Three Years in a Tent: A digital strategist & her family slow build a homestead on a remote Canadian island | Rachel Segal, Cortes Island, BC

I’m excited to invite you to my conversation with Rachel Segal. Rachel is a digital strategist, and has spent more than a decade working with some of the largest brands in the world on their social media and content marketing programs. 

In 2012, burnt out with the pace of city life, Rachel and her partner Scott moved to a remote island in British Columbia. Moving to the country was a revelation - they were instantly lighter, happier and really enjoyed the pace of balancing remote freelance work with raising animals and growing food. When the option presented itself to buy ten acres of raw land in an area they loved, they jumped at the opportunity to plant permanent roots and build their forever home. 

However, finances required a slow building process. The couple and their two young children lived and worked out of a canvas tent for three years before their home was ready to move in. Not for the faint of heart, Rachel braved tent-living while pregnant, and through multiple Canadian winters with two kids under the age of three. 

Rachel's story is inspiring, and honest. In our conversation she shares what it was like to make such a dramatic transition in her life, and how she navigated work, networking, and learning on the go as a new mom and first-time farmer. Rachel has found lasting satisfaction in building a life that allows her pick out the best parts of modern life and old-world self-sufficiency.

This is a story about making your work work for you, long-term thinking, and marrying the best of old-world and modern living.

Read her full story on the blog: urbanexodus.com/blog

Transcript

Rachel Segal: 0:00

If you're hiking up a mountain or you're handling animals, you kind of have to be in that moment. And it's not possible to live in that distracted mental state. So I think for me, it has been one of the best things for my mental health and it has made a huge difference really having the habits and rituals and rhythms that feel really meaningful and comforting versus having those rituals feel never ending and sort of meaningless.

Alissa Hessler: 0:29

Have you ever dreamed of making a radical shift? What does it take to build a more intentional life? What is gained from reconnecting with yourself with community and with the natural world? I'm Alissa Hessler. I've spent the last decade meeting with people all over the world who have made remarkable transitions in their lives. How do they do it? What did they sacrifice? What have they learned? Stepping away from convention isn't easy. But we all have the power to reclaim the things that we've lost, to slow down to change course, to create the life we want for ourselves and for future generations. The urban Exodus podcast shares, practical advice, and inspirational words to embolden and guide you on your own journey. These are the stories of those brave enough to venture down the road less traveled. This is the urban Exodus. Urban Exodus is community supported programming, please consider sponsoring an episode or making a contribution so we can keep these conversations going. The easiest way to contribute is to click the support button on the top of urban exodus.com. You can also become a member of the urban Exodus community to peruse our archives of hundreds of photos, stories and interviews of people who love city life, or subscribe to Apple podcasts premium to have access to bonus episodes, or rapid fire interviews with guests and our new mini podcast ditch the city where I answer listeners questions and offer practical advice on a whole myriad of topics. If you have a question for an upcoming episode that you'd like us to consider, please send us a DM on Instagram, or through our contact us page. Thank you for helping me continue to do this work. I couldn't do it without all of you. And if you haven't already, we would really love it if you'd leave us a five star review on Apple podcasts or Spotify, or whatever service you listen on. And please recommend urban exodus to your friends. I'm excited to invite you to my conversation with Rachel Siegel. Rachel is a digital strategist and has spent over a decade working with some of the largest brands in the world on their social media and content marketing programs. In 2012. She was burnt out with the pace of city life. Rachel and her partner Scott moved to a remote island in British Columbia. This move required both courage and a willingness to figure out how to do things differently than the rest of their cohort. But moving to the country was revelation, and they immediately felt happier and more fulfilled. Balancing remote freelance work with raising animals and growing food. When the option presented itself to buy 10 acres of raw land in an area that they loved. They jumped at the opportunity to plant permanent roots and build their forever homestead. But finances required a slow building process. The couple and their two young children lived and worked out of a canvas tent for three years before their home was ready to move in. And well it wasn't easy or comfortable. They look back at their journey and appreciate how time really added to the overall functionality and consideration of their modest homestead. In addition to homesteading, Rachel has built a thriving mission driven digital strategy business from the remote reaches of British Columbia. This is a story about making your work work for you long term thinking and marrying the best of old fashioned and modern living. All right, well, I am absolutely thrilled today to be talking to Rachel Siegel. Rachel was a digital strategist in Vancouver, BC. And in 2012. You left Vancouver and you and your partner moved to a remote island Cortes island located in British Columbia as well and kind of completely changed your life and now you're still working as a digital strategist but you are a managing director of your own company and you are working only With mission driven companies that are doing good in the world, and I'm just so excited to talk to you, Rachel, because we have been in communication for years I have been, I've been trying to get myself up to your little part of Canada. Don't think it's gonna happen. It's going to happen. 100% it's going to happen. I remember I was pregnant, and I was on a road trip in civic Northwest. And I was like, I think I can make it there. And then I Googled it. And I'm like, Oh, my gosh, it's gonna take 12 hours. I was like, oh, it's not gonna happen this time, but it will happen. So Rachel, welcome. First off, I would love if you would share a little bit of your personal backstory, kind of where you grew up, and the steps that have taken you to where you are now.

Unknown: 5:55

Awesome. Well, it's great to be here. And thank you for having me, Alissa. So my background I was actually born in the states although I lived in I've lived in Canada since I was 15. So Canada feels more like home. But all throughout my childhood, we moved around a lot. I think five years in Toronto was the longest I had lived anywhere everywhere else were two, three years stints at a time. So moved a lot and and got to experience a number of places all over the states, we lived in Connecticut, Washington, California, a bunch of places in the Midwest, I don't remember when I was really little. So it it really provided a sense of adventure and kind of reinvention and, and a willingness to, to really take leaps. So that was great. And then transitioning to Canada was a bigger change there. There's such commonalities between the two cultures. But then there's also huge differences that became really immediately apparent and kind of fascinating to dissect. And I think that that probably has a big part of why I like to operate, enjoy being a strategist and getting to go in and observe and identify things that may not be obvious, but then have an actual, you know, forum to discuss that and kind of break the ground and have really productive conversations about that, especially when we're doing it with meaningful work. So lived in Canada since I was 15. Except for two years after university in California, we were in Toronto, I was in Toronto for four years, working professionally, right downtown walking distance from big high rise offices, and then got together with my partner, Scott, who we've been together for a little over 10 years now. And he was part of the impetus to move out to Vancouver. And then we were here we were in Vancouver for about nine months before we then made the big move out to Cortes,

Alissa Hessler: 7:43

your life looks so different now from how it used to look. And I recently rewatched, your TED talk that you did. And I feel really connected to your story because we moved at the exact same year. And I feel like our lives were very similar in the business suits and heels and feelings of isolation and living with your phone next to your bedside table and always been available. So I'd love for you to talk a little bit about what your work experience was like. And what really was the breaking point for you, or the moment where you tapped into yourself and really analyzed, you know, the trajectory of your life and decided you wanted to make a change?

