My life living off grid
Words and Images : Sarah Fritz // @the.yesqueen
Sarah Fritz, founder of The Yes Queen is living life off grid
I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I work and live, the Gubbi Gubbi people and recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging.
Seven years ago a psychic told me that I would be “living off the grid with my husband and working from a laptop.” At the time, this didn’t resonate at all. I was working in media and publishing in central Melbourne, deeply entrenched in my personal and work life in and around the city.
In 2015 my life started to have new meaning and direction after I met Mike (my now husband) and we attended a conscious event called ‘Wildwood’ together. Out in the Otway Ranges in Victoria, this property was a haven; 360 forest views, no reception, shared rooms – if you were looking to expand your mind, open your heart, shed layers of self and go beyond your comfort zone, this was the place to do it. Over the three years we attended the event (a few times each year) it became a second home and something we looked forward to more than anything. Unplugging for a few days with music, yoga, workshops, connecting with nature and the salt of the earth community – it was completely healing and life changing.
After spending so much time in nature, our work and personal life in the city started to feel unnatural. Our three-year Wildwood experiences culminated in leaving our corporate jobs, discovering our soul purpose, downsizing our possessions, packing what was left into a shipping container and heading overseas as ‘digital nomads’. Over two years we lived and worked remotely in 11 countries across South East Asia and Europe. The bulk of our adventure was spent amongst trees, beaches and wide-open spaces. We knew, undeniably, that a life amongst nature was a must.
Nomadic minimalist living showed us not only how little we needed in life to be happy and fulfilled but how we could make a conscious commitment to leaving a smaller footprint on our planet. This together with the benefits that come with less ‘stuff’ – heightened awareness and appreciation for nature and people, a clearer mind, increased intuition and creativity – made the decision to move off the grid easy.
“Simple pleasures are the last healthy refuge in a complex world.” —Oscar Wilde
Connecting to nature is easy with off gridding life
We live in a tiny town called Booroobin, which is situated in the Sunshine Coast hinterland; our home is nestled in the middle of a forest on the side of a mountain. ‘Off the grid’ means we live independently of utilities and survive off solar energy and rainwater – which means both sunshine and rain, are joyous occasions.
When we moved here there was a thriving veggie garden that we’ve since added to. Learning to plant and harvest by the moon, we built and seeded at the optimal time and are now enjoying leafy greens and herbs from a patch we built by hand. We’ve also planted strawberries, blueberries and roses – the berries we hope to enjoy in a few months and the rose is nearing its first full bloom. Chemical free food and flowers grown and loved by you not only contain more nutrients and minerals but also hold a higher vibration on an energy (soul) level.
“Let medicine be thy food and food thy medicine / Nature itself is the best physician” – Hippocrates
Our day rotates around the sun – we’re up early for meditation and a forest walk, greeting every tree, listening to the birds and honouring every step and breath of clean air we take on this land. It’s not strange to see wallabies and deer along the way. As my mother in law said “we share this land with our friends” and that’s exactly what living in nature feels like – you are so close and so connected to all the elements and beings – you start to see and hear more than you could ever imagine from the wild and wondrous forest. We collect kindling from around the property for our evening fires and with no light pollution we are treated the most epic moonrises and star-scapes.
Living off grid, 20 minutes drive from the local town means UberEats and date nights are a thing of the past. I had never thought of or attempted to bake bread or a cake until I moved here – I’ve surprised myself with new cooking skills! I actually find it therapeutic and the foodie in me has enjoyed this upgrade (if you can’t order it, you have to learn to make it!).
If you’re reading this and you are long-term WFH or perhaps run your own business, off gridding life could be for you (yes there’s wifi which means running a business is possible) Even if it’s only short term or to trial, it’s an experience that will leave you so grounded. A mindset shift is definitely necessary for off grid living, all things happen slowly which means patience is necessary, which can be challenging if you like things instantly or enjoy a faster pace. Being far away from family and friends is also very challenging – FaceTime is a saviour. My nomad travels definitely prepared me for this experience but so did my past life; after so many years living in hustle and bustle energy, the slow lane has been welcomed.
Living off grid has not only positively impacted our emotional and physical health but also deepened our spiritual journey. Although unplugged we feel more connected than ever - to ourselves, to each other and to the land - our purpose here now is to keep learning, keep growing and continue to have a deep appreciation for the life we have here on the magic ‘Mimburi’ mountain.
“Living off grid means that date nights are a thing of the past…”
sarah is the founder of the yes queen and is an aries sun, pisces moon and scorpio rising. Follow her here, or read more about her wayward folk story here.
