Drop everything and go to the village. Who are downshifters and why do they change their lives?

The faster the standard of living grows, the more people think about the need for an endless struggle for money and high positions. Against the background of such reasoning, various ideological movements emerge. One of them is downshifting.

This philosophy promotes the idea of ​​“living for yourself” and “giving up the goals of others.” It is similar to the concept of “simple living”.

Downshifting became possible due to the development of small businesses, technology, remote work and long-distance communications.

Is a downshifter a slacker or a purposeful person?

A downshifter is a person who voluntarily lowered his social and material status. But such people are perceived differently. This is because society still does not have a common understanding of the details.

Some recognize as such all those who, for whatever reason, exchanged a stuffy office for the seashore. These include hippies roaming the expanses of Crimea and Goa, volunteers in various parts of the world, and remote workers in Bali. Others call a true downshifter only the one who ends his career by following an idea and doing creative work. In the 19th century, these were populists who refused to serve in order to educate peasant children.

It should be clarified whether all those who quit their jobs should be considered downshifters. One situation is when a worker had a good position and a good salary, a profitable business and developed skills. It’s a completely different matter - yesterday’s student worked for a couple of years at a medium-sized enterprise and, disillusioned with the modest salary and boring work, went to the Indian Sikhs or fell on his mother’s neck. The second one would be more accurately called a dependent.

It wouldn’t hurt to talk about the psychological reasons for “escape from the world.” Every downshifter will say that he is tired of stress and the race for false ideals and wants “freedom and peace.” But if parting with the previous way of life is of a strong protest nature, it’s worth thinking about. Protest is another challenge to the world and is often temporary. A person who understands his true needs does not argue with anyone and does not prove anything to anyone - he goes to himself.

Downshifting phenomenon

A downshifter is a person who wants to live a measured life. An important part of the philosophy is recreation: organized tourism, traveling “savage”, life in the countryside. The downshifter focuses on communicating with family and like-minded people. Engaged in hobbies, self-education and charity. All this is for the sake of knowing yourself.

Representatives of the movement are against working for a market economy. They change their lifestyle and switch to other behavioral models. They spend money on intangible goods, begin to consume consciously, and reduce working hours for the sake of freedom. A downshifter gives up career heights, moves to another position (less profitable, but calmer), works at home or limits himself to part-time work. To get rid of stress, downshifters live not in noisy cities, but on the outskirts, dachas and towns. But moving does not mean abandoning civilization. They keep up with the times and use technology for work, communication and education. Some people joke that a downshifter is a person with an iPhone who has gone to the village.

Downshifters are usually apolitical, but different countries have their own specifics:

• British downshifting is closely related to environmental issues.
• In Australia, such people advocate frequent changes of housing and work.
• Russian downshifters are moving to warm countries to travel more or raise children, while simultaneously renting out real estate in their homeland.

A real downshifter - who is it?

For further discussion, let’s clarify the concept - we will describe the signs of a true downshifter:

• A downshifter is a successful person . He has a job behind him that has brought him experience and income. Perhaps a career and position in society (but this is not necessary; for example, an IT specialist can have an impressive salary without a career).
• This is a diligent person . He worked for the good of society (although he probably realized that the good was relative, because he made a profit from selling chips and soda).
• This is a man of ideas , pursuing his dream. He had long thought about working as a lifeguard on South Beach, growing a garden for his family (also a service to the community) or becoming a blacksmith. Or he wanted to write a book - from the point of view of careerism, he is also a downshifter, but in the future he can become a famous writer.
• This is a strong person , able to withstand difficulties. He guessed that he would have to tighten his belt, and managed to direct his asceticism for good.
• It doesn't matter what he does . This can be any creative work for money or for the soul, if there is a source of income.

Portrait of a real downshifter

Everything seems to be clear with the definition of downshifting, but what about the followers? Let me tell you what personal qualities such people have and what their life looks like from the inside.

A downshifter considers time to be the most valuable resource. He tries to fill every minute with meaning. The race for material wealth does not count.

Here's what downshifters typically do for 70-80% of their personal time:

• hobbies: drawing, embroidering, dancing, growing flowers or other plants, repairing cars, writing articles, making videos for Youtube, and so on;
• communicate with family and friends, raise children;
• self-development: meditate, read books, watch videos with new useful information.