Unknown: 8:32

Yeah. I loved my job. I loved my job too much. I mean, I really felt a lot of passion for the work and the team and the clients and the possibilities. And that whole time period was so much new work and new unknown charted uncharted territory, within the digital space, which now I think sometimes when I think about social media, I look back on I'm like, Oh, it wasn't the greatest but it definitely was, there was no playbook we were we were really figuring it out as we went along. And so there was a lot of euphoria and excitement and late nights and really having to be in it because a lot of the work we were doing was in public relations, not necessarily with single singularly mission driven organizations, that is all consuming at times and and there's this total, you know, being on call, you know, almost like you're you're a doctor saving lives, which you are absolutely not in case something comes up, which I don't think I realized until it was so habitual that it was such a problem and how much it was undermining the ability to be present and really, you know, there for the rest of my life and that that that had become all I could talk about that was all I was doing with in the absence of of actual hobbies and having other things that that became my personality and and what I was all about which people applied almost you No reinforcing that great, you know, unbalanced between what it means to be personal and professional. But for us, you know, when we first moved out to Vancouver, we wanted to be somewhere where we could have chickens. And it was a very theoretical idea until springtime came around. And honestly, the chickens were the gateway. Like, we were having so much fun with these four chickens they require so little when there's that many, like just that few of them. But it is it has to happen. They've got to be let out in the morning. They've got it, they have needs. And that became something we were talking about more and more. And it was it was such an exciting time while I was also feeling more and more of the disconnect and kind of just the routine in a negative way with with work that it felt like you know, what if even if this is just a break, and eventually we go back to the city, there needs to be a break here to really just separate it and not feel like you know, let's go for a hike. Cool. I'm on a hike just staring at my phone continually, you know, messaging back and forth, that there needed to be some, you know, really distinct break from that, to try to find whatever that was going to be somewhere in the middle.

Alissa Hessler: 11:06

So you decided to almost like a sabbatical of sorts, but you were working remotely. Well, you did it to leave Vancouver and move to Cortes island for a year. And the place where you moved had no cell phone reception, which I fully applaud because that is a real digital detox, especially for someone working. What did that first year look like for you? And how did you know that you had made the right decision? Ultimately?

Unknown: 11:39

Yeah, peace and chaos. I mean, I think it was, it was such an upheaval, that it was absolutely what we needed. And we had such a great time, really sitting back and going, Wow, we've just gone from, you know, concrete and and busyness to this 365 acre farm, where the The possibilities are endless for what you could do quietly throughout the day, we did chores on the weekends, because we were still working. And that that rhythm, we were talking about it again, recently, Scott's championing right now for a cow was just such a huge part of all of also us growing together as a couple. And so I think for us in our relationship, and then me personally, in my own life, it was, it was absolutely amazing. But it was also between the no cell reception, we had satellite internet that they hadn't upgraded the satellites. And they hadn't told us that before we moved, so we got there and they were like, cool, you get x amount of data, basically, per day. And then when it runs out, you will not have internet until one o'clock in the morning. And then you have unlimited internet until four o'clock in the morning. And then it resets and you'll you'll have your your allotment of your bandwidth again. And so I was working much more in the social media space and Scott's a designer. And so he's dealing with like massive at the time, Photoshop files. figma wasn't a thing yet. And so we were just consuming that before noon, which is kind of great, because it does make you prioritize things similarly to having children, you got to prioritize your day, you got to get what needs to get done, done. But then we could be completely hooked if we've got a deadline or something in the afternoon. So having to make those choices. And then also say, alright, we're going to have to get up at night, download those files, upload those files, do what we need to do to try to make sure the next day is as efficient as possible, was a nightmare. I don't recommend anyone. But it did really give us a sense of appreciation for what had become very expected and normalized as you know, who questions having the access to internet. You know, that's, that's not a thing. And so people would question that, from a friend standpoint, just being like, wait, you what, like, I can't wait. And the internet was definitely not good. I could never have done this having a video call with with someone that that wouldn't have been possible with the bandwidth that we had anyway. So really being conscious of those choices. And then you know, not having to be explicit with people, you can't text me, you gotta email me or we've got to jump on a phone call, you know, old school, like we're teenagers, that that was quite a big change. And it's it's been kind of nice, you know, in the last few years coming back to the real world, but it was really a wonderful reset of of all of that.

Alissa Hessler: 14:29

Did it make you kind of analyze, you know, just the speed and rate of which you went through things? I think it's interesting, because I think one of the things that was hardest for me and for a lot of people that I've interviewed when they start working remotely or when they build their business remotely from a rural area is like figuring out a structure of those rhythms and in some ways those were almost forced upon you because of the internet. But um, how did you kind of get into Have those rhythms? And how do you balance all of the work that is required of running a homestead and having all of these animals and people that are dependent on you, and balancing your job?

Unknown: 15:13

It's such a great question. A lot of that time period really in instigated quite a bit of self reflection that, yes, I was in an environment and the job really required being always on, but my boundaries weren't very solid, and I didn't, you know, use my own voice to establish that on my behalf to and that there was probably a good amount of margin there where I could have had a healthier relationship in a corporate environment. And so the learning of, you know, if I take on too many projects, or if I commit to a deadline, that is going to be stressful, that's on me. And and no one else was really liberating in a lot of, you know, my own bad practices and ways that I wasn't really treating work well and, and letting things slide or accumulate, and then having to juggle way too many things. For one person, it wasn't the time to figure out delegation that came way later. But it certainly was a time to really reflect on what do I need to do to have a healthy relationship with work and create the space I need to do my best work and also know when it's when it's done to the best it needs to be to be able to ship it, there were a lot of those things that were going on. And then actually the space to think about that, because I couldn't just take on an unlimited amount of work that you know, what got done, got done. And then there I could be, you know, out on a hike or working in the garden or doing what I'm doing in the afternoon having to go okay, what do I need to do next week to make sure that that's more productive, less stressful, and actually get what I say I'm going to get done done and not have to then worry about it when I'm supposed to be in in times not at a computer, it stops

Alissa Hessler: 16:53

the procrastination element, because you start to realize, like worrying about it, it's like push into it, I feel like COVID has really given people time and space to think about and really evaluate their lives in a way that they didn't before. And a lot of businesses went remote, or a lot of jobs went remote. But now those employers are calling people back into the office. And I think that, you know, there have been a lot of articles written about the great quit, and people deciding that job that they had is not serving them anymore. And I'd love if you would give any advice to people who are considering making a major life change on ways to like kind of get their ducks in a row, or to even just think about what the next chapter holds for them.

