The Rise of Renting in the U.S
I've sorta turned my back on the standard american dream. Racing to new areas of growth, working to build someone else's dream, getting paid well immediately for performance, paying high rent, etc to afford the image of success, and making friends that participate in this same high ambition culture. Instead of making markets, markets start making you. All the rules, and "norms" we've collected around ourselves to participate are just foolish.<p>I ended up just buying and crashing in a van, exiting that mode of being, and am much happier because of it. Now I get to save money, research and build what I want when I want, and generally am very much less stressed. I'm no longer beholden to a landlord, or feel like I must participate in activities that just serve to entertain but not enlighten. I can spend the day at the beach just reading if I wish.<p>You start to look at time as something that you can control again, and you start seeing how much life truly is a gift, and that life itself should be nurtured and cherished. There is also a sense of independence and DIY that comes along with the lifestyle that feels like I'm leveling up in good ways.<p>Will this mode change for me? Sure. Change is inevitable. But for now I've found more peace and focus than I have in a long time. I'm now able to concentrate on longer stretches of time that hold bigger ideas, and then asking myself how I might use that time to start refocusing my energy making new markets.