One couple who downsltifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a
journalist and she used to work for an international bank. They would commute every day from
their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel
wouldn’t get home until eight or nine o’clock, and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to
New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life
was passing them by.
Noxvadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. “l’ve always wanted to have a farm
here,” says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshifi. lt’s taken
some getting used to, but it’s been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money
on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it’s made us stronger as a
family, and the children are a lot happier.
Liz, however, is not totally convinced. “I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work
and long hours. I ’m not really a country girl, but I suppose l’m gradually getting used to looking
after the animals. One thing I do like though is being able to see more of my children. My tip
for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at
all.”