What if quitting city life could lead to your truest self? This story follows Nate Johnson, a former arts promoter, who left the Twin Cities to live simply in the North Woods. He traded noise for nature, pace for presence—and now lives by “slowness.” Read on to discover his journey.
MLE NOTE: I found this article fascinating for multiple reasons—each of which also applies to our journey through the second half of life (post-career). This phase of life allows us more time to do these!
1) Many of us who enjoy the outdoors and not the fast pace of big city life have probably wished we could spend more time experience more nature and less noise.
2) The change he made when he first moved from the city—he noted, “I decided to just let it all go and start over.”
3) I also thought his quote applies to later life need for purpose, meaning, continued contribution and giving back, “There was like this deep inner voice that was guiding me in those directions,” he recalled. “I didn’t really think about it as a choice, it was just something that I felt compelled to do.”
4) And finally, as he talks about teaching people and encouraging them to embrace new challenges and learn new things he notes, “Embrace the slowness of it.”