There is a myth about downshifting that its followers are parasites. Of course, there are people who live on the islands by renting out real estate in Russia. However, most downshifters work. They simply choose freelancing, part-time work, a creative profession or a small business.

A true downshifter is a balanced and self-sufficient person. He clearly understands what he wants. And he does not impose his life philosophy on others.

Famous representatives of the movement in history were: Buddha, philosopher Diogenes, Roman emperor Diocletian, writer Leo Tolstoy. In modern Russia, many people know about multimillionaire German Sterligov. In 2004, he sold the business and moved to live first on a forest plot in the Mozhaisky district, and then moved to the Istrinsky district, where he founded the Sloboda peasant farm. Now German Sterligov is engaged in selling farm products.

You may be wondering: “What is cashback and how can you use it to save on online purchases?”

How to become a downshifter?

So, the office worker feels that he is not living his own life and it’s time to change something. To do this, he takes the following steps.

Step 1. Decides what you would like to devote your future life to. It’s good if the answer to the question has already been found: there is less chance of making a mistake.

Step 2. Thinks through how he will receive income. The first and second points do not always coincide. Options: remote work, interest on deposits (not the most reliable way in the Russian economy), renting out housing, hobbies, working in another position (often coincides with a hobby).

Step 3. Along the way, accumulates finances to create a “safety cushion” for the transition period.

Step 4. Select a region to live in.

Step 5. Makes inquiries about local features: climate, laws, financial situation, development of education (if we are talking about a family with children), labor market, ability to live on the expected income.

Step 6. Coordinates his decision with loved ones in order to avoid a conflict situation. Have you seen the movie “Revolutionary Road” (2008) with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet? That's exactly what he's talking about.

Step 7. Leaves work tactfully and without unnecessary celebration. You may have to come back again.

Step 8. Make your dream come true.

Downshifting: CONS

Man is a social being.
We communicate, work, continue our family line. Psychologists confirm that human society is capable of preserving itself only at the species level. This fact is not immediately realized if the individual fails to enter into the uniform rhythm of society. Against this background, a false impression is created that avoiding everyday problems will help personal growth and lead to peace of mind.

If a person decides to move away alone, then over time there will be a feeling of isolation from the world around him. This is why many downshifters return to their old life. An excellent example will again be German Sterligov, who lived with his family on a farm for about 4 years. After that, he returned to life in the metropolis.

Downshifting and remote work

These phenomena are not necessarily interrelated.

Let's say an honored journalist of a popular publication or a famous coach retired from work and write from a corner of paradise, each about his own. This is downshifting and remote work.

But people can earn money remotely from a young age, without having a career behind them—this is no longer downshifting.

And finally, getting away from the hustle and bustle of the big city, downshifters don’t necessarily work remotely. And they don’t always strive for this.

A downshifter is a person who has left his previous benefits in the name of work for pleasure, no matter whether it is remote or not.

History of downshifting

Downshifting originates from the 70s of the last century, when the hippie movement was popular. These were young people with long hair who promoted the rejection of material values ​​in favor of spiritual values. Hippies rebelled against the existing system of social attitudes dictated by society. The model of this system has remained virtually unchanged to this day:

1. The young man graduates from school and enters college or university.
2. Next, he must obtain a diploma with decent grades in order to get a good job.
3. In the meantime, be sure to start a family and start saving money in case of some unforeseen circumstances and for a decent life in retirement.
4. While a person is working, he must constantly increase his earnings, achieve some career heights, fit in with his surroundings, dress fashionably, and attend various events.

In a word, a person constantly owes something to no one knows. Downshifters choose a life outside of this system.

What is modern downshifting?

Modern downshifters are generally divided into two categories:

• People who choose a slow life in nature instead of the noisy rhythm of the metropolis. They engage in agriculture, simple labor that can also generate income.
• The so-called “resort downshifters” are people who choose to live in warm countries, where there is affordable housing, inexpensive food, primarily vegetables and fruits. Such countries include Vietnam, Thailand, India, Indonesia, etc. Resort downshifters usually work remotely, choosing to live in places where there is good Internet. Working as a designer, copywriter, content manager, SEO specialist, or programmer can bring both small and quite impressive income, depending on the number of clients. The employee himself sets the length of his working day and the level of workload.

