Why I Left California to Live the Life I Always Wanted

#slowliving #movingtosweden #simpleliving

For thirty-five years, I was busy earning a living. I'm not sure I ever stopped to make sure that I was doing the things that I loved.

This is the story of the night I sat at my kitchen table in California, did the math on the life I had, and realized I'd be working — exactly as I was — more or less forever. I loved that life. The beach at the end of the street, Big Sur, the redwoods, the whole golden thing. But somewhere inside me was another life I'd never had room for: the writing, the films, the photographs I always meant to make.

So I made a strange trade. I left a beautiful, expensive life for a small, rudimentary one in the Swedish countryside — a 250-year-old house, a dried-up well, water heated on the wood stove, laundry by hand, nights lit by candles. By any measure, I made my life harder.

And it turned out to be the room I'd been looking for all along.

I want to be clear: this is just my story — my numbers, my life, my choice. It isn't a verdict on any country, or on how anyone else should live. Plenty of people couldn't make this trade, and for a long time, neither could I. I'm only telling you what it was like to finally try.

If you've ever felt there was something you were meant to make, and never quite had the room — maybe come spend this quiet hour with me. 🌲

📍 Sweden 🐾 with Fyn & Garbo

🎒 A few things that keep us safe and moving out here:
Global Rescue (travel + emergency):
https://www.globalrescue.com/landing-...

📚 The books I read and talk about:
Factfulness by Hans Rosling
The Nordic Theory of Everything by Anu Partanen

If this was your kind of quiet, subscribe and stay a while. New films every couple of weeks. 🤍

#slowliving #movingtosweden #simpleliving #lifeinsweden #slowlivinginsweden #countrylife #creativelife #cottagecore #sweden #startingover #retriever