Should You Change Your Path?

Last Updated on 08/09/2023 by Glynn Willard

Should You Sell it All and Start Your Life Over?

 

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I may not be able to answer that question for you. But I can certainly present you with many of the questions that inspired us to change.

I can only imagine how many people in this world have gotten to the point of frustration in their life.

There are a lot of reasons someone wants to “start over.”

For many, it might just be income or source of income-related. Or your life was shattered by an external event such as COVID.

You’ll also likely recognize signs you’re bored with your life if there are no external forces involved. In other words, you’re on autopilot.

But getting rid of everything and starting over certainly seems more common lately.

COVID may have been the driving force behind our decision, but our desire was there before our life fell apart.

So, ultimately for us, it was never the source or amount of income. In fact, we loved our business.
 

 
So what was it?

Simply put, stuff! We accumulated too much stuff. And I’m also talking about the enclosure to store our stuff… our home.

There was too much stuff and the house was way too big. And we felt like slaves to these things. Originally, we just wanted to downsize and minimize, so we could capitalize on more experiences.

But then life was flipped upside down!

RYJ Takeaways:

 

1. 1. • • We’re putting too much emphasis on the next new thing.

       

      • • Ask yourself if you’re truly happy. If not, what will make you happy?

       

      • • You won’t care about all the junk you bought as you age, but you will cherish the memories from great experiences.

       

      • • The decision to make a change can happen overnight. But you must remain committed to that path to finalize the change.

       

      • • Whether it’s an uncontrollable circumstance like COVID or just a decision, change can take months to years. But take your time and be thorough with
          your decisions.

       

      • • Living below your means will inspire more memorable experiences and less stuff.

       

      • • If you’re not sure whether you’re a nester or not, a short term trip could be a good test. You’ll know after a few months if you should live in a small house or on the road.

       

      • • The less you carry with you, the more flexible you are to enjoy more experiences.

       

      • • Blogs and vlogs are helpful, but hashing out plans with someone you care about was the most helpful. Then executing steps from a list was key.

I Feel Like My Stuff Owns Me!

I’m hearing this phrase a lot more often. We’ve become a very glutenous society. There’s too much emphasis on constantly needing the next new thing.

And this seriously makes me sad. Why do we focus on things that only bring temporary joy that eventually end up in a landfill?

It doesn’t help that technology changes so rapidly and something only a few years old becomes obsolete.

Day after day, you work to pay for the things that are depreciating at a very rapid rate.

It’s a vicious and sad cycle. Why do we feel that we need so much to satisfy our lives? How about putting that money towards experiences instead?

Takeaway: We’re putting too much emphasis on the next new thing.

Are You Happy?

So before selling everything and starting over, let’s ponder that question. Are you really happy?

Seriously, stop and ponder that question. What is it that really makes you happy?

I’m willing to bet, your stuff doesn’t truly make you happy (for long).

There are some valid exceptions to that statement. For instance, if a “thing” is part of a loved hobby, it promotes experiences.

Regardless, do you spring out of bed every morning and say “wow, I feel great! I wouldn’t change a thing!”

I’m sure some individuals have achieved such a status. Although I don’t know any… Perhaps I’m being unrealistic.

But I have to wonder what an endless supply of “stuff” has done to the generation growing up in the last twenty years.

They’ve learned to connect the dopamine spike with new things and constant stimulation.

Have we moved too far away from the sheer pleasure of having less, but doing and socializing more?

Takeaway: Ask yourself if you’re truly happy. If not, what will make you happy?

Have You Figured Out What You Really Want Out of Life?

 

 
I’d be willing to bet the one thing all of us really want out of life are great MEMORIES!

You’ll never lay on your deathbed and think about all the cool stuff you bought. In fact, you probably won’t even remember ninety percent of the stuff you bought!

This is a deep question that requires some real self-reflection.

How self-aware are you?

Until you really know yourself “inside” and “out,” how can you know what you really want out of life.

Fulfilling these answers may require a therapist. And exploring those concepts is beyond this article. But it’s a valid question that fits into the variables that must be considered when deciding to sell everything and simplify.

Takeaway: You won’t care about all the junk you bought as you age, but you will cherish the memories from great experiences.

Will Change Happen Overnight?

You and I both know that change will not happen overnight. But nothing will change if you don’t initiate the first step. And that first step is the decision to change. That, my friend, will happen overnight.

For the longest time, we were intrigued with selling everything and living fulltime in an RV. That thought manifested in 2018. But we were comfortable accumulating our stuff.

So, we watched other families on YouTube execute a life with which we were intrigued. But how do you take two little boys away from a beautiful yard with a gorgeous pool?

They had a great life! But over time, we noticed they began taking it for granted. All the space, the Lego’s, the big TV, etc. I didn’t want them growing up associating things with happiness.

