Why I’d Choose My Lifestyle Over a Paycheck – Every Time

How do you shape your life? Eva’s is admittedly pretty dreamy, she lifts the lid on the mindset that got her where she is today.

In 2021 Adam and I finished our lap of Australia and came away with a vision of what we wanted the rest of our life to look like. We didn’t know the exact place we’d live, necessarily, but knew these three non-negotiables would guide us to the right spot:

1. Not a city
2. No more than five minutes’ drive from the beach
3. Within three hours of family

With degrees in engineering and journalism, we weren’t really sure how moving to a small coastal town was going to go. Those kinds of jobs usually come with a bigger salary and better ‘career progression’ in the city, but having spent 12 months in Sydney right out of uni, we knew that wasn’t the life for us.

In classic small town style, Adam rang up a random engineering company and asked if they were hiring. Spoiler alert, they were, and we were on our way to life in a coastal town. 

Living close to the ocean was a non-negotiable

With limited ‘journalism’ opportunities, I took the leap to start my own business as a freelance writer, photographer, and videographer, something I’d wanted to do for years.

Four years later, I can say that move was the best decision we ever made. It’s fuelled a life full of adventure, nature, community, and connection that I don’t think we’d have had if we were chasing the corporate ladder during the week and sneaking away for weekend camp trips.

Choosing an adventure filled life is possible, and totally worth it. You don’t need to live a super alternative off-grid life. All you need is an open mind, the right priorities, and a decent 4WD like a Toyota HiLux, to help you make the most of your new home!

Read more: How to 4WD – A Guide to 4WDing for Beginners

Moments like these on a weekday? Yes please

Living Where Everyone Goes on Holiday

When we lived in Sydney hot days would drive me crazy – all I wanted was a quick dip in the ocean to cool off. But we were 20 minutes and 45 traffic lights from Maroubra and it just never felt worth it when I had to sit in traffic on the way home.

I used to dread February. My leave was used up, it was hot, and I just wanted to be back on holidays. Now it’s one of my favourite months because the masses disappear, but it’s still summer, the water is warm, the waves are fun, and you have this whole magical place to yourself.

Three’s a crowd in this lineup

Sure, there’s still the end of Christmas blur where you forget what day it is and what it was like to have a routine. But the great thing is I get to live out my ‘normal routine’ of work, gym, and dinners with friends in an idyllic coastal town where the adventures are quite literally on my doorstep. I don’t have to choose one or the other. 

Adventure Isn’t Separate to My Day – It’s Part of It

Living out of the big smoke means that adventures and nature aren’t reserved for holidays, or even weekends away. They’re a core, natural part of my life and so much more accessible, especially with the right gear.

I throw my surfboard in the tray when I drive to work because there are four surf breaks I can check on the way home. When my friends are away I duck around the corner from my office and take their dog for a beach walk . I can see that the tide is high from my kitchen window and wheel my kayak down the street for a drift. Instead of after work drinks, I’ll meet my girlfriend at a random dirt road intersection to jump in the HiLux and trundle up a bumpy track in search of rare birds. 

I meet a bunch of mates every Thursday at sunrise and teach them to surf (our club is called the ‘Thursday Morning Baby Wave Surfer Girls’ and yes, we’re getting merch). Instead of going out for dinner our group of mates will randomly hike to a lookout for a sunset picnic. My low effort ‘just get outside’ activity is a walk through the pristine national park at the bottom of my street. We sporadically jump in the inlet for a swim on the way home from the gym because it’s just off the main road.

And all that is just the incidentals of daily life. When you consider that we have some of the best multi-day hiking and off-road accessible camping, adventure close to home takes on a whole new meaning. 

Sometimes moody weather is the best on a hike

One big essential is a 4WD like the HiLux. Packing becomes chucking a few bits of camp gear into the tray on a Friday arvo, and a bit of oomph and clearance means you’re never second-guessing whether you’ll make it to camp (or make it home).

By 6pm you’re at camp, around the fire, and well and truly off the beaten track while most people would still be commuting home at peak hour.

Community Matters

Adventures aside, there’s another reason I love it here a little south of Ulladulla. When I lived in the city I spoke to my neighbours once, even though we literally shared a wall. On day one of moving into a new house in a small south coast town, every single neighbour popped by to introduce themselves. Some brought beer, some brought produce from their garden, and some just came to say hi.  

I love being a local and knowing the people in my community

It’s been easy to make good friends because usually people who live in a small place are there for similar reasons. The priorities aren’t how much you earn, or what job you have, it’s what adventures you can go on together and how you can make the most of your time right now.

I also reckon there’s less of a focus on the things you own or your appearance. It’s perfectly acceptable to wear no shoes to the shops, turn up for a BBQ in shorts and a T-shirt, or roll into work with no makeup on and salty hair. Instead, there’s a focus on the slow pace, community first, and a ‘buy it once, buy it right’ mentality. 

Practical over flashy. My kind of people for sure.

This is basically the South Coast uniform

Is it realistic?

How’s my sell going? You’re probably wondering ‘Is it financially possible? And is it worth the pay cut?’ and for me it’s a resounding yes.

This lifestyle is less expensive. We meet our friends for walks and swims rather than drinks or brunch. Flexible work allows me to pursue my passions in photography and writing. Sometimes a work day is in an office, and other times it’s perching on my balcony overlooking the national park, writing up an adventure I’ve just returned from.

No place I’d rather perch

And I want to emphasise that I’m not living some crazy, flexible, unscheduled life. I love stability and routine as much as the next person – I live a pretty ‘normal’ life complete with a mortgage and a gym routine. 

But I don’t feel ‘trapped’ in that life because I chose to live close to so much nature and joy and adventure – I fully believe that it’s possible to have the best of both worlds.

What are your priorities?

I think in the world we live in it’s hard to prioritise your lifestyle. We’re always being told to ‘set yourself up and work hard so you can retire and enjoy yourself’. 

I know the choice we’ve made is one a lot of people wish they’d done, or could do, earlier. Have we made some sacrifices? Sure. Do we earn less? Certainly. But is it worth it? Well, when all your spare time is spent at the beach or in the bush, I’d say absolutely yes.

Arvos like this make it all worth it

I want people to know that living a life like this is not just possible, but very normal. My friends are physios and dentists and tradies and work for the local government. But instead of going out for dinner and drinks, we hike to a lookout for sunset or go for dawn surfs together.

It’s a pretty bloody wholesome life and there’s no corporate job or paycheck I’d trade it for in a million years. If you have the right mindset and the right vehicle like the Toyota HiLux to cart your gear and get you down dusty tracks, this lifestyle is more attainable than you might think. 

Anyway, surf’s pumping!