Unknown: 17:49

Yeah, being remote. And being in an organization that embraces remote is amazing, we work really hard at Bright web, where I am now to try to make sure there's balance there. And that people can feel that sense of community coming up through group calls through the way that we engage, you know, systematically and serendipitously in Slack the way that you know, we try to have some in person meetings when it's, you know, in times that are safe, but that there's nothing, there's, there's never any sort of enforcement of you have to be there in any of those forms that that if you need time to focus, and you don't want to be on camera, that's okay, if you need to be completely off slack for the day. That's okay, if if coming into the office, even if we've got offices as small offices in Vancouver, and Toronto, even if you're just down the street, and it's not the day for you to come in, no one's gonna judge you or hold it against you, it's not going to hold you back in your career, because you didn't come in and someone else was there. So that permeates I think a lot of things and definitely starts right at the top. And so I think assessing and doing the research to really know if it is remote, as a as an actual underpinning of the way that they operate internally, or if it's an option, they're sort of begrudgingly allowing for is, is a big thing, and, and knowing the internal, you know, resolve that you as an individual have going into that I've known some people who couldn't care less and and they're like, cool, I'm so good at my job. And I know it, I don't I don't need your culture. And I'm not going to be the person to stress about, you know, whether or not I'm in or out from a from a clique standpoint, within within the organization. I couldn't do that I really, you know, do have a tendency to read into things and to look at things and sort of wonder what's really going on, especially in a remote environment. And so, I've noticed, especially in this role that I'm not alone in that and really granting people that permission to take the time and being explicit. I have a colleague who on Monday was trying to power through and she's like, we've got a pitch tomorrow I'm gonna be there and like, pick the day you're sick, it's okay. And we talked about it yesterday and she's like, I am salutely wouldn't have taken the day, just like, I'm so glad you said that. And I think we've got a good rapport. I don't think that I was making her feel that way. But something internally was definitely driving that. And I think part of that is sometimes the isolation of not getting to just look up and look around and go, everybody's okay. So in the absence of that, you can feel like everything's riding on your shoulders when you're alone in your space.

Alissa Hessler: 20:23

Calling all small business owners, are you looking to expand your customer base beyond the reach of your local community, speak to our loyal audience of over 38,000 listeners by sponsoring an episode of the urban Exodus podcast, for more information, visit urban exodus.com/podcast. So when you first moved, though, you decided to go freelance. And I think that a lot of people considering making that move, they're considering either starting their own business or going freelance on their own. And we've really seen a shift. I mean, I also worked in kind of the PR ad media world. And I went from where nearly all of my friends were employed full time at organizations, two, most of my friends now are contract workers or freelance. What advice would you give to people who maybe are taking their first step out of that paycheck that comes on ways to set themselves up for success, and also just to like, track and make sure that you know, they give themselves that space to breathe, because as a freelancer too, there can be this tendency to just overwork as well, because you're scared that the next job won't come around the corner.

Unknown: 21:49

The scarcity mindset is something I've definitely struggled with. And that has led to then an overabundance and way too much work to have to get done in a reasonable timeframe, still always somehow gets done. But it is a really important thing. And something that I feel like I has been easier over time to really come to this work, especially now with much more of an abundance mindset. So I, if I could go back, I think I would have done a better job of figuring out the criteria of the work I wanted. And not and being a little bit pickier we had the luxury at the time, which you know, today is very different than 2012, our cost of living was so much smaller than what we were dealing with in the city, we were remote, we had, you know, a cabin, we had a solar you know, energy and woodfired heat. So, our bills were pretty minimal. And, and that was great, because it did provide the luxury of a runway to kind of figure it out who we were going to be working with and what that looked like, I feel like the biggest thing is your reputation, you know, and and some of that will be cultivated. If someone is going freelance is, as you've experienced, too, you're going freelance, but you have a body of people that you've worked with, and that know you and know your work, and now know that you're available, and that you know will bubble up opportunities just based on the nature of knowing people. So putting yourself out there connecting with people engaging with people, when they're looking for help has been a big thing, I have really tried to maintain a generosity of spirit that if someone just needs a minute, and there's someone I trust, and there's someone I enjoy, and it doesn't feel like they're just a taker, and they're looking for free advice that, you know, they don't want to pay for it, then take the time, have the conversation, you know, have coffee, whatever that's going to be and that investment of energy, putting that out into the world seems to come back tenfold. But really being and this comes back to that, you know, taking on more than then you can feasibly do I've always taken it very seriously that if I say I'm gonna do something it's gonna get done. And definitely with a small trial that challenge that a few times that I did have to occasionally the earliest days say, I just can't, I will get back to you. And, and it was not maybe you know, the best moment for me, but it happens. But I think that overarching ly in the in the grand scheme of things, just if you say you're going to do something, do it, if it's not going to be done, let them know, like being in communication and really helping people know where you're at is the big thing. Once people know that you communicate, you get things done, you're reliable, that also seems to unlock just a flood of cool so many people try to do this work, get overwhelmed, disappear, come back and and can't find that rhythm for themselves. If if someone can do that it's an immediate differentiator from from folks that are trying to freelance and haven't done that work to find the way to do it responsibly for themselves and for the relationships they're trying to build.

Alissa Hessler: 24:48

I think that's such good advice and something that I wish I would have heard early on in my freelance experience, like really taking a moment to think about who you want to work with. And even though It seems maybe a counterintuitive, like being a little bit picky because the people that you work with, you're going to build that it looks like almost like you're creating a spider web and like those people will recommend you for other things. So you'll already be placed in the place that you want to be and just growing from there. So initially, you moved to this large farm, what was the situation as far as living there? And then where did you decide to move from there? Because you were there for a year?

