The Liberation of Leaving Everything Behind

Earlier this year, my partner and I decided to get rid of everything we own, including our house and all the stuff inside. The rule was simple: if we couldn't carry it with us (a couple of backpacks and suitcases), it would be sold or donated. While intimidating at first, it was actually quite liberating.

We made this leap to prioritize a life of adventure and unconventional experiences: early retirement, world travel, arts and culture in every corner of the globe. Life is short and temporary, so instead of being defined solely by productivity and work, we chose connection. In other words, we wanted options.

The initial plan was to move overseas, but we made a small pit stop in Nova Scotia, where we currently reside with plans to leave sooner than later. Of course, we needed a few essentials like furniture, but the temporary nature of our stay has made us more thoughtful in our approach. For example, I'm a huge book lover who used to have thousands of volumes in my library. Currently, I only have three in my possession (I'm reading them all right now). My new rule: I can only buy a book if I'm truly going to read it. When finished, I gift it to someone else.

It got me thinking: what if we applied this general approach to other areas of life? If we knew we had a deadline (say, we'll only be here for a year or two) would we accumulate fewer things? Would we care less about material objects and use our resources like time and money to focus on experiences instead?

The inverse applies to systems too. If governments want to create policies that truly leave a legacy, why not focus on long-term solutions instead of temporary patches that expire quickly?

Living like a temporary resident, even in a place you might stay longer, changes everything.

And if you feel just like a tourist in the city you were born
Then it's time to go and define your destination
There's so many different places to call home.
-Death Cab for Cutie