This was the catalyst for the decision to at least downsize.

But how do you let 20 years of work building a business go?

I couldn’t bring myself to just sell it all. Then life flipped upside down… COVID happened! Now we had our “catalyst.”

When you own a semi-private personal training gym, personal training is not something that weathers the shut-down so well. We survived, but it hurt.

The thought to downsize was in our minds two years prior. Now we had a good reason to make a change.

As I write this, we’re in the sixth month of preparing after selling our house. It’s a slow road, but we want to do it right and not make “knee jerk” decisions.

This takes me back to the statement about it not happening overnight. The decision happened over a couple of days. But the changes necessary, have taken six months so far.

And we’re two months away from heading out on our journey of working and schooling from the road.

Takeaway: The decision to make a change can happen overnight. But you must remain committed to that path to finalize the change.

What’s A Good Time Frame for Transitioning?

 

 
Again, this will likely be a different answer for everyone. There are just too many variables.

Now that we’re a good way through the process, I do feel that eight to twenty months is a realistic timeframe. I’m talking about the time from when you make the decision to when you execute the change. Most importantly, don’t rush the process.

Our world is changing daily. This concept of living on the road is fairly new. Therefore there’s less information about the necessary steps.

People have been changing their circumstances to find happiness for centuries, and I bet they would say the same thing.

Make the decision and then don’t rush. But rather take well informed steps toward the change.

Takeaway: Whether it’s an uncontrollable circumstance like COVID or just a decision, change can take months to years. But take your time and be thorough with your decisions.

What are Less Extreme Options?

Before you decide to sell everything and travel, let’s look at some options.

We can look at this from several angles. Again, keeping in mind that less stuff and more memories is the focus. What changes will help inspire this concept?

1. 1. 1. Sell everything and move to a smaller house.
      2. Driving a less expensive car that you own instead of finance.
      3. A different job that you enjoy.
      4. Elimination of crabs (negative people) in your life.

Regardless what direction you take, living below your means is important. That alone forces you to accumulate less stuff.

Takeaway: Living below your means will inspire more memorable experiences and less stuff.

Sell Everything and Travel?

 

 
Selling everything and traveling might work for some, but not everyone.

First of all, not everyone wants to travel for a long period of time. There are plenty of “nesters” out there who just need a small house to call home.

That’s why I spent time figuring out what my family really wants out of life.

Regardless of your decision, there’s risk. How much risk you’re comfortable with is a huge factor. But I pose this question: How much risk is involved in taking the “less risky” path?

The risk of less happiness, fewer memories, fewer experiences, less opportunity to grow as a person, etc. You get the point.

You might think about working from the road for a limited time such as three to six months. This way you can make an informed decision as to whether you’re a nester or someone comfortable moving frequently.

If you buy a used RV that’s already depreciated a lot and then sell it within a year, you’ll likely make back most of what you spent.

Sure, there’s risk. But you won’t be bored and you’ll grow as a person. This can also apply to traveling abroad and working remotely in a foreign country.

Takeaway: If you’re not sure whether you’re a nester or not, a short term trip could be a good test. You’ll know after a few months if you should live in a small house or on the road.

Why Do I Want to Sell Everything?

Do you know that feeling when you go out for a walk and you take nothing with you? It’s sort of a true freedom feeling.

By eliminating everything that’s not essential for a period of time, you’re forced to grow as a person.

Takeaway: The less you carry with you, the more flexible you are to enjoy more experiences.

What Helped Us Along the Way?

Friends, family and clients were the biggest help in taking the steps necessary to reset our journey.

Reading blogs and watching videos was certainly inspirational. We gathered a lot of good tips, but we still had to write this new chapter of our life on our own.

I can’t tell you how many times we just walked together and discussed what direction we needed to take in life. Those conversations were invaluable in our preparation.

If you’re doing this alone, it’s still worth having these conversations with someone close to you.

Lists were another helpful tool in all of the changes. We like to use Google Keep to make sure plans are executed at the appropriate times.

With so many moving parts, a solid logistical plan in place is key.
 

Takeaway: Blogs and vlogs are helpful, but hashing out plans with someone you care about was the most helpful. Then executing steps from a list was key.
 
 

Conclusion

Ultimately, there are two risks to weigh. The risk of never realizing some potentially remarkable memories and growth.

Or the risk of failing by stepping out of your comfort zone.

From my entrepreneurial perspective, failure is not bad. It’s just how we learn and make corrections as we go.

By focusing less on all the stuff we don’t need and more on experiences and social occasions, our memories will be enriched.

Like I said before, we won’t lie on our deathbed smiling about all the junk we possessed. But we will smile about all of the wonderful memories we made.
 
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