Considering age when Downshifting

One thing's for sure, we don't get any younger!

A favourite saying is "If only I had done this ten years earlier". I'm sure that no matter what age you are now, you've probably been there !

Speaking for myself, I downshifted when I was 50 and I'm reasonably happy with that. The situation at that time and various circumstances meant for me to have a change of life and scenery.

Much depends on what you're downshifting to. If you're going down the self sufficiency route with a smallholding etc., I reckon you don't want to leave it til you're over 40/45'ish. The physical work involved is very high and if you've been in an Office or fairly stationery job for years, the sudden change is going to hit you.

You can't escape getting older.

It isn't so much the age you downshift at, it's considering '5 or 10 years time'. At the time, it may seem a great idea and you'll have no trouble getting on with it. But you have to consider that youth and vitality don't go on forever and the fact you may not be physically fit enough to do your new work at some stage in the future.

I started off doing gardening full time after leaving my management job and for three years it was pretty good. But after that time I could feel the old bones were older than they were and it became a struggle.
Luckily I had a fairly open mind when I downshifted. Perhaps a bit of the old 1960's in me which said, "we'll see what tomorrow brings when tomorrow comes".

What I'm getting at is that sometimes we 'downshift', then 'sideshift'. Leave options open and take your new life as done and said. Most downshifters will, after the initial move, seek other outlets and have an eye on the future.
If you've moving into something like Wooden Toy making you may have that as your career, but if it's building Greenhouses, you may change after a few years.

Your move is your move and it is made when you feel the time is right for you albeit this is usually based around financial, family and everyday stress matters.
There's a good wise saying in 'The Good Book'....

'No matter in which direction a tree falls, it will lie where it fell. When the clouds are full, it rains.
If you wait until the wind and the weather are just right, you will never sow anything and never harvest anything.
Ecclesiastes 11.

 

old man

Late - but not too late!

Before Downshifting
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Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it. Dalai Lama

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