Whether you want to live your life with a guy by your side or as an awesome, independent AF female, there are plenty of ways to break free from the rat race and embrace this wonderful life, no 2.5 kids or white picket fence involved.
- Travel the world. From the Eiffel Tower to the beautiful beaches of Bali, there are a million places to explore on this planet. Whether with a partner or solo, there are many ways to accomplish—and thrive—in a nomadic lifestyle. Save money, find odd jobs on the go, work from your laptop, look at international job boards, the list goes on and on. Those who have the will can always make it work. See the world—it’s an amazing one.
- Live with your BFFs forever. Not every woman wants or needs a man in her life. Live with your BFF and have the most awesome life-long relationship ever. You already get along great, you never get jealous of other partners, and your relationship is balanced and healthy. Now with living wills and civil unions, it’s even possible to get these relationships legalized. What’s not to love?
- Adopt lots of furbabies. Who needs a man and a bunch of screaming kids when you can have four-legged fuzzy friends? Meaningful, unconditional love is real when you surround yourself with rescued pups and kitties.
- Single parents can have it all. These days, you don’t need to have a partner to have a kid. It’s not the easiest path, but choosing to be a single mother has been a rising trend recently. Who says babies have to come after men and marriage? If motherhood is where your heart lies, make it happen. You have a lot of love to give to a lucky little boy or girl.
- Start and run your own digital business. Online businesses are all the rage these days. Running your own digital business, whether it’s an online store through Etsy or a scrumptious sounding cooking blog, gives you the freedom to live your life how you please. Think outside the fence.
- Find your island paradise. Forget the cabin in the woods. Did you know that there are supposedly 100,000 islands on the planet? Find your tropical paradise and live the life of coconut dreams. Forever peace and quiet with time and space to do whatever you want? Sounds like heaven… at least temporarily.
- Go off the grid for a while. One of the best ways to escape the rat race is to run in the other direction, perhaps into the woods or on the outskirts of town. Living off the grid and from the land—we’re talking solar powered, garden munching, planet-loving freedom—is an incredibly freeing lifestyle. You’ll embrace the great outdoors and feel great living in harmony with the planet.
- Join an intentional living co-op. A blast from the hippie days, these sustainably-focused communities are littered across the country and are created by and for people with shared values like non-violence, social justice, and cooperation. Communities can vary from ecovillages to commune and can even have a religious focus if that’s your thing. Imagine living and working with a big family that all shares the same values—what a life!
- Hit the road. Buy or rent a camper van, pack some clothes, and start driving! RV lifestyles have made a comeback with the instability of the housing market and people longing for more than just the 9-5 jobs. Cheap and easy to sustain, this lifestyle allows you to see the country and live simply.
- Cut back on material things. Do you really need that white picket fence? The 74” TV? The 17 colors of nail polish and bags of untouched makeup? Declutter your home and your life, move to a smaller place and become a minimalist. You’ll find you’ll have more time to do things you love and will appreciate the few things you do have!
- Dedicate yourself to a cause. Put your skills to use for a worthy cause. Join Doctors Without Borders, the Peace Corps, the Red Cross, or any number of other humanitarian aid groups where you can put that big, beautiful brain of yours to use. Talk about a long life filled with meaningful purpose.
- Become a genius. Commit yourself to education and being an educator. Without those kiddies running around and that hubby to nag, you can get your Bachelor’s, your Master’s, PhD, and so on without having to answer to anyone. Become an expert of whatever interests you and profess that passion to others in a life of academia.
- Live on a boat. This is the closest we can get to being legit mermaids and it’s not as weird as it sounds. Sailboat, yacht, riverboat—there are more options than you imagine. Think beautiful sunrises and sunsets on the water and dolphins swimming in your backyard. Sounds like a fantasy but it’s one you can definitely bring to life.
- Live a double life. Work hard for six months of the year and live free the others. Take all the opportunities to make money that you can and spend your six months of freedom doing fun crazy things. Culinary courses in Paris? Salsa masterclass in Cuba, anyone? The world really is your oyster.