Possible consequences of downshifting

Now a few words about the results of the changes. There are four possible scenarios here:

1. The person who has changed his image enjoys life for some time, then his finances run out, and the income at the new place of work turns out to be below the subsistence level. Disappointment in the change of events forces one to return to the previous way of life .
2. Tired of the mad rush, he rests, regains his strength and returns to his previous, perhaps slightly modified, way of life. Whether he planned it initially or not, the vacation became a significant reboot for him, an attempt to understand himself and reach a new level .
3. Yesterday's downshifter does not return to his previous positions, but when the need to “replenish his balance” arises, he earns just enough to live on .
4. The ideal case is if our hero managed to provide himself with a sufficient material level (having passive income or earning money in a new place) and continues to do what he loves , for the sake of which everything was started.

Advantages and disadvantages of downshifting

Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of downshifting.

Main advantages:

1. Lack of control from superiors, the ability to independently regulate your work process.
2. Developing self-discipline: To have a livelihood, you need to force yourself to work. This applies not only to downshifters, but to all remote employees.
3. There is more free time that you can spend on things that you don’t allow yourself when working for hire. For example, spend a lot of time with loved ones, travel, focus on hobbies.
4. A change of environment is sometimes necessary to completely “reboot” the brain.

Flaws:

1. Deterioration of financial situation (not necessary, but possible for many downshifters).
2. Loss of skills – labor and social-communicative. A person who works alone quickly gets used to it. If you have to return to normal life, adapting in the opposite direction can be quite difficult.

The best countries for downshifting

Now let's discuss where to go as a downshifter.

There are several criteria for choosing a region for living (or wintering):

• climate,
• cheapness of life,
• flight cost,
• visa regime of the state,
• legislation of the country (for example, only a local citizen can officially work as a guide in Thailand, but many know workarounds).

The bulk of Russians gravitate towards warm countries.

The most popular is Southeast Asia : Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia. A flight there costs about 15,000 rubles. If you get to a promotion or do your research in advance, you can save a lot on air tickets.

in Thailand for 60 days with a visa, 30 days without it, then cross the border to the nearest country and again live for a month without a visa. A Vietnam visa (for staying in the country for more than 15 days) is issued in advance for six months. In Indonesia, Russians arriving for the purpose of tourism can stay for a month only with a stamp in their passport; a longer stay will require a visa (for 2 or 6 months).

Tropical Asia attracts with its low cost of living (prices depend on the country and region), exotic nature, interesting culture and gentle sea. Mostly the Slavs living there work as guides (combining work and love of travel), own businesses or earn money through the Internet.

India is no less loved by our fellow citizens . 1.5 - 2 thousand Russians permanently live in Goa alone. This means both the native language environment and the usual form of leisure. Plus all the joys of fans of Buddhism and yoga. A tourist visa is issued for a period of up to six months and cannot be extended.

Turkey also offers a three-month winter stay (up to 60 days without a visa plus a month extension of stay by crossing the border) . The heat is not expected there at this time - an excellent option for those who want to see the sights in a comfortable temperature and at reduced prices. A flight from Moscow will cost 5,000 - 7,000 rubles (winter prices).

However, it is worth considering that intercity bus prices are high in the country. My husband and I explored the option of hitchhiking in the summer: movement is possible, but rather slow.

European countries. As a rule, they are chosen by those wishing to build a career, but downshifters can also find acceptable options for themselves. The climate in the region is milder than Russia, and holders of Schengen visas will appreciate the opportunity to travel using a developed network of low-cost airlines.

It is worth paying attention to countries with low prices: Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, Hungary, Poland, the Czech Republic. The first three are especially good during the swimming season, and in Montenegro you can live up to 30 days without a visa. Those wishing to extend their stay cross the border with Croatia or obtain a 90-day visa in advance (extension is not provided; if you want to stay, you will have to reapply). The advantages of Europe also include the low cost of flights.

New World. The trip will cost a pretty penny, but holders of a Schengen, British or American visa can save money by purchasing tickets with a transfer. There are many visa-free countries, moving between which you can avoid returning to Russia for several years.

