Additional Coverage:
- My husband and I built careers in tech and law. In our 40s, we sold our house, traveled for a year, and left both industries. (businessinsider.com)
From Corporate Ladder to Countryside: One Couple’s Journey to a Slower Life
Boston, MA – For many, the American dream involves a sprawling home, a high-flying career, and a constant climb up the corporate ladder. But for one Boston couple, Jason and Dave, that dream turned into a wake-up call after a series of life-altering events pushed them to hit the reset button and embark on a year-long global adventure.
By their 40s, the couple had seemingly achieved it all: a 3,000-square-foot home outside Boston, and demanding careers-Jason in law and Dave in tech. However, in 2022, Dave’s unexpected layoff and the tragic loss of their two beloved greyhounds to cancer shattered their carefully constructed world.
“The life we’d spent years building no longer fit us,” Jason shared. Their once-dream home now felt “far too big,” leaving them feeling “lost and restless.”
A drastic change was needed, and a change of scenery was the first step.
They sold their house, armed with Dave’s severance, Jason’s remote work income, and the proceeds from their home sale, and set off to travel the world for a year, contemplating their next chapter. Their travel philosophy was simple: see new places, reflect on their future, and, crucially, spend time with animals. They had learned from their dogs that true joy could be found in simply “being,” free from the constant hustle.
Their journey began on a farm near Dublin, Ireland, where the slow pace immediately resonated. Jason recounts a morning where Dave, usually engrossed in the tech world, was enthusiastically helping farmers scan pregnant sheep.
“His smile was the biggest I’d seen in a long time,” Jason recalled. Over the next nine months, they explored numerous European countries, including Croatia, Portugal, and Iceland, intentionally taking their time in each location.
Establishing “home bases” allowed them to truly immerse themselves in the local culture and reflect on a future that would prioritize “less hustle and more time in the natural world.”
Upon their return to the U.S., their perspective had fundamentally shifted. The desire for a large home and corporate ambition had dissipated. Instead, their most cherished travel memories involved the quiet moments on the Irish farm and the serene hot springs of Iceland – experiences that highlighted a yearning for a “slower and more intentional” life.
They downsized significantly, purchasing an 800-square-foot home on a lake in central Massachusetts. They even welcomed a new greyhound into their lives, one who, much like their previous companions, finds contentment in quiet moments by the water. Just over a year after returning, Jason retired from law to pursue writing, and Dave transitioned out of the tech industry to join a local “mom-and-pop company.”
Their year of travel proved transformative, teaching them that true joy “is better accessed with less stuff, less chasing of bigger-and-better opportunities, and more chances to be with the natural world.” Their story serves as a powerful reminder that sometimes, the path to the life you’ve always dreamed of requires a significant detour and a willingness to embrace a different kind of adventure.