Unknown: 25:29

Yeah. So we were there for it was it was just over a year before another place came available on the same island. We when we said, All right, Scott was already freelance, I'm gonna give notice, we went online, and he found the cabin that was on that property up for rent on Craigslist. So we went out there. And I remember messaging a friend, when we were on our way, saying, Hey, we're either going to move back to Toronto, or we're moving to this remote island. And she's like, should you call me? Are you okay? Coming out of nowhere, I don't know what's I don't have any context. And so we went up there. And it it's a it's a beautiful property, it is it is just one of the most beautiful places that I've ever been it there's there's so much community and that's only grown with, you know, some people that that we really appreciate on that island, having moved there and continuing to expand what that looks like. It's it's just a stunning place. And such a training ground for just all the possibilities, it's very easy to get overly consumed in trying to take on too much and, and trying to just dive in headfirst. And we're very much, you know, prone to doing that. So it was a good place to kind of figure out what we liked. We knew that we after being there, we loved goats. We knew that cows were amazing, but we had no idea what to do with a cow. So that was off off the table at the time. And we loved chickens, there was another property that was for rent just down the road came up. And so we moved over there. And we were there for just under two years. So our daughter was born over in Campbell River. And then we were there for the first year of her life. And right around her first birthday, we started to really get the itch to find our own piece of land, we were feeling that, you know, desire to really put down roots to be able to plant things like asparagus that there's no reason when you're ready to plant. And now

Alissa Hessler: 27:20

we're like it's a long game crop. You don't want to have

Unknown: 27:25

to take that away, that's not going to work for anybody. And so we went back to Ontario, we looked in Ontario, and this property there were there were a few different pieces of 10 acre plots that were here that were up for sale. And when we originally heard about them, we were like, Oh, we could never afford that. And we were really looking for something under $100,000, which seems absurd now, you know, given the state of real estate in Ontario, but we kept facing really intense building codes and permitting and minimum square footage requirements and things that would immediately make that much more expensive. And so we turned our attention back here. And ultimately, so where are we are out in these little outer islands. There's Cortez and then Cuadras in the middle. And then Campbell River is on Vancouver Island. And so you have to go through Quadra to get to Cortez from a ferry system standpoint. So we passed through quadra, I mean 100 times at this point, just going to our home, and hadn't really considered it seriously, because it was always kind of a bedroom community. It hadn't really been positioned very well. But we had a couple of people that we knew really, really well here and we had become pregnant with Max. And we're then really starting to prioritize what that looked like as a family. It was less about us and more about what we're where do we want the kids to grow up. And we knew that there was an amazing daycare on the island and a lot of kids which was also something that we struggled with in such a small community that they would have friends that they might actually, you know, sustain for a longer period of time. And so we we put an offer in on this at the time swampland that was our property and kind of crossed our fingers that it would work out.

Alissa Hessler: 29:10

You're right to be able to plant roots, and you'd already kind of felt out the area. And I wondered, you know, you bought a raw piece of swamp land, like you said, I'd love for you to talk about the journey because you lived in a tent for was it two years, three, three years, with your two kids and your partner and built your homestead from scratch. So I'd love for you to talk about that journey. And maybe any advice that you had at the end for people that are considering I know a lot of people are looking at raw land right now because there just aren't housing available. And housing also is extremely expensive. And so I'd love for you to kind of go through that journey and give any advice that you wished you would have had.

Unknown: 29:58

I mean, I have to credit Scott fortitude because I think I would have probably gone the much safer route of let's rent something and build as we go. And it was such a privilege to have someone be bold enough to do the research to say, you know, in a year, it's an option, but attend is cheaper, easier to construct easier to take down, move around if we need to. So he did that research. And then the ultimate privilege was getting to be here, seeing this property for three years, and especially for that first year, for three or four seasons, before we did anything major was just the best thing we could have possibly done. We understand where the water runs, we, we were really delighted with a there was an original, really roughed in driveway towards the north end of the property. And when we were first doing an initial very small clearing just to set up for the winter, our excavator, Nick was phenomenal. And he was really trying to find a way to like, just make it as easy as possible for us was like, let's just go in here, we'll we'll find a spot, you'll be fine. And that spot is our pond where all the water runs, and he wouldn't have done that, because we had been tromping around as best we could in here, and was just purely trying to maximize the half day that he had available for us on a very specific August afternoon to come in and do just a bit of work to get us a level piece of area to set up a tent, have a baby and come back and hunker down for the winter. It was wild, it was like I think back on it. And I just I'm not even sure what we were running on other than adrenaline. Just hope and dreams. But we we were so surrounded by community, I think when when I consider you know, the people and knowing their names, knowing that it was Nick knowing that, you know, Jerry milled wood on our land, knowing that Mark was the one that came in and figured out exactly how to sculpt the trees that were coming down and create more space when we cleared more pieces of land that Brian, you know, built the house and did all that work. And then when he retired, Travis took it over because three years. So it like knowing the people was a huge catalyst for knowing the community. And really learning enough as we went along about what this actually takes, there's way more that we don't know than we do. No. But instead of outsourcing that to affirm or a construction company that was just taking care of it, and not getting to see it and live it and breathe it. I can't say enough about that process. That was just an amazing, amazing thing to experience. woodfire is awesome, we stayed warm, we were like sardines that first like few few weeks with two babies as aisle was still quite small at the time too. And we reconfigured and change things over time just to make the the space work for us based on the the age of the kids were but it was tight. And and we as a couple again had to really face how we communicated with each other and how we deal with stress and how we you know support each other but also on our big differences and how we cope through things. And so it's made us so much stronger by just really working together on that and feeling very, you know, in lockstep about but what are we ultimately trying to accomplish with this, which is having a place that, you know, if we if we build two more cabins here, the kids could live here. And we could all have our own private space. So it has been, you know, very quickly a legacy project of just some semblance of security. They can go wherever they want. They don't have to stay here. But if they if they wanted to, or if they needed to that there's a place that they could be, which has never seemed more important than now because absolutely real estate prices are bonkers. And it's hard to imagine what that's going to look like look like when they are, you know, of the age where they could be where we were when we left home. So yeah,

Alissa Hessler: 34:00

I remember seeing early stages when we first started communicating you were living in the tent, and I was just like this is one of the most incredible resilient people that you know, was it a canvas tent? Just wood fire? Was it insulated? No. That's just like you said, going slow on a build. I think a lot of times people just like want to push through it and get through it. But really observing a piece of land and seen where the wind rips through and where the sun comes across and just like taking that time I think we live in such a fast paced society and you were obviously living a very fast paced life. What did it feel like to slow down in that way? And did you battle with yourself at all in this like new pace that you found yourself in because I think not only were you slowing down with like Building a house and creating these things, but also slowing down into motherhood to that is a totally different change. How did you navigate?

