Lifestyle Design is Hard Work!
It was a lot of work and will still require a massive effort to keep moving forward but we committed and made it happen. We sold our business and car. Got rid of most of our possessions. Cleared out our house and started to get it ready to rent out. In particular, the last few weeks prior to departure were extremely busy and stressful.
Getting all the necessary paperwork, finishing up everything in Japan and liquidating all of our possessions was a phenomenal amount of effort. It was much more work then we imagined. The last week was the most stressful. So many things had to be done that we were sleeping for only a few hours per day. After a couple weeks of sleep deprivation and a 9 hour stop-over in Tokyo, it took about a week to get back to a regular sleep pattern. I will be more regular with my blog posts and connecting in the future, Internet connections permitting. I have finally reclaimed my Twitter account after it was hacked. Again I apologize for all of those spam DMs.
We prepared for months to leave Japan, but we never fully realized just how many things needed to be completed before departure. My wife and I were hoping to spend a relaxing night at the airport hotel in Osaka before the night of our flight but we were busy packing, cleaning and organizing right up to the last minute. We didn’t make it to the airport until after 11:00 PM and had to wake up at 5:30 the next morning.
Actually, we didn’t even completely finish. Fortunately, my wife’s sister helped immensely in cleaning out the house and dealing with the real estate company that will rent it out. As with most things in life, it is great to get help. We couldn’t have done it with out her. Thanks Noriko!
Minimalism with a lot of Stuff
I would like to say that we managed to condense our life down into just a couple of bags but that would be a lie. We gave away all of our furniture, but we still have many boxes of personal possessions in storage at my wife’s parent’s house just in case we ever decide to return to Japan. It is too hard to eliminate everything from our lives.
We were about 20kg over-weight with our luggage but managed to hide it when boarding the flights. Thankfully, Japan and Canada are not as strict as the US for carry-on luggage. 🙂
My Future Work
Now that we have finally recuperated it is time to get busy building the next stage of our life. It is such a strange feeling to be traveling but not be on vacation. This is our life now. We have a feeling of urgency to progress with our lives, yet we are no longer under any timelines or restrictions. I still haven’t come to terms with the notion this vacation is not going to end.
I am now blogging about business trends, idea and creativity at IdeaEconomy.net as well. If any of you are interested in those topics please make your way over to my new site. I would love some comments and encouragement.
I also am planning on changing the format of JetSetCitizen. There are many great blogs on lifestyle design and travel so I am not sure I want to continue writing about those topics. If there is anything you would like to read about please let me know in the comments or by email. I would love to hear from all of you even if it is only a ‘Hello!”
I hope to hear from you soon.
Way to go, John. Congratulations on this achievement. Isn’t it amazing how many blogs there are now on this topic? I’m looking forward to seeing the next incarnation of your blog.
.-= Sharon Hurley Hall´s last blog ..Travel Foodie Memories =-.
Thanks for all of your support Sharon. I appreciate it.
Congratulations! Wow that year went by quickly. Have I really been reading your posts that long?
Looking forward to your updates. I’m in the same boat regarding lifestyle design+travel blogging–too many people writing about the same things. Been meaning to email you for a while regarding an idea I had. This post has inspired me to do just that 🙂
Safe travels!
Hi Alan,
Yes, this last year has passed quickly. Life is short, that is for sure.
I look forward to your email!
Congrats and good luck! (not that you need it)
.-= Kyle´s last blog ..Visiting the "Comfort Women" of Korea =-.
Thanks Kyle,
I’ll take all the luck I can get. 🙂
Good luck with the travels. I was in a pretty similar situation as you back in 2006 and now finally settled in Bali. I miss Japan in some respects, but when I think about to the crazy lifestyle I used to lead in Tokyo, I don’t think I could cope with that now.
.-= Mike´s last blog ..Australia allows tax deductions for donations to Bali peace park association =-.
Greetings Mike,
Bali is a fantastic place. Hopefully I will be able to make it back something in 2011. Maybe we will finally be able to meet up.
Hi John, congratulations on the big move. Personally I love the interviews here and would like to see them coming – particularly with a focus on the money side of travel/location independence. I think it’s an interesting niche to read.
Heading over to subscribe to your new site as well now…
Thanks Anil,
Thanks for the input. I like the interviews because it helps me get to know others living the same lifestyle. I wonder if this niche is getting a little too saturated though.
Tehre are indeed too much blogs on the subject. But in fact, except for a lot of 10 ways to, 5 things to do, I never found them really inspiring. Or practical.
I like your posts on the matter, because they’re real, and they tell what you experienced, rather than those hollow stories.
But will love to read the next chapter on your blog 🙂
Don’t give up the topic of your blog because other people are in the space. Give it up because YOU don’t want to do it anymore.
Everyone has a different perspective and yours may appeal to people who are not interested in other blogs on the same topic.
.-= brian´s last blog ..Shut Out Doubters, Shut Down Your Own Doubt and Travel =-.
Belated congratulations to you and your wife! It’s exhausting and draining to go through that process, but it’s also such a great feeling of freedom and possibility once you get through it (and catch up on sleep!). Good luck in the transition from traveling for vacations to traveling as a lifestyle. It’s wonderful, but also challenging in so many ways – and sometimes in ways you never imagined.
.-= Audrey´s last blog ..Travel: When Less is More =-.
So happy you have done what I’m planning to do. I will be following what you are up to and commend you.
Congrats on the move John! I think realizing that the vacation isnt going to end is the biggest thing for me. Eventhough I am considering heading back stateside in the next few months, I can do the exact same things there that I am doing here. Just need to be a little more cost conscious!
Anyway looking forward to following along with the next iteration of your adventure!
.-= Sean´s last blog ..The Evolution of Confidence =-.