Escaping the Grind

How & Why I Chose Van Life

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I’m so fucking glad I woke up one day and said, “I hate my life!”

Okay, minor exaggeration—I didn’t hate my life. But I was sick of the monotonous grind, the rinse-and-repeat of everyday existence. I wanted to live for NOW, not for later.

Because later may never come.

We never know when our time is up, and we only get one shot at this life. So, I wanted to make it count.

I asked myself:

"What will I remember more? Setting off on the road, living every day as an adventure—or doing the same old shit for another year?"

That thought alone was enough to set this plan in stone.

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I was already "living the dream," at least by most people’s standards:

✅ A nice lifestyle block where I grew my own fruit & veggies
✅ A good-paying job
✅ A reasonable amount of time off
✅ A small lease farm
✅ Running a business from home

Yet, somehow, I still felt trapped.

Still short on time.
Still tied to obligations.
Still answering to someone else’s schedule.

I wanted to do what I wanted to do.

When I wanted to do it.

I wanted freedom.

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One day, after listening to a Jim Rohn motivational speech, I sat down with a blank notebook.

On one page, I wrote:

👉 All the things I LOVE doing—the things that fill my cup.

On the other, I wrote:

👉 All the things I hate doing—the things that drain my energy.

And this is exactly how it looks... 👇

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So now, the plan was simple: re-engineer my life.

More of what was on the left-hand page.
Less of what was on the right.

For years, I’d dreamed of living on the other side of the island—where the diving is better, and the visibility is exceptional compared to the murky waters of the West Coast.

I’d also dreamed of life in the South Island—where the hunting is next-level, and the mountains are breathtaking.

So I thought:

"The best way to decide where I wanted to live? Simple—go everywhere first."

By choosing life on the road, I wouldn’t just get to see the country—I’d get to experience it.

I could explore every nook and cranny I’d never been to.
I could wake up every day and do the things that truly filled my cup.

Hunting.
Diving.
Fishing.
4WDing.
Exploring.

Freedom.

With my plan locked in, there was only one thing left to do—hit the road. But as I soon learned, nothing ever goes exactly as planned... (More on that next time.)

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I get messages all the time from people saying they’d love to do the same—quit the grind, hit the road, and chase freedom. But something always seems to hold them back.

What’s stopping you? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts.

👇 Enjoyed this? Hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next chapter. 👇

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