Unknown: 35:10

It was a process when we first bought the property. We had friends that we were giving some chickens to before we left Cortez and God here. And we knew that we had this half day for clearing and and we knew when we were having a baby, and we're like, Yeah, I think we'll be to lock up for a house, maybe, you know, I don't know, early December. And he was like, interesting. And was so kind and sort of very gently, you know, didn't pop the bubble, but certainly, you know, instituted a bit of, you know, be kind to yourself and see how it goes and have some options. And it just sort of tried to support us through that delusion of that if somewhere in a four month span, we were going to be able to get there figure out where we wanted to build what we wanted to build have a baby and then also like, get her done like like houses just appear out of thin air. Yeah, that was probably the first reality check of of this is not going to happen overnight. And then the the following year, we got power. That was the other thing, we didn't have power at the property for the first six to eight months, we got power, and then things picked up. And it's deceiving. It feels like those those big mile science stones like pouring a foundation, getting the walls up doing things like that really shows such momentum, that if you like me haven't gone through this before, you're like this is happening fast, this is great. Wow, we're really go in there. And then you don't realize how much all of the work does get down to the meticulous details. And that takes so much time. And then you know, you're waiting on the availability of electricians and when plumbers can come in, and all sorts of things like that plus freelance, juggling, you know, cash flow, and making sure that we've got enough work to be able to sustain all of these commitments. So we careened through that first summer, we at some point, originally, that foundation where our houses was supposed to be the barn, we thought, we're gonna build a nice barn and have some space around the barn for eventual dairy apparatus, office, things like that, we'll just like figure out our life around the barn, and then build our eventual house. So at some point, and then Scott, in the process of looking at where the sun is, and where the wind blows, and all this stuff went, This is our house, this is where our house is supposed to be. This is it. And so poor Brian or contractor, we said, so instead of a bar, we're thinking a house, and he was so kind to us, and, you know, helped us figure out now that we had established this footprint, what we were gonna do with this footprint now to make it a house. And it was, it was great. But we definitely then got into the fall and looked at our finances and looked at people's availability. And we had to basically shut it down for the winter and not as someone who likes to get things done hit milestones and and, you know, really feel that sense of completion, did feel like a loss, I was very petulant, that winter, I like wouldn't even look at this house that was directly behind the tent. So there was no missing it, it's right there, you know, a third of the way finished, but I really felt this sense of failure that was unwarranted. And it was much easier in subsequent cycles to be kinder to myself, while trying to juggle all of this and a family and, you know, bringing in new work, having a relationship like that there's something's gonna have to give and it may not be the right time. So we the following year, when we again said, you know, what, we're good, let's just do another winter and the 10 people were externally much more concerned for us than we were concerned, we were like, we've done this fine, it's not a big deal. So and then the following year was, you know, of course, just like the best possible moment to actually move into the, into the house.

Alissa Hessler: 38:57

I'd love for you to describe your home now and your land and this homestead that you have built from scratch,

Unknown: 39:06

we made a really conscious choice at the beginning to not just tear out all the trees, a lot of places will just level it create, you know, pastor and we have some of that, but we have really distinct like four really distinct quadrants, I would say have a not square at all property. So where I'm sitting right now is our little studio, which is where we do our work and it's an independent space from the house, which we built right at the beginning of COVID and was only made possible because we have great internet now we don't have it satellite internet anymore. It sits in front of the pond. It's our socializing space. It's our dedicated focus space it's it's a reprieve from from the homestead totally independent I can't see anything from here because of the trees of what's going on there. So where we need quiet time and focus time this is a bit of a sanctuary. The house is it's it's cosy, and it's a constant, you know, playing a bit of Jenga of like, where are people supposed to go? So last year, we moved downstairs, the kids moved into one of the upstairs bedrooms, and we just recently separated them into their own bedrooms. And so doing that, you know, sort of dance of where people supposed to sleep has been a journey. They were downstairs for the first while because we have one bathroom. And you know, little babies don't really want them going up and downstairs in the middle of the night. So it's, it's cozy, it's, I wouldn't say that it's the best house for socializing and entertaining. But we've certainly had some great kids parties there. But it definitely is. It's it's a home like, it feels very much like a home, it feels like when I walk, you know, the four minutes to get back to the house, it feels like I'm going home. And there's little markers of you know, things that we've done in places we've been that pop up in that home. So it's it's certainly not not fancy by any means. But it feels very cozy and where we're supposed to be.

Alissa Hessler: 41:01

I'd love for you to talk about the animals that you keep. And you know, any advice I know so many people who call chickens, their gateway animal. Like this is the one you get the chickens and then you start to like, go online and look at other things. But I'd love for you to talk about the creatures that you keep and what they have added to your life.

Unknown: 41:25

Yeah, so we currently have six chickens, six goats, two dogs, one of whom is a livestock Guardian dog, and one who thinks she is but she's only a quarter grape peonies, she's mostly retriever and and a cat, a barn cat. We had ducks up until recently. But a mink, unfortunately took them all out, which has really immediately increased our slug population. We were just talking about that last night. Yeah, it's within a matter of weeks, all of a sudden, we had no slugs, because we had this amazing slug patrol all over the garden. And then now they're back. And so we had said after that one has, it's been a while since we've had that big of a loss. And you know, over the years, we've become much better at how, you know, we're protecting the animals. And it came really out of nowhere and was a really unexpected loss. But now we're like, okay, maybe we don't need to, maybe we can't take a break. Because in order to have the garden, we need to have the ducks. And so that ecosystem persists. And you know, I think that the habitual nature of what animals need is a huge part of it, that it's again, having to get outside of the myopic Work, Work work, just gotta keep you know, focusing on supporting my family and moving my career forward and doing all of that which from the beginning animals, starting with those chickens did that it like breaks that, you know, focus that that singular focus that can be so detrimental to my own personal well being. So I would say they they bring a lot of, of just chores that are really good for the soul. A lot of laughter like they they all have such personalities. When we had more goats, I think that was one of the things that we hit a tipping point of feeling like we've lost the ability to really know them as individuals. And it started to feel like we were keeping livestock and I don't know if it's possible to know where someone's you know, boundaries are on that until you know, but we hit that boundary and went okay, this is too much for us and had to walk that one back.

Alissa Hessler: 43:23

How many was too many goats?

Unknown: 43:25

Oh my gosh, I think once we were in the 20s, we were like, oh, yeah, we don't know you anymore. Yeah, that was it was too much. I think we would. We love the idea of sheep. But the practicality of like sharing and all of that really starts to become a bit daunting, mostly because of being where we are that just access to people who can do that that kind of work is hard to come by.