The Dominican Republic attracts residents of the middle zone with its comfortable temperature (from September to April +25-30 degrees). Staying in the country for up to 30 days is allowed with a tourist card (costs $10), which can be extended at the police station for another month or two. An important point: the country has a departure fee of $20. Working on a tourist visa is punishable by law, and the labor market is not so developed. Therefore, the state is more suitable for remote workers.

In Ecuador , where you can combine mountains, plains and sea, and the temperature is comfortable all year round, Russians can stay for three months without a visa.

You don’t need a visa for the same period in Chile , just be prepared to show return tickets home or to any other state at the border.
The standard of living in the country is also low, which attracts downshifters who love to open new horizons.

Downshifting: PROS

Downshifters are independent individuals who do not limit themselves to strict time limits and requirements.
They set their schedule only at their own discretion. After drastic changes, a lot of free time appears. Here, downshifters themselves decide how to use it: work at night and sleep until lunch, travel and live in exotic countries, and much more.

If a person does everything right for himself, then he will soon feel a surge of new strength, the absence of a terrible mood and constant lack of sleep.

Personal and professional growth appears. After such life changes, a desire to self-develop arises.

Popular regions of Russia

There are many downshifters living in Russia who do not want to leave their homeland.

The most popular region for moving is the Krasnodar Territory . According to Rossiyskaya Gazeta, for 2020 - 2020. 150,000 Russians from other regions settled there.

The advantages are obvious: the sea, warm climate, real estate prices are lower than in Moscow. Options for earning money: renting out housing, travel services, remote work. In the summer, we met a family from Sochi who rent out their apartment to vacationers and live in a tent outside the city all season. That’s where they work: they make rugs from stones.

People from all over Russia flock to the Voronezh region : the climate is average between Central Russia and the Black Sea coast, the economy is quite developed, the fertile soil creates good conditions for farming.

The capital's suburbs are suitable for connoisseurs of familiar infrastructure. Leningrad region and Moscow region . Renting housing is cheaper than in the capital, the transport network is well developed, which means you can make cultural and business “forays” into the city while living in more environmentally friendly conditions.

The national idea of ​​Russian downshifting is moving from a city to a small town or village. This is explained by the relatively recent break with the traditional way of life. Often those leaving remain within the region, which has a number of advantages: it is easier to decide to move, family and friendly ties are preserved, and there is less hassle when renting out an apartment.

In recent years, the movement of eco-settlers has been actively developing in our country - many of them can also be called downshifters. According to various sources, 350 - 450 tribal settlements are registered in Russia. The largest number of them are in the warm Krasnodar Territory and the Yaroslavl Region; the Central Region, the North and the Altai Territory are also popular. There are both villages of wealthy people - former and current businessmen, and modest associations of environmental connoisseurs.

This summer, my husband and I visited the “Living Spring” settlement, located in the Abinsky district of the Krasnodar Territory, and observed how people, once tied to city amenities, drive along dirt roads, carry water from a well and cook in a wood-burning stove.

What is downshifting?

That is, downshifting is a complete reboot. At some point, people realize that these goals were imposed on them by society; they get tired of constant consumption.

In addition, crises happen, deposits are burned, people lose both their homes and businesses that have been established for years, and they come to the thought: “What was the meaning of life? Why did I invest so much effort and time?”

And this is how some people start a new life. They give up other people’s ideals, a successful career that takes all their time and energy, look for a new job, go to other places, closer to nature. Downshifting to the village is popular in our country.

In Europe now 15% of the population are downshifters, in America – 30%, in Australia – 26%. Not bad numbers, aren't they? The CIS countries, as always, are “behind the rest of the planet” - we have only 1-5% of downshifters. These are mainly residents of large cities.

Resources for Downshifters

If you want to get to know the idea of ​​downshifting better, take a look at these sites:

• daunshiftery.ru is a site whose authors tried to provide the most objective information about the causes, essence and possible consequences of downshifting. There are no rose-colored glasses or rejection of the topic. Here you will find some true stories, interesting ideas and useful tips.
• downshifting-club.ru is a site about accommodation and earning opportunities in different countries of the world.
• vk.com/down.shifting - a group of downshifters on VKontakte. There is both useful information and the opportunity to communicate, and garbage.
• poselenia.ru - catalog of ecovillages in Russia and the CIS.
• vk.com/citylifeout - a VKontakte group for country lovers. It increases motivation well, but takes little into account the disadvantages of relocation.

