Just a (perfect) Monday Morning
DWELL
Photo by: Ali Imtiyaz
Imagine waking up on a Monday morning to the crisp, fresh air of a small town. You take an early morning stroll down Main Street and are greeted with a friendly wave from the local shop owner as you step into the cozy café for your first cup of coffee of the day.
Here, you are not just a customer but a familiar face. You have time to read the paper, listen to a podcast, and gather your thoughts before starting your workday. By 9 AM, you're at your desk feeling energized and ready to take on the day ahead.
Once, this was only a dream.
Despite having calls with London and Shanghai, you remain focused and calm, knowing that you can tackle any challenge that comes your way. This is the magic of small-town living – a sense of belonging, community, and tranquility that helps you stay centered and productive.
After a leisurely lunch with your husband at the neighborhood café, you return to your home office to record a podcast with a colleague from Oregon, which you'll send to your associate in Canada for editing.
Thanks to the flexibility of remote work, you're able to accomplish all of this without leaving the small town you call home. As the summer sun begins to set, you lace up your hiking boots and embark on a 5-mile trek to the top of a nearby outlook, taking in stunning views of the countryside along the way.
Photo by: Kenny Eliason
After your hike, you swing by the local farmers market to pick up some fresh eggs and gather a few items from your garden to prepare a delicious farm-to-table dinner. As you sip a glass of wine from the local winery, you reflect on how much you've accomplished in just one day, all while enjoying the slower pace of life in a small town.
Idyllic? Yes.
For everyone? No.
Today, what was once considered unthinkable – even just 10 or 5 years ago – is now a realistic and achievable possibility. Thanks to exponential advances in technology, we now have a wealth of new opportunities to rethink where and how we live our lives. It wasn't long ago that such opportunities seemed out of reach.
Gone are the days when most of us were tied to a specific job and a physical office location. Today, thanks to remote work opportunities, at least 40% of us can work from the comfort of our homes or on the go, with only occasional visits to a central office.
Even as the pandemic recedes in our rearview mirror, the trend toward remote work shows no signs of slowing down, with many of us confident that these opportunities will only continue to grow in the coming years.
Now, it can be a reality for many.
After a lifetime of visiting small towns and imagining what it would be like to live in one beyond a brief vacation, we at MoxieTowns have decided to explore the realities of small-town living. Our aim is to examine the good, the bad, the remarkable, and the challenges of moving to a small town.
Throughout this journey, we will be speaking with those who have made the dream of small-town living a reality. We will visit with pioneers who have harnessed technology to create a work-life balance that a small-town lifestyle can offer. Additionally, we will be talking to people who have relocated to small towns for retirement and leisure, offering insights for those winding down their years in the workforce.
As part of our exploration of small-town living, we'll also be speaking with long-term residents of these communities. Their insights will be invaluable in understanding the realities of living an hour or more away from the ‘conveniences’ of a big city, and what we can expect as we consider moving to a small town.
Are you considering a move or visit to a small town? Perhaps it's the lure of a slower pace of life, the potential for a lower cost of living, or the appeal of a more closely-knit community. Maybe you're looking to start a business or seeking a better work-life balance. Whatever your reasons, we'll explore them in depth and consider the many factors that come into play when contemplating a move to a small town.
We're thrilled to uncover the hidden treasures of small-town life and share them with you.
