Regardless of where you come from or what you do, nobody can argue that there will be moments in your life where you have a realization that changes you forever. These moments can come wherever you are and at any time – but once you’ve looked through the looking glass, you aren’t ever the same again. And once you’ve seen how life can be different, you can achieve incredible things.
One example of this is Dave Herrle of Westbrook, Connecticut. We could tell you what changed him, but here it is in his own words:
For the longest time I had a hard time not being “normal.” I graduated from a small liberal arts college, got a desk job, and hated every minute of it. In 2007 my life changed dramatically after hiking the entirity of the Appalachian Trail. It was a gut check in life and I’m lucky it happened when I was 27 and not 67. My time in the woods gave me a perspective on the benefits of simplicity. It was in the woods that I promised myself that I wouldn’t spend a lifetime doing a job I didn’t enjoy.
What happened next is somewhat inspiring: Realizing that he didn’t want an average life, he committed – luckily with the approval of his partner – to living an off-the-grid, minimalism inspired life. And he didn’t just do this in a small way; he decided to build his own minimalist house!
The pair, with Herrle at the helm, made about building their dream home from mostly salvaged and inexpensive materials, and succeeded.
The result is a house that cost just $4000 to build, and took just six weeks to complete. Herrle is also receiving further benefit from moving into the beautifully rustic house – other people are so impressed with it that it’s turning into an occupation for him: He is building many other small houses for other people now.