Subscribe to blog news and learn more new and interesting things. Good luck and informed decisions!

Books about downshifting

“Total downshift or complete upgrade”

This book is printed on hemp paper. It tells the real story of a married couple who moved from the capital to the Siberian taiga. It is suitable for those who plan to establish their own settlement and need knowledge on agriculture, livestock farming, and construction. Authors: Konstantin and Natalie Makukha.

“Downshifting. How to work less and enjoy life more"

A book from John Drake, Ph.D., with advice for all urban workaholics. There are alternative life scenarios with varying degrees of risk, psychological tests and stories from people who gave up their careers for peace, harmony and happiness.

History of the phenomenon

How did downshifting come about? This is an interesting question, since the term first appeared at the end of the 20th century. The “founders” of downshifting can be considered the generation of the 80s and 90s. The first followers of the movement were well educated, many of them were rich and respected by society. However, over the years of hard work and concentration on material wealth, they lost the meaning of life. In an attempt to re-experience the taste of life, they left their luxurious apartments, gave up prestigious jobs and deliberately decided to “lower” their standard of living. Inexpensive hostels became their new homes, and the work required much less effort, although it brought in less money. People around them often look at downshifters as mentally ill - how can you give up wealth and everything you have? But the downshifters themselves have an answer to this question - they simply do not want to spend their lives in a meaningless “rat race”.

Down-shifting is a completely natural reaction to the previously appeared “yuppie” style. Office work, clear chain of command, the main goals in life are career and money. With such an unbalanced approach to life, it is not surprising that many people veer off this path. The denial of the consumer style of society manifested itself not only in individual cases of abandonment of the usual way of life. The book “No fuss. How to stop rushing and start living” by Carla Honore, who conquered the whole world and gained many supporters after her publication. Modern scientists consider downshifting as a unique form of self-destruction and behavioral deviation, but this phenomenon still inspires people around the world. What are the fundamental features of downshifting?

Who most often becomes a downshifter?

After conducting various analyses, psychologists have identified three main groups of people who most often decide to become downshifters:

1. Parental hostages.
   Since childhood, this category of people obeys only their parents, that is, their parents decided for them where the child will study, where he will go to work, etc. In other words, a person does not live his own life, but lives the way his parents want. In the future, having already become adults, such individuals look for equally powerful and authoritarian spouses who will continue to dictate to them how to live.
2. Chronically tired people. This includes those people who often suffer from psychological and moral stress. People who cannot cope with the pace of life that they have chosen, people who do not see the “light at the end of the tunnel”.
3. "Golden Child" This includes the category of people who are accustomed to living in grand style, who are accustomed to basking in luxury and not denying themselves anything. Having reached unprecedented financial heights, they want to live “for themselves,” so they change their usual way of life. Very often you can find former politicians and businessmen among downshifters.

Downshifting has its pros and cons

And for the most part, both the pros and cons are dictated by the personal experience of a particular downshifter. There is no objective division here: they say, this is good, but this is not. Everything is purely individual... However, based on general characteristics, all adherents can be divided into 2 camps: creators and slackers.

• The first ones actively inspire with deep convictions, awareness and a clear understanding of their own goals.
• The latter are repelled by parasitism, thirst for freebies and such grimy sloppiness, embellished with banal philosophical arguments and the smoke of Himalayan hashish. Interestingly, psychologists have also begun to take a closer look at the latter. Their stories are a continuous struggle for freebies and survival in the face of fights and confrontations with the local population.

To answer the question “who is a downshifter” in more detail, let’s describe these 2 types in a little more detail.

Creators

Most often, people who fall into this camp are not running away from the system, but going towards a specific goal. For example, those who leave their homes in favor of eco-villages, work and life in the village, or for the benefit of some personal project. These are healthy and open individuals, without bad habits, smoke-filled voices and red eyes. Their motivation lies in close communication with their family, self-development and careful consideration of the environment.