Alissa Hessler: 43:50

I just wanted to give an enormous thank you to all of you who have made contributions to offset the production costs of this podcast, it means so much to me that you find enough meaning and value to pledge your support to keep this going. If you haven't had a chance to contribute, we've made it really easy for you. Just click the support button on the top of urban Exodus website. You can also get access to bonus episodes, rapid fire interviews, and our new mini podcast, ditch the city by signing up for our apple podcast premium. Or you can become a member of the urban Exodus online community where you can access hundreds of photos, stories, interviews, tutorials, videos and more. Find out more by visiting the membership page on urban exodus.com. I would love for you to talk about the community that you found there because I remember back when I was pregnant, trying to get up to see you. You had all of these other really great people that you were going to put me in touch with as well. And so it seems like the community where you've landed you have really woven yourself into that community. So I'd love for you to talk about your community, and also talk about any advice that you would give to people who are going into a new rural community, on ways to be a bridge and not a wall.

Unknown: 45:13

I love I mean that that really is what it is, I think in a in a city environment, it is really easy to just go about your day. And I mean, when I think about the apartment buildings I lived in, and how many people I knew in those buildings proportionate to the number of people that were living there. Maybe my neighbor next door maybe sometimes, but mostly not. I think we we really lucked out when we moved here in that the the folks that own one of the local cafes, their daughter is the same age as Isla, like a month apart. And her name is Lila and she was one of the first people that had said you gotta move here, don't move to Cortez, like don't buy on Cortez move here, move here. And so we had an immediate, you know, sort of connection there that has become, you know, a really solid friendship that we're really appreciative in. But getting involved in the community volunteering is I think, a huge one, I've been on the board of our daycare, almost since the beginning. And that's been great. It's allowed me to to meet people who are of course, affiliated with the daycare, but also other board members and people who are involved in activities like that going places, if people invite you just just going and putting yourself out there. Yeah, I think it is, it is hard, because when you're living rural, it's not as easy to have those sort of serendipitous connections, just walking down the street, because we've got, you know, 10 acres between us on either side for different properties. But making those connections with neighbors, we've got, you know, a great community down here and what's called the south end of quadra, but it is very distinct from other communities that exist in different, you know, not quite neighborhoods, but areas of the island that have their own sort of myopic view of of each other and really sort of commune together. So it's been interesting to both put down roots, right on the property, find, you know, those those connections that really exist gloriously outside of a work environment. So I never, I'm never talking about work in conjunction with just my friends and family here, which is awesome. And just putting yourself out there, like just just if there's a farmers market go, people will see you make those connections when you're and take the time to, to just say hi, how are you doing? Or what's your name, again, when you're at a cafe, like taking that time to really see people as people versus what's so easy in a city to just kind of go about your day and not not put that energy in people are used to that. And so it doesn't feel foreign in a rural community. And it certainly sets you apart from you know, not every rural community has a tourism component we do. But it does set you apart then from the tourists that people just expect are coming and going and just won't necessarily make the same effort with because there's a transient piece to it.

Alissa Hessler: 47:59

I wonder it also COVID has made rural communities real estate explode. I mean, here in Maine, I think our community, it kind of went up initially about 30%. And now we're kind of looking at 40% increase on housing prices. Have you seen the same thing in your area? And, you know, what are some of the ramifications? Or how are people responding to this kind of new influx of people coming in and people not being priced out of communities that they've lived in forever?

Unknown: 48:31

It's it's happening? Yeah, it's the same thing here. I mean, we we really feel like we squeaked in right at the 11th hour. And if we had waited another year or two, I don't know that we would have been able to do this. And so yeah, we've we've known, you know, a number of people who've had to leave because they just can't find housing care. It is really difficult. There's so few rentals, we have the Airbnb component as well, where a lot of places are just available, you know, seasonally and and otherwise, they sit empty. And it's been really difficult. So you know, my daughter is facing that right now with some friends that are leaving this year because of it. And you know, I come from the opposite side of like I was that friend leaving for very different reasons. But certainly knowing what that's like for the friend too. And so it's been interesting to have those conversations and really realize this is probably only the beginning. And it's hard to know where that's going to end where the properties that are coming up for sale are so few and far between to begin with. And then when they do the prices are just nowhere near what people who've been saving and and really squirreling money away for years could possibly afford.

Alissa Hessler: 49:42

It's the exact same here and it's really heartbreaking and troubling and I'm also living in a seasonal community where it like breaks my heart to see houses just sit vacant all through the winter when I know how many people need affordable year round time. I was in and would be great tenants. So yeah, I was wondering if that was similar where you are in Canada? How has your island community whether the last couple of years with COVID? Do you feel stronger and more connected now? Or more isolated and disconnected?

Unknown: 50:16

I love that question. I think it's it changes throughout the seasons a little bit, there's definitely been a little bit more isolation, just because winter time everyone slows down since Summertime is always a big rush, you might see people at the beach and so I think summertime to a certain extent feels not the same. But it there's there's, it's so much easier to meet with people, we can still all go to the beach, safely maintain a distance and sort of yell at each other from from a safe distance. So that that works nicely. Wintertime is where it gets hard, like it's already so dreary, and and dark out here that it's easy to just kind of feel the heaviness of winter. And so not having the ability to just have people over easily and dealing with spikes of you know, what's whatever's happening with the latest variant, it's still the right thing to do. And we've never questioned that, that that is still where we where we sit on on, you know, where we feel comfortable with with our kids, and for our extended family, but it has been more isolating at times. So I think that I'm curious to see what the summer feels like. And then going into the fall, you know, with that, with that as well. We also have the element of that first year. So in 2021, the kids were homeschooled, so they didn't go to school. And that definitely exacerbated that feeling of isolation, because we just couldn't fathom if if the schools shut down how we were going to do what we were doing, how I was going to run this company and how Scott was going to handle his freelance contracts without, you know, having someone having that be solid. So when a friend reached out and offered to homeschool the kids, we said, well, this is the safer way to do what we need to do. But that meant that a lot of people were really extra respectful. And so we had to kind of say like, no, this doesn't mean we don't want to hang out safely, it just means that we don't want to risk if the school shuts down. And so it did lead to I think more isolation that year as well than it did this past year.

Alissa Hessler: 52:16

I felt this with my kind of transition from working in the corporate world to kind of trying to create something on my own in a rural space, this loss of identity with what I did for work. And although you carried out what you did for work like throughout, I wondered if you grappled with that at all. And you know, the steps that you've kind of taken to build this business that you've created, because I think it's really difficult to continue to build those relationships with cohorts and colleagues and people that you used to work with when you're living in a rural area.

