I remember two moments just like they happened yesterday that set me on my homesteading course.

They were both moments that laid the foundation for some big changes in my life.

Epiphany 1) One of these moments occurred decades ago--when I was only ten years old, as a matter of fact. I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, and when I was ten, the city had about 250,000 people. I know this, because I asked my Dad. You know how Dads know everything!? That seemed like an awful lot (now Las Vegas is about 2.5 million people)!

I remember it was sunset, and the mountains in the west were black against the blazing sky. As I leaned on our cedar wood fence, staring at those mountains, I had this inexplicably powerful desire rise up in me: I wanted to live far away from the city, in the mountains, all by myself. Even back then, I was NOT a city girl. I hated it, really. My heart yearned for the quiet spot of a mountain valley. For many years, and even now, I recall that moment...

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Epiphany 2) The other moment was decades later, when my husband and I were searching for a home to buy. This was about five years ago. We searched all over Las Vegas for a property that was in a great neighborhood, had some kind of yard (pretty impossible these days), and had a strong HOA because in Las Vegas, if you live in a neighborhood without one these days, you are going to be living with a higher level of crime. I won't go into why that is right now, but that's the case.

Well, we had looked at so many homes, and none of them were what we really wanted. Do you know how hard it is to search for a home in a city you feel chained to where you don't really want to be? Both Mr. V. and I had hearts that did not belong in the city. We hated the place, truly. We hated the constant traffic and noise, all the shallow-ness, the senseless violence, the pollution, the consumerism, the immorality, the general mindset.

Here we were, in our middle age, with a decade more of work left to get to retirement, and we just couldn't bring ourselves to buy yet another home in that bustling city. We felt hopeless, chained by the "Golden Handcuffs." (The Golden Handcuffs are what people wear as they get their retirement plans going, especially in a government sector....It's when you have put in too many years to leave, yet you still have years to go, and your choices become very limited.)

Back in those days, we had been hiking in the mountains quite often, around this little village far away from the city--about an hour away. And although this little village was off-grid and reputed to be fairly expensive, we decided just to take a look--you know. For fun. We had no expectations of actually being able to live in that cute place!

The VERY first home we looked at...we KNEW. It was our PLACE. I'll never forget that feeling. But it was priced WAY too high for us. We had our budget, and we offered what we could afford. And wouldn't you know? Our offer was accepted!

So, we moved out of that huge metropolis, an hour away, to an off-grid home in our little village. And our understanding of and desire to homestead blossomed. We have outgrown our beautiful little cabin home on only 2/3 acre of land at this point. And next year we will continue our search for another home even more remote with more acreage for pasture...so we can continue growing our homestead life.

Four years ago, our life really began!

Do YOU want to change your life? Are you ready to join the homestead-minded? Do you want to be more self-sufficient? Are you tired of being a slave to stressful living? Do you just want some simplicity? To slow down? To enjoy your life and experience something different?

Find out how, in this free eBook: "How to Get Started on Your Own Homestead Journey: Steps to Simple & Traditional Living."

If you are already on my email list, I'll be attaching the link in the next two weeks' newsletters. And if you haven't signed up for the Healing Harvest Newsletter yet, you'll get access to that book plus the first two eBooks (on herbs and essential oils) I've written for my beloved readers.

Note: There are affiliate links here and there in this article. If you click through and make any kind of purchase, I'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping keep Healing Harvest's blog going--Heidi

Are you homestead dreaming? Do you want to simplify your life? Do you want to live more traditionally and be more self-sufficient? Here's how we began our own homestead journey a few years ago...And here is how you can start your own homesteading li… — Are you homestead dreaming? Do you want to simplify your life? Do you want to live more traditionally and be more self-sufficient? Here's how we began our own homestead journey a few years ago...And here is how you can start your own homesteading life, no matter where you live! Find out the step-by-steps and directions to get started on your homestead lifestyle.

Tips for Living a More Simple Life Now:

For now, here are some tips that can help you get started immediately! These are all simple things you can do right away to help you get your mindset straight and hopefully find a bit of peace, even if you have no ideas how to start your journey (yet). When you get my free eBook, you'll find some great ideas to get you started!

** Prioritize Your Lifestyle: I always knew I wanted a garden. So I managed to garden no matter where I was. So, if you know you want to eat healthy, home cooked whole foods, then make that happen. If you desire to learn a skill like canning and preserving, you can do that now. Do what you can right now to get started living your homestead dream.

** Get Connected to Nature, and Disconnect from the System: Take time every day to just step outside and breathe. To smell the air. To go barefoot in the grass. To feel the sun on your face. To feel the dirt in your hands as you plant something. Take time to turn off the electronics, unplug your brain, and empower yourself to enjoy the gifts God has given us.

Find out how to make your own hot process handmade natural soap! Available on Amazon Kindle, too.

** Slow down, a LOT: Like all of us, I have SO much to get done on any given day, and I find myself rushing through every single task. But when I remember to slow down...to enjoy even menial tasks, it can be an almost meditative experience. Here's an example: Doing the dishes. I have discovered that if I stay totally present, feeling the water wash over my hands, and I wash, rinse, dry, and repeat....it's calming. It's actually relaxing. And if I approach other tasks with that same slowness and presence, then even small things become worthwhile and important, ways to enjoy LIFE.

** Know what your goals are: Mr. V. and I didn't really know our goals at all--because we hadn't had enough experiences yet when we found our home. But we DID know we did not want to live in Las Vegas any longer. And once we determined this, our world opened up enough for us to move. And now, our goals have changed and grown...and eventually we will grow some more too!

Final Thoughts on Getting Started on Your Homestead

To start your own homestead journey, you'll first need the right mindset. You can find out if you have the right kind of thinking in this article: You Might Be a Homesteader IF..., and lots more homesteading information on the blog.

Here's an article that relates to Urban Homesteading: Is it Really Possible?, and here is one about my 10 Homesteading Truths. These may interest you if you are already a die-hard homesteader, if you are in the middle of your learning journey, and especially if you are dreaming about it! And if you'd like to find out more about how we live off-grid, you might enjoy Making the Switch from City Living to Living Off the Grid.

I hope you'll sign up for the newsletter and join our growing community! As you read through the Ways to Get Your Homestead Started, perhaps you'll find out you can start living your dream, or at least parts of it, right now!

Life is surprising, with all its twists and turns. You can't control certain things that happen, but you certainly DO and CAN create the life you want to live if you want to badly enough.

What are your thoughts about creating your homestead? Have you given it any thought, yet? Have you started on your own journey? Share your ideas, feedback, questions, etc. in the comments! I love hearing from you!

Hugs & Self-Reliance,

Heidi

P.S. If you haven't done so yet, I hope you'll sign up for the newsletter and never miss a thing! You'll get to enjoy free resources and be part of a wonderful growing community too!