Among them you can often meet measured travelers, impressive in the scope of their interests and deep view of the world. You can meet settled citizens whose meaning of life is creative work on the earth. But despite the external differences, they are all united by a meaningful attitude towards their own goals, which subsequently leads to upshifting, i.e. improving living standards. The common phrase about finding something you love and not knowing what work is for the rest of your days is about them.

What does the downshifter give up?

What these two types of downshifting have in common is that these people abandon the consumer value system, where material prosperity is at the forefront and according to the laws of which the vast majority lives. Sometimes the downshifting movement is compared to the hippie lifestyle, but in fact there are practically no similarities between them. Downshifters have no codes, no hymns, no general preferences in matters of appearance and clothing. A variety of people, different from each other, refuse generally accepted consumer values. Some of them do not even suspect that their choice corresponds to the fashionable philosophy of our time. What downshifting is, the definition of this concept and how popular it is are unlikely to concern them. Often they do not oppose the social system itself, but the slogan “faster, higher, stronger”, in accordance with which society lives, is alien to them.

How it all started (a short history)

The ideology of the movement has common features with hippie culture. The term appeared at the end of the 20th century in America. We have actively developed downshifting in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

It is believed that the first to use the term was American journalist Sarah Ben Breathna

in "
Living in Low Gear: Downshifting and Redefining Success in the '90s
," which ran in
The Washington Post
on December 31, 1991. The movement found followers in Britain. Australia and USA.

Then Carl Honore

published the book “
No fuss.
“How to stop rushing and start living ” and combining downshifting with simplification, creating the concept of slow movement. Vadim Denisov, a domestic follower, wrote the book “Downshifter,” which is available in audio format. The genre is fantasy, the plot, according to the author, reflects changes in the world with the development of such a way of life.

There are 2 common points of view on downshifting and its content. Followers of the movement abandon the ideals of a consumer society, which do not allow a person to develop as an individual. Karl Marx wrote about this in his writings, that there is an “alienation of man from his human essence.”

Opponents of philosophy believe that direction has nothing to do with self-knowledge and the achievement of harmony and comfort. Since this state cannot be achieved if you are not financially independent and goals are imposed by those who do not strive to become successful.

Downshifter lifestyle (values ​​and motives)

Omar Khayyam

wrote the poem “Whoever understands life is no longer in a hurry...”, fully reflecting the ideology of the movement.

5 basic rules of a downshifter:

1. Rational, reasonable use of time.
2. Minimum waste of money
3. Slowing down the pace of life.
4. Enjoying communication with loved ones and children.
5. The opportunity to spend a lot of time on hobbies and self-development.

Life becomes measured and a person stops living according to the principle - live (work) to spend. The downshifter stops the meaningless “rat race” for unnecessary things and breaks out of the vicious circle.

The purpose of downshifting is to understand the meaning of life.

In practice, this is a radical change in lifestyle, attitude towards things and people, and a passion for new hobbies. Various events can lead to the study and acceptance of downshifting - loss of a job, the birth of a child, a serious illness.

Self-knowledge should not be confused with idleness. If a healthy young man sits on his parents’ neck in search of himself and does not have a successful career path and a regular income behind him, he is not a downshifter, but a lazy person. Those who change themselves are people who, for the most part, have achieved success in some areas and have something to compare with and an understanding of what to strive for.

Who becomes a downshifter?

Analyzing the psychological aspects of the trend, psychologists identify 3 groups of people who most often become its followers:

1. Hostages of parents

   Since childhood, parents have imposed on me where to study, who to be friends with, and what profession to choose. A person lives his life as his parents want, without thinking about the desires and capabilities of his child. Of course, parents want their child to not need anything and the solution to the problem is to get him a well-paid job. Growing up, such people look for authoritarian spouses who will continue to tell them what to do.

2. Chronically tired

   Constant psychological and physical stress, social instability and material difficulties, so to speak, “no light at the end of the tunnel.”

3. Running on the waves

   Wealthy people who have everything provide for themselves financially and have enough money for several generations to come. Having reached professional heights, they want to live “for themselves.”