Unknown: 52:55

Yeah, it, you know, I think part of part of what's maintain those connections is the novelty of what we did. I think we because it was, you know, 2012 It was such a bizarre thing for people to wrap their heads around, they're like, let me get some popcorn, and just watch this show. Used to end up this is bonkers. So I think that we had the luxury of just making it so weird what we were doing that people wanted to kind of get an update at times, we, I was really fascinated, especially in maybe the first two to three years by how quickly you see people differently. And you because you see how they see you differently. And I would have some people who would look at what we were doing and going oh, and you'd lose some sort of status with them that you didn't know that you were fighting for to begin with. And then you'd have other people that were just like, that's the coolest tell me so much more and nobody needs to be fawning all over us. But the authenticity of wanting to like, see you and appreciate you for who you are versus the people who are all of a sudden, like, I don't know, because you're not you know, you don't have the latest designer bag and you don't, you know, aspire to be and look like and and have the things that I aspire to in in a in a city? I don't know now you're suspect and lesser than to me, it was so apparent that it very quickly from a self confidence standpoint just made it possible to go oh no, I want to I want to chase those vibes of the people that really appreciate me for all this weirdness and and don't entertain the people that are just kind of disappointed that I'm not in the city anymore because I don't fit some mold that I decided wasn't right for me. Anyway, so that was liberating. And that was really, really nice to to experience, I think with where I am right now with bright lab they've known from the beginning when I was first freelancing with the organization and then stepped into this role in 2020 it that this is a part of who I am and I have no intention of moving back to the City that I'm happy to come down, I'm happy to travel to clients, I'm happy to do things. But this isn't a part of my identity that I would ever hide. And that it's, it's a part of how I do my work. It's a part of what brings me you know, the balance, I need to be the best possible person in a work environment. And so it's been nice to have that leading by example of everyone else should also feel empowered to do the same. If they want to live in Vancouver, if they want to live in Toronto, cool. If that works for you, that's awesome. But especially given the cost of housing and especially given, you know, the tenuous nature of even being able to secure housing, people have options. And and that's apparent because I am sitting here having this amazing option. So everyone else should do.

Alissa Hessler: 55:42

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you were really working from home before working from home was cool. I wondered, what challenges you initially faced making that transition, and how you set yourself up for success, and really what your days look like now, because I think that sometimes, you know, this idea of working from home can feel kind of, it manifests in different ways for everyone. And so I wondered what that looked

Unknown: 56:12

like for you. What was great. And then now, so at the time, it was really great that we didn't have video conferencing, because I had, you know, two little babies that I could freely nurse that never question that anyone knew what was going on, I could be you know, driving around quietly just to keep a baby, you know, napping, because we were struggling to get them down for a nap and participate in a conference call and do the minimal, you know, yep, sounds good, participate where I need to and then quickly go on mute. I couldn't do that as soon as video conference became a little bit more normalized. So at the time, it was really fortunate that the tools that we had meant a lot more freedom to obscure or mask some of the environments that we were in. And as long as you could be there, from a voice standpoint, or communicate through email, in a timely fashion, you are fine. But what's amazing now is having this possibility, which can also be you know, challenging if it's an all day zoom fest. But this possibility to make connections with people is a game changer for remote work. So Well, it worked. For me, I can't say enough good things about having this as a tool and something that we get to have in our arsenal for how we stay connected as a team and on projects with clients. I think that for me, personally, my calendar is my guide. And so I have my tasks and Google Calendar. And I am very, you know diligent about what, based on the number of meetings and the number of things I need to get done and the size of the things I need to do, what can I actually do in the day, and if something has to move out, it has to move out. But I'm no longer you know, going to sit here until 10 o'clock at night, trying to get everything done. Because I've got a family and I've got a life and I've got things that I want to do I want to see the sunlight go for a walk, that that calendar is the most important way for me to to maintain that balance and make sure that I'm really setting up my day for success with dedicated blocks for like focus time where people know I won't be there, they know that I'm going to be heads down. If you want a response from me, you're going to get it but not until this time, which has helped people sort of also find ways to communicate with me better and more thoughtfully, and lessens that desire to just like have that half i on Slack all the time just in case someone needs me for something.

Alissa Hessler: 58:26

We've talked a lot in COVID about creating boundaries and I think that that was something that was never really talked about pre COVID having very clear work life boundaries. And I think that in some ways the never ending To Do List of rural life and maintaining a rural property and animals and home and trees and all of the things that you need to attend to it almost allows you to look at your work life like that as well what needs to push to the next day because work is also a never ending to do list. And does it have to get done right now? I wondered as someone whose life now is so connected to the land if you've noticed the effects of climate change in your region,

Unknown: 59:12

very much so yeah, we had a heat dome last year that covered this area and I think it extended all the way down to Portland it was I'm not sure the exact way terminology scientific terminologies but it basically meant it was bloody hot for a week and you like I couldn't be in this particular space out all past one o'clock. So we mostly sat in the water we mostly just like tried to hunker down in front of fans but it was unbelievably hot and led to you know huge die off in the coastal areas. Lots of oysters lots of you know just sea life that that just died just boiled basically. And that was you know, a huge very obvious very in your face moment. And then there's there's lots of little little manifestation It's just the swings when it comes to wintertime weather where it'll be really, really mild or it'll be really wild amounts of snow, that that we are not as a community really equipped for the threat of Fire is a constant. That's something that in this region is a real serious thing that, you know, we've got specific groups within the community that are working on different plans to try to make sure that everybody is equipped and ready in case a forest fire were to rip through here, because it would like it could very easily take out, you know, a ton of different places on the island. So it's changed, I think some of the building materials, we talked about doing an extension on the house and what we would build with, we've talked about different sprinkler systems that would then hook up to the pond. So getting ready for things like that, not as a nice to have, but as just the nature of like, what we really truly need to be equipped for is is good, but sad, because it shouldn't have to be that way. But at the same time it is unfortunately, yes, a very much of reality here.

Alissa Hessler: 1:01:01

I wonder looking back at your life, you've now had 10 years in this new place in this new space, how your mental, physical, emotional health has changed. Since making that transition.

