A Rewild Story: Part One

A starry night in East Tennessee.

What does Rewilding your life actually look like?

It can be as simple as making small changes like adding a daily walk outdoors and cutting back on screen time, or as complex as quitting your job and moving across the country. I’m going to give you an example of the latter from personal experience.

I hope reading this sparks your curiosity and has you thinking about the changes you’re going to make. Take a risk, put yourself out there, and the universe will provide.

 Recognition Of Discontent

I spent the better part of a decade daydreaming and watching videos of a life that could be. At work, I’d ponder the possibilities of a happier, healthier existence. What exactly that meant wasn’t clear, so I started searching.

Early in 2022, my wife asked me what I wanted to do (given my disdain for my career at the time). I had no idea. I just wanted to be a human being!! We wanted to live somewhere beautiful, free of the hustle within a large city.

My daily reality on the left and what I longed for on the right.

I recognized I was unhappy and could not be the best version of myself. I needed a change.

Over the months, our vision and desire narrowed. We aimed for a more self-sufficient life of substance and self-gratification. After six months with no luck and a defeating realization: my career skills were narrow. We decided to move to Virginia Beach to be with family and start over. We had a baby on the way and felt a transition would be safer with family.

 Fear, Doubt, And the Appeal of Safety

Doubt crept in, friends said quitting my job and moving was a crazy idea. Rather than encourage us, many people projected their own fears on us.

You must push through this.

One month before our scheduled departure to Virginia Beach with no job prospects in sight, my wife encouraged a trip to Eastern Tennessee for exploration. We spent several days wandering, hiking, and learning about the area. After wrestling with the idea of a warm shower in a hotel, we decided to sleep in a tent on a farm and place ourselves in the environment we desired long term. The gracious host asked us if we’d like to join them for goat yoga. After an hour or so of laughing and giggling with several people present, one of the women asked me what I did for work. Rather than answer, something prompted me to share my aspirations. I said I wanted to work in forestry.

 The Universe Will Provide

One of the women introduced herself and said she worked in forestry! That was certainly a surprise! We exchanged pleasantries and contact information and went our separate ways. Little did I know this quick exchange would change the trajectory of my life. This was a great example of why you have to put yourself out there. Explore the life you desire because you never know who you may run into.

A one night stay on a farm that turned into a new life trajectory.

 Exploring

After further conversation with my new “forester friend,” there seemed to be a possibility of moving there. The next day we decided to look at some properties in the area. After a long day and feeling moderately discouraged we decided to call it a night. As we lay in bed, we gave up the search and decided to come back another time. However, I had to look just one more time. I sat up in bed and nudged my wife awake. “Look at this one!,” I said. Our flight was the following afternoon, and we only had a few hours to explore in the morning.

A beautiful view and the sounds of birds in all directions.

The following morning, after thirty minutes of driving through winding country roads and questionable directions, we arrived at the property I discovered the prior evening. In disbelief, we walked several hundred yards up a hill and turned around to see the valley behind us. We found our land; that was it. Our plans to move to Virginia Beach, although safe, started to dwindle.

 A Change of Plans

Given the constant wondering over the past 7 months, we felt like astronauts strapped to a rocket, ready for space. Let’s do this thing! We called the necessary folks, made the arrangements, and purchased the property with damn near all of the money we had. One piece of our puzzle was laid before us. We knew where we would start our amazing life and raise our family. What about work? I was still trying to get a job, and was now more restricted, as I had to find work within an hour's radius of our land. That left only one small city and a few tiny towns. 

 Ask questions

I finally got offered a job…. as a student intern in forestry. I was leaving a $100k-a-year job to make a few dollars an hour while I finished my master’s degree, had a newborn baby, and no house on the property. Most people thought it was ridiculous and continued projecting their fears and doubts. Interestingly, I was not the typical intern and had some important questions for HR with my new organization. I requested a meeting with some folks to help me transition back into an entry-level position. Much like the trip to Tennessee, the decision to play with goats, and the random property search, that meeting further facilitated positive change towards Rewilding our life and achieving our goal. Those folks read through my resume and couldn’t believe I accepted an internship. Maybe it was luck, perhaps it was a combination of goodwill and a positive attitude, but they found a full-time position for me 15 mins from our property.

Whatever it Takes (Almost)

Living and working out of a shipping container.

Now I had a job and land, but we needed a home. I was scheduled to start in June of 2023. Before my initial move in May, my father, brother, and I ripped down an old barn to make room for a garage. You might be wondering where I was going to live for a few months while building a habitable space for my wife and baby (they still lived across the country in suburbia). Check out the picture below. I moved into a rooftop tent on a large shipping container. We filled the container with everything necessary for living and working outside for a few months. Who needs a warm shower when you have a hose!? Living in a tent for a few months was not only cost-effective but the fire I needed to work my ass off and build a home for my family. We knew making a dramatic transition would require some sacrifice.

Sleeping in a rooftop tent on top of a shipping container.

How can you actually Rewild your life? Take risks. I’m not talking about gambling your savings away, hoping to win big and change your life. I’m suggesting you take calculated risks based on research and thoughtful planning. Get out there, talk to people, sell a bunch of your furniture so you can downsize if needed, visit areas of interest, set a guideline for needs vs. wants, and ignore the negative “worry warts” in your life. The only people needed of convincing are you and your family. Work out the logistics, check off the boxes one task at a time, and make your life happen. Rewild.