Benefits of downshifting

:

1. Independence. The life schedule is drawn up based only on personal interests
2. Free time. Nobody tells you when to work and rest, travel and where to live.
3. Great mood, healthy lifestyle, a surge of new strength and good sleep.
4. The desire to develop in a calm environment, without pressure, contributes to personal and professional growth.

Flaws:

1. Isolation from the outside world. Man is a social creature and being alone for a long time leads to the return of his former life.
2. Lack of changes and events. A daily monotonous environment, type of activity, lack of communication leads to depression.
3. Material difficulties. Lack of permanent income and confidence in the future. At first, it is difficult for a downshifter to limit his desires according to the new income schedule, especially if he previously had a highly paid job.
4. Public negativity. For the most part, those around them are perplexed and condemn those who left their jobs and went to the provinces “for happiness.”
5. Loss of social status, cessation of communication with friends and acquaintances because of this.

It is very difficult for people of a conservative bent to accept a new direction unless significant and drastic changes and upheavals have occurred in life that clearly show the expediency of change.

Having studied the issue superficially, we can agree that a downshifter is a parasite who avoids the difficulties of everyday life; in fact, his only real goal is independence from society and his own peace of mind.

Differences between downshifters in different countries

Who a downshifter is and what he does is interpreted differently in different countries. In Europe, they attach great importance to the environmental context - they begin to consume organic products, take care of the environment, actively promote recycling, and use alternative energy sources to ensure life. In Australia, they move from large cities to the suburbs, closer to nature and the ocean, start working in agriculture or develop their own direction.

According to the understanding of philosophy, the character of people differs in different countries. In Russia, it is generally accepted that downshifters are lazy egoists who are afraid of temporary and financial difficulties, do not want to limit themselves to time frames and are afraid of responsibility.

In our country, downshifting, freelancing and warmer climes have long become synonymous, since many bloggers do not write about self-discipline and the difficulties of working remotely, but only post beautiful pictures under a palm tree with a laptop on the ocean shore. Others consider any deviation from the standard lifestyle a ticket to paradise - migration and idleness in warm countries, receiving income from renting out an apartment.

Downshifting is not always a move, it is a change in thoughts, outlook on life, and a reassessment of values.

A downshifter is a hardworking person. Who creates something for the benefit of people, but not out of coercion, but out of vocation.

Ideal countries and work for downshifters

Ideal places for a downshifter are countries where there is a relaxed attitude towards work and earnings, and a high standard of living of the population. Most of the “free” live in the USA and Australia.

In Russia there are 5% of downshifters, most of whom are rich people, because not everyone can afford to reduce their income even a little.

When choosing to move abroad for permanent or temporary residence, the following criteria are considered:

• climate;
• the cost of living;
• plane ticket price;
• visa regime;
• features of legislation (for example, officially in some countries only local residents work).

Most often, everyone wants to live in warm countries.

They go abroad to countries where the lifestyle and cost of living are no different from Russia - Bulgaria, Turkey, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia

. A ticket costs 15,000 rubles, and when purchasing at a discount you can save up to 50%.

With a visa you can stay in Thailand for 2 months, without a document - 30 days. Crossed the border of a neighboring state, returned and continued to live and work again. In Vietnam and Indonesia, the visa is issued for 6 months.

Asian countries attract people with their low cost of living, warm sea or ocean, exotic nature and vibrant culture. The Russian-speaking population living there works via the Internet or receives income from businesses located in the country.

For example, only in Goa

About 2,000 Russians live there.
You can spend the winter in Turkey
without a visa, and then cross the border of a neighboring state and return. In winter, the flight will cost 7,000 rubles.

It is better to move to European countries with a Schengen visa. Low prices in Bulgaria, Romania, Montenegro, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic

. Almost everywhere you can live for a month without a visa, after which you submit documents to obtain it.

To UK

,
USA
, Brazil the road is very expensive. Slight savings for Schengen visa holders to buy connecting tickets.

The Dominican Republic always attracts with its climate. In winter, the temperature does not drop below 25 degrees. A tourist visa costs $10 and gives you the right to stay for a month, after which you can extend it for another 30-60 days at the police station. For departure from the country you pay a fee of 20 dollars. The labor market is underdeveloped. And it is prohibited by law to work on a tourist visa, so freelancers (remote workers) are warming up.