Unknown: 1:01:17

I mean, one of the wonderful things about especially having you know, this, this work life that's persisted somehow magically, despite being this far removed, is that I still get to sometimes step into that city world for a week at a time or a few days at a time and then come back and, and those moments are always really reaffirming of of what this life offers. For me personally, I sleep better, I have such a terrible time sleeping in the city, I just I don't know what it is, I cannot get a dark enough or quiet enough. So the sleeping element is a big part of it. I think we Scott and I always did a lot of walking in the city. And enjoyed that sometimes we struggle a little bit with how easy it is to just sort of putter around here and not really go for a good walk. But we especially once COVID hit and it was the four of us finding something to do it became more and more just going out for hikes, just really having reasons to put the phone down and go out and sweat a bit, do some work, get some sunshine and not not sit at a computer. Inevitably, my brain still sometimes will want to kind of play with some questions that I have, or some things that I'm dealing with. But it's less, all consuming that out of I think just the nature of you know, if you're hiking up a mountain or you're you're handling animals, you kind of have to be in that moment. And it's not possible to live, you know that distracted in that distracted mental state someone could get hurt. So I think for me, it definitely has been one of the best things for my mental health. And it definitely has made a huge difference from just really having the habits and rituals and rhythms that feel really meaningful and and comforting versus having those rituals feel never ending and sort of meaningless. Just I think the meaning behind it has also been really hugely beneficial.

Alissa Hessler: 1:03:10

I wondered as somebody that works as a digital strategist, and has really worked in the kind of social media digital communication space, since its inception, if you had any advice for maybe like new small business owners that have moved to a rural area, or people that have always lived in a rural area and are trying to reach a larger audience, for their product, or whatever it is that they're creating, what advice you would give them to use digital media as a tool to reach a larger audience?

Unknown: 1:03:45

That's a great question. I take photos make it personal, I think some of the best, I do a lot of knitting. And so I'm pulling a lot of yarn shops. And I think they're a perfect example of, you know, the type of industry that historically has been really localized and had to be just in one physical location catering to a community and seeing, especially during COVID. And I think it's only going to get better and bigger, seeing how you know, businesses of that size have persisted and gotten creative and found ways to connect remotely and made shipping possible. And having the ability for people to view your products and what you're offering online and purchase easily having incentives to share that with other people. It's it's the same principles that come with building community in person. But if you can authentically do that online, you will just by the nature of it increase, not just a following, but increase the connection that you have with the individuals who are going to be repeat buyers, and are going to tell other people about it.

Alissa Hessler: 1:04:46

Are there any exciting things on the horizon from either a personal or business perspective that you'd like to share?

Unknown: 1:04:52

I mean, I think from a business perspective, I'm really excited about all the things that that we're doing at Bright web and just you know For the people that we get to work with and the opportunities that presents from a team standpoint, with the property, we've expanded the garden yet again, we've got a lot of ways that we want to really think about having perennials having more bushes having more trees. Now that we feel solidly, like, alright, we're not, we're not planning on moving the garden somewhere else like this is where it's going to be, we definitely have some big tasks to the forest always wants to regrow. So lots of areas that we hadn't necessarily been using, but had been cleared as part of the bigger clearing for the garden. Now we've got to go in and say, okay, baby, olders, real sorry, but we still want this land. You gotta go. And then yeah, I think we, we still have lots of different paths that we've talked about taking whether the house we're in right now will ultimately become a rental, and then we'll build, you know, another house, that is our, you know, give it another shot and try to build something else that then will be maybe a little bit bigger for us as our family is not intended to grow. But children by the nature of being children keep growing and all of that, or if we just continue to build on and have that, you know, farm house that has different extensions on it is also a possibility. So likely more building, definitely more expansion. And I think at some point, a cow is definitely in the future, your neighbor sheet that's on record,

Alissa Hessler: 1:06:21

your neighbors are going to appreciate. Well, I have had the absolute best time talking with you, I know that you everything's scheduled for you. So I just want to leave with one last question. What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind for your children and for future generations?

Unknown: 1:06:42

That's a big one. That's a good question. I think I want my kids, I think everyone wants their their kids. But I think I want my kids to feel really comfortable and solid, following their heart. And that sounds really trite when I say it, but they're such fascinating spirits. And we have so much pressure in this world to do things that aren't our callings and aren't what we, you know, really need or want in our souls. And so I think if nothing else, if I can create an environment, and some semblance of stability, that if they could live on this property and be artists, that that's possible. And if they don't want to be artists, they want to be lawyers, cool, be a lawyer, that's awesome. But that they have a choice would be the like, the best thing that I can possibly imagine, without just handing them money to go to go do things and not teaching them about resiliency, and about hard work and about chores and about commitments and responsibilities. So you know, I want them to be through all of this, that that we've built here and that we want to build here. I want them to learn all of that, and feel that and continue to have honest conversations without that. But then at the end of it, have them, you know, hopefully walk out into this world with, you know, just a better idea of who they are, and not what society is telling them they're supposed to be are supposed to value. And that could completely not align with what I value. But yeah, that they really know what that is for themselves would be cool. I've done good work here.

Alissa Hessler: 1:08:19

Yeah. And I think that it's almost like a deprogramming in a way of, maybe I'm not sure if that's how you were raised. I don't I think my parents gave me a lot of flexibility. But whether it was them or society that pushed me into that space of workaholism, and all of the things just to be able to say it's okay to follow what really brings you joy and what you're good at and as long as you're putting that energy into other people as well, then, ya

Unknown: 1:08:52

know, he nailed it.

Alissa Hessler: 1:08:56

Thank you, Rachel, for joining us on the show. Some of my key takeaways from this episode. Being a pioneer means going against the grain and figuring out new ways of doing things. When Rachel refused to let her desire for a remote homestead conflict with her digital career. She had to learn how to structure her days so that she could prove to herself and to others that she could balance farm life and work life. It took a lot of effort and experimentation to forge a path into remote work before her colleagues were able to accept the legitimacy of her decision. The world Prime's us for short term thinking short attention spans and prioritizing convenience. It is inspiring to hear the story of Rachel and her partner for going creature comforts for years in order to build their dream home and legacy on their land. We don't often tell stories of sacrifices required to perform such an undertaking, but they are vital to consider before embarking on such an ambitious project. And lastly, reconnecting with nature provides real clarity of thought and intention. We have become so addicted to the virtual worlds, the endless streams of content and connectivity, that we disengage from ourselves and from one another in real life, show up in your life, show up for yourself and show up for others. Hi, friends, thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of the urban Exodus podcast. This is a listener supported program that is only made possible through your continued support. And if you haven't already, we would really love it if you'd leave us a five star review on Apple podcasts or Spotify, or whatever service you listen on. And please recommend urban excess to your friends. An enormous thank you to my incredible producer Simone Leon, and my amazing editor Johnny Sol, and my music man Benjamin, the theorem. And thanks to all of you for listening. I'm Alissa Hessler and this is the urban Exodus