit in the World.
- Traveling in Europe can be cheap, really cheap. These are the 12 Cheap European Countries to Visit.
- Looking for the most beautiful travel blogs to follow? Here are the 24 Most Beautiful Travel Blogs to Follow.
- For adventurers and backpackers out there, here are the 10 Best Adventure and Backpacking Blogs You Should Follow.
- I truly believe we need more Asian representatives in the English-speaking travel blogging industry, especially for blogs about Asia. Here are the Top 10 Kick-Ass Asian Travel Bloggers To Follow.
- Did you know that you can travel without leaving your couch? Here are the 8 Great Travel Books You Should Read.
- For the best travel videos to inspire you to travel even further, here are the 20 Most Creative Travel Videos of All Time.
- If you are looking for travel vloggers to follow on YouTube that aren't cringeworthy, check out: 10 Best Travel Vloggers to Follow On YouTube.
- The best way to improve your photography skills is to learn from the best. Here are the 10 Best Photography YouTube Channels to Follow.
- A photo is worth a thousand words. Here are the 25 Most Beautiful Travel Photos I Ever Took From Around The World.
- Ever wondered what it's like to be a travel blogger during COVID-19? Check out: Being A Travel Blogger During COVID-19 - What Is It Like?
- Looking for off-the-beaten-path destinations to visit this year? Check out: 8 Best Off-The-Beaten-Path Destination to Visit.
- Can't travel internationally for the time being? How about traveling in your own country? Here are the 7 reasons why you should travel in your own country.
- To find the most inspirational travel quotes and captions to go with your photos on your Instagram, check out 34 Short and Unique Traveller Quotes for Instagram.
- We often hear bad stories about locals from travelers, but what about the other way around? Here are some of the Notorious Stories of Terrible Backpackers.
- If you lost your bag while you travel, here is how to deal with the situation: My Bag Was Stolen In Germany.
- Have you ever felt that you do not belong in a place you were born in? Read this: Where Is Home? - My Quest In Search Of Where I Belong.
- People often preach about how important it is to live in the moment, but sometimes, that may not be such a good idea. Here is The Problem With Living In The Moment.
- Want to embark on your first solo trip but not sure where to go? As a long-time solo traveler, here are my favorite places based on real experiences: 10 Incredible Travel Destinations for Solo Travelers.
- Solo traveling is not for everyone, and even though I love it to death, it is not always flowers and sunshine for solo travelers. Here are the 10 Things I Hate Most When Traveling Solo.
- Travel friends come and go, but that may not be such a bad thing. Here's why you should embrace your travel friends: A Life Of Brief Encounters.
- Hiking is life. Here's why: One Year Of Incredible Discomfort - 10 Things I've Learned From Climbing Mountains.
- Here's why having no plan is the best plan: Magical Things Happen When You Have Nothing To Do - The Art of Doing Nothing.
- Want to know why I chose to travel alone? Read this: We Travel Alone, NOT To Be Alone.
- For a meaningful solo trip, you need to share it with someone. Here is why Happiness Is Only Real When Shared.
- Traveling is no longer for the rich. Here is why: "People Think I'm Rich".
- The Himalayan Mountain is one hell of a teacher. Here are the 7 Life Lessons The Himalayas Taught Me.
- Want to travel alone but scared that you might get bored out of your mind? Here is How to Enjoy Yourself and Have Fun While Traveling Alone.
- Want to start traveling solo too? Here is What It's Like to Travel Alone.
- Here is a simple story on how I started traveling: F*ck It, I'll Do This Alone.
- For more inspiring articles like this, visit my Inspiration page.
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6 Comments
Solid article bro. I am currently trying to pay off my first house so that I can rent it out and travel. Thanks for the great article!
Love this! I'm with ya :)
I wish more people can travel in order to get this refreshing perspective on life! I do find that my life sucks when I am not traveling... It is only when I travel that my mind lights up and I just can't help but feel that this is my purpose in life. There is no greater joy than experiencing life by going out there, exploring the unknown, and meeting amazing people from all walks of life on the way.
Great post, Pete.
Good stuff Pete, this feels like a healthy and sane bitchslap from life itself :) I'll keep this one close to read every now and then, as it's an excellent reminder that life truly is what we choose to make of it. Thanks mate.
Your post change something on mind.