Ecuador is happy for all 3 months without a visa. Mountains, climate, sea, warmth all year round. In Chile it is similar, but upon entry you will be required to show documents for travel in the opposite direction or to any other country.

The preferred regions for moving are the Krasnodar Territory and Rostov. Leningrad, Moscow and Voronezh regions, Sochi.

Famous representatives

The brightest and most famous downshifters in Russia - German Sterligov

and
Ivan Okhloystin
.

Mr. Sterligov gave up life in an elite area, a house with all amenities, and a profitable business and left for the village. The active development of agriculture on 37 hectares of land allows him to fully provide for himself and his children. He does what he wants and manages his own time.

Ivan Okhlobystin was a significant figure in the world of cinema in the 90s - he acted and wrote scripts. He has produced such films as “DMB”, “Garbage Man”, “Down House”, etc. In 2001, he was ordained a priest and moved to Tashkent with his family. The climate of the country did not suit the wife and after 7 months the couple returned to Moscow. Ivan served in the church for 8 years, then returned to cinema, explaining his action by the need to feed a large family (the actor has 6 children). In all interviews, he says that he will definitely return to serving in the church in the near future.

Useful links:

• What is Outsourcing (in Examples) - Types and differences, How to go
• How to get a Tax Deduction - Amounts and % (Examples), Documents
• Delegation (in simple words): Essence, History and Principles
• How to earn money for an apartment (in 1-3 years) - methods, ideas and tips
• What is Loyalty (in life and business) - How to use it to your advantage

Steve Jobs

in terms of lifestyle, even without changing his place of residence, he fully corresponded to the ideology and expressed his point of view in the aphorism “We are not given so much time to spend it trying to live someone else’s life. Don't trust dogma: you can't live based only on what others have come up with. Under no circumstances should other people's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your own heart and your intuition.”

How to become a downshifter

If you realize that your lifestyle is contrary to your desires, start changing it.

7 steps to become a downshifter

:

1. Think about what you would like to devote your future life to, what you would like to do. If you have an idea, the probability of error will be minimal. Read the forums of followers, watch the downshifter films “The Island”, “A Good Year”, “Captain Fantastic”, “Duhless 2”, “Hector’s Journey in Search of Happiness”.
2. Determine your future source of income. For example, renting out property, interest on a deposit. Work for downshifters - freelancing or remote work on GPC, selling handicrafts, a new type of activity that you plan to master (massage, agriculture, tailoring, etc.).
3. Create a “safety cushion” in an amount equal to 2-3 months of expenses. During the transition period, bills still need to be paid.
4. Select your region of residence. Find out the climatic features of the region, analyze the social infrastructure of the area where you will rent or buy housing (presence of kindergartens and schools, if there are children, clinics).
5. Discuss the decision with loved ones to avoid misunderstandings.
6. Leave work “gracefully”, suddenly you want to come back. Don't burn bridges. Even if you are confident in your decision.
7. Buy a ticket and realize your dream.

The results of the changes are very different. Some will be disappointed and return to their previous way of life, others will discover new horizons for themselves and begin to grow professionally in other areas, others will earn as much as they need to live on and do what they love.

Downshifting philosophy

The main idea of ​​downshifting can be summarized by a short motto: “Here and now.” Life, they say, is already short, and there is no point in wasting it on “vanity of vanities and all sorts of vanity,” well, in the end you will achieve fame, money, high social status, but when will you live? When to taste the fruits of completely wild, nervous, hard work. You need to take everything from life now. While you are young, while you are “long-legged and politically literate,” while you have the desire and taste for life, and not put it off “for later.”

But there is no novelty or creativity here either. “The inability to live in the present is one of the moral epidemics most developed in our time,” said Dr. Krupov, one of the heroes of A. Herzen’s story “Who is to Blame?”, written more than a century and a half ago. And Buddhism, which is older than our entire civilization, God knows when it proclaimed: “The cause of suffering (of a person in life) is the thirst for being.” The cessation of suffering lies in the “annihilation of desires.” So downshifting is a continuation of humanity’s search for recipes for spiritual comfort, which it has been unsuccessfully pursuing for centuries.