The Story So Far
Chris and Gillean Sangster downshifted themselves from London, first to Wiltshire and then to Scotland where they now run their own holiday let business.
Now it’s time to pause for breath, think through the points we’ve been considering so far and reach some decisions – it may not be right for you. Alternatively, it may be OK ultimately, but not now. Or the ideas could be really lighting your fire, big time! Here’s our opportunity for a review.
This chapter consists largely of questions, revisiting key areas from our studies this far. In order to clarify in your mind what your personal way forward should be, it’s important that you respond to the questions and write down your answers somewhere. We suggested earlier that you have a notebook to record your answers for future reference. This is the time to use it – or even write your answers in this book, if that doesn’t offend you. You may even find, in checking back, that some of your parallel answers have changed or refined in the course of our considerations. Keep notes of these different responses – your later ideas will build on earlier ones and may even help you clarify what you really think.
Where do I stand?
There were many possible reasons for downshifting set out in Chapter 2. In the action plans you were asked to identify the key factors which you thought might affect you and the key characteristics which you think make you tick. Try answering these supplementary questions, to focus more precisely.
Applying SWOT
Do you remember the idea of using a SWOT analysis to establish whether a particular idea held potential for you? You can use this type of thinking to compare and contrast different jobs, places, skills, capabilities, anything really. It is a good way of objectively comparing like with like. Using it keeps your mind focused and on the ball.
Now’s the time to use the same type of thinking to analyze yourself.
Inspiration
When we were thinking seriously about changing our life to what we’re currently doing, I came across a saying in one of these inspirational books which many people buy and have by the bedside. I found a lady artist who lived locally and who produced illustrated calligraphy scrolls. She made us a beautifully illuminated copy of the saying, which I had framed and we hung it on our bedroom wall. As our plans advanced, we often quoted the words to each other. It now hangs in our porch and we still quote the words to each other periodically, to underline our vision and priorities. It’s by Henry David Thoreau:
- we hope it perhaps gives you inspiration too.
The next stage
So, now that you’ve focused on your strengths and how to apply them to the full, and have some ideas of the skills and talents you may be able to bring to the fore if you downshift, what is the next stage in the process? Should you be thinking specifically about how you’re going to earn a living, or should you be considering what you’re worth currently if you sell your present home and realign your priorities?
To some, the ultimate downshifting is selling their high-value property and retiring to a small cottage somewhere, living off the proceeds for the rest of their lives. Indeed, this works for some people. There was a time around the late 1980s when the UK saw a fairly massive clearout of middle management through voluntary redundancy and early retirement. I am aware of many managers in their early 50s who accepted the financial package with alacrity. To some of these, the concept of doing nothing for the rest of their lives was a very attractive one. Although it’s still working perfectly for some, I know of others for whom the gradual undermining of feelings of self-worth or financial stability, or both, has created problems.
If you (not the mortgage provider) have a lot of personal capital tied up in your current property, it is obviously an important factor in the overall future equation. The days when you could buy a Scottish estate for the price of a flat in London are probably long departed, but there are certainly impressive price differentials around the country. It’s worth doing some ballpark figure calculations at a relatively early stage in your considerations to give you a financial handle on the viability of your overall plans. We’ll discuss this in some detail in the following chapter. Your ideas for downshifting from employment to self-employment may be reducing your overall running costs day to day, but setting up your own business can be quite expensive initially. You must remain in control, especially in the early days when you might feel cash-rich from releasing your assets. If you get involved in building renovation, these assets dwindle away all too quickly.
So, earning a living and working out your worth: let’s consider them both together.
Choosing your new location
OK. Now we can get down to some interesting bits (assuming that doing sums and facing up to your real worth gets a bit depressing after a while). Where would you like to live? And more to the point, where can you afford to live to have the type of life overall that would make you happy and make this whole downshifting upheaval worth the effort?
When we moved from London to Wiltshire, one of the greatest differences was the darkness at night. We lived on the edge of a tiny hamlet, with one street light visible from our property. We had a huge garage, which initially did not have any power or lights, and I remember going out with a torch to find something in the storage boxes and hearing the rustles and scratches as little creatures and birds moved around in the shadows. Quite creepy initially, but then, for the first time, we could stand outside and view the panoply of the stars without the constant sodium glow you have in towns and cities. That is a bonus, in real terms!
We now live surrounded by our own fields and woodland, with our nearest neighbours at least a mile away. We’re still blessed with an uninterrupted view of the stars and don’t actually think of ourselves as being particularly remote, having phased down progressively. Our many cottage guests have travelled miles from around Britain and abroad to experience these wild spaces of the Scottish Highlands. The silence and darkness are a wonderment to most, although very occasionally we do have guests who find it all a bit too different from their norm. If you’re thinking of moving, you really need to travel around and test out what you enjoy and feel comfortable with. Be realistic and honest with yourself.
Out of the mists of confusion
You should now be reaching a point where you’re clearer about your next move. This might be that you’re not yet ready to downshift and relocate or that it’s not for you, either now or in the future. This is OK. Better to make these decisions now and carry on as you are than to sell up in a hurry, hand in your notice and then live to regret it. If you still have strong doubts, step back and leave it for some time before perhaps considering your future afresh. You will still have your notes to refer to and you may be able to then spot where attitudes might have changed.
If you are still thinking positively about the possibilities, this is equally OK. Your goals should be clearer and your plans should be perhaps more realistic than in the early stages of considering a change.
The final consolidating thoughts that you might need to spend some time on are your particular ideas for work/life balance. You’ve been thinking about this in the previous chapter, so it should still be fairly fresh in your mind. One or two refining thoughts may still be in order, however.
OK. Now that we’ve established many of the firm foundations, it’s time to get down to the finer detail of constructing our downshifting and relocation plans.
