Downshifting – life in low gear

Most people in today’s world set a successful job, career, earning money to meet all their needs as the main goal in life. As a rule, when a person goes headlong into work and quickly moves up the career ladder, he has absolutely no time for family, leisure and favorite hobbies. Someone likes it, as a result, their whole life turns into making money. But there are other people who are not satisfied with such a race for material wealth. They are supporters of a trend popular in recent years called "downshifting".

The concept of "downshifting" is translated from English as "switching to a lower gear." This phenomenon is increasingly common in Australia, the United States, but is still less popular in Europe. Downshifting is a process when a person reassesses his life priorities and chooses instead of a career, a hard, but highly paid and promising job, leisure and hobbies. Downshifters put the simple pleasures of life above the generally accepted values ​​that society imposes on him.

Now in society it is customary to consider a successful person who has his own business or a well-paid job. It is more important for downshifters to feel happy, enjoying nature, making time for their hobbies and real desires.

So, in Australia, for example, already a quarter of the population refuses high positions and leaves the megacities for the outback. In the US, this figure is higher – about one in three is a supporter of downshifting.

Forms of downshifting

This process has its manifestations in different countries. For example, in Australia and the USA, people leave for small, cozy towns or villages, where they lead a secluded measured life. In the UK, the focus has shifted towards growing organic food, proper waste disposal, and various energy saving practices.

Another form of downshifting is the refusal of a woman to work and career in favor of organizing a household.

The ideology of downshifting is associated with the worldview of hippies and new age style supporters.

Advantages and disadvantages of downshifting

Among the positive aspects can be noted:

– reassessment of values ​​u200bu200band thinking about what a person really wants to achieve in life;

– proper nutrition with quality products;

– the minimum number of stressful situations;

– the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the family;

— self-realization, self-development, the possibility of developing creative abilities;

– the ability to calmly think about your actions and life;

— comfortable, in terms of new priorities, life.

The downsides to downshifting are:

– search for new sources of income in connection with the dismissal from the previous job;

– rejection of the modern benefits of civilization (medicine, infrastructure in large cities);

– a possible conflict with others – friends, relatives.

Making money in new conditions

Having radically changed their lives, downshifters immediately think about how much money they can continue to live on. Leaving for the outback, many live by renting out their homes in large cities. Others start a household, a farm and live on the money they receive from the sale of crops or pets.

It often happens that a person finds something to his liking and fully reveals himself in it. At first, it may not bring a lot of money, but if the activity becomes really interesting and useful, then it is likely that after a while it will become a good source of income.

Sometimes, in the frantic pace of life, it’s really worth stopping and thinking: am I doing everything right? Perhaps you need to change your life now the way you would like, and not someone else, and live by your own rules so that after many years you do not regret wasted time.
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