Michael Rowes had it all: a high-powered job, an expensive apartment in the city, a fast car, and lots of money. In fact, there wasn't much that Michael didn't have, except one…

Michael Rowes had it all: a high-powered job, an expensive apartment in the city, a fast car, and lots of money. In fact, there wasn't much that Michael didn't have, except one very important thing happiness. "For a long time, I didn't realise how miserable I was," says Michael. "I had the job, the car, the lifestyle. I believed that I was happy. My life was busy -full of meetings and lunch dates and business dinners. I was so busy that one day I forgot my niece's birthday. I missed the family party, the fun and the smile on her little face. That's when I realised I had lost my way. Life is about more than work and money it's about living." Michael started looking into downshifting. It's a movement that's all about simplifying your life. You work fewer hours, have less money and own less stuff, but you have more time to connect with family, friends and the world around you. So how did Michael make these changes in his own life? "The first thing I did," says Michael, "was quit my job. My boss couldn't believe it! He offered me a pay rise, a new company car, better benefits everything he could think of. But I just told him, 'I don't want more - I want less.' I left him sitting at his desk with his mouth wide open!" Michael had always loved the outdoors, so he applied for a position as a ranger in a National Park. He sold his expensive apartment and bought a cottage in a quiet village. He sold his fast car and bought a bike to cycle to work. A lot of his belongings were given away to charity including all his designer suits. "Rangers don't wear ties to work!" laughs Michael. "These days, you'll only ever find me wearing old jeans and my National Park T-shirt." Downshifting challenges what we believe about success: that the most successful person is the one with the most powerful job, the most money, the most stuff. Downshifting teaches us that being successful is about enjoying life. As Michael says, "When I'm old, I don't want to look back on my life and see how hard I worked or how much money I made. I want to look back on a life that was filled with experiences, friends and happiness." 5 Абзацтарға ат қой