Thinking Outside the Box: Funding a Values-Driven Life (Even if It Looks a Bit Weird)

When we started dreaming about a slower, more intentional life, the vision was clear: simplicity, space, nature, and time to live with purpose. But turning that dream into reality? That’s where things got… unconventional.

We quickly realised that many of our Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs) weren’t just about mindset, they required a shift in where and how we lived. And that meant making some big, counterintuitive decisions.

When Conventional Wisdom Doesn’t Fit the Vision

Conventional retirement advice says:

• Own your home
• Keep things stable
• Don’t rock the boat

But we found ourselves longing for things that didn’t fit that model:

• A rural location in the heart of the Peak District National Park
• Space to grow our own food: vegetable beds, fresh herbs, homegrown tomatoes
• Rides and walks from the doorstep: not something we had to “go to,” but something woven into daily life
• A home close to the church community we’re part of
• A calming, decluttered sanctuary that supported reflection, rest, and purpose

The trouble was… buying a place with all of that was well out of reach.

A Radical (and Rational) Shift

So we flipped the script.
We sold our house. And moved into a rental.

On paper, that might seem backwards. But in practice, it gave us:

• The freedom to relocate to the rural setting we truly wanted
• Flexibility to explore, to adapt, and to live without being tied down
• Less stress and maintenance, fewer responsibilities, more space to breathe
• The ability to invest some of the capital to support the life we’re building now, not just someday

Most importantly, it allowed us to live in alignment with our values, not just the market.

When Values Drive the Strategy

Every BHAG looks great on paper but real life needs fuel.
Sometimes that fuel is money. Sometimes it’s courage. Often, it’s both.

Selling our home wasn’t about giving something up. It was about releasing what we no longer needed to make space for what we deeply wanted.

Yes, some people raised eyebrows. But that’s okay. Not everyone has to understand your priorities, the important thing is that you do.

Final Thought

If you’re dreaming of a different kind of life but feel stuck, maybe the question to ask isn’t “what should I do?” but: “What would I do if I stopped needing to follow the script?”

You don’t have to be reckless. But you can be brave.
Sometimes the best next step looks strange from the outside. But on the inside? It feels like freedom.

We found the place that ticked all our boxes:  rural, peaceful, close to church, space for veggies, and nature on the doorstep. We moved from the city into our new home in January.  Yes there’s still work to do, but for the first time in a long time, we know we’re exactly where we need to be.

We’ve chosen a life we can build around what truly matters. And that, to us, is worth everything.