This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to purchase through our links at no cost to you. This helps fund Slower Travels without costing you a cent!

Natalie Rushing didn't quit her job, sell her possessions, or book a one-way ticket to Bali. What she did was quieter — and arguably more useful to the far greater number of people who want more freedom but have real responsibilities anchoring them. A full-time remote worker with a 14-year-old dog and a minimalist's instinct for travelling light, Natalie has spent nearly four years building a life that moves on her terms. Currently settled in New Orleans — her longest stay anywhere since she hit the road — she's proof that you don't need a dramatic leap to land somewhere that feels like freedom.

Words by Natalie Rushing | Edited by Tania from Slower Travels

Natalie Rushing didn't reinvent her life all at once. Instead, she followed a series of small decisions that slowly, quietly redirected her path. It began in Minnesota, with the slow disintegration of a relationship and the early days of remote work. Around the same time, a coworker casually mentioned working from Colorado for two weeks—logging in during the day, hiking after hours.

That passing comment opened a door. "Why can't I do that?" she asked herself. The answer was more straightforward than she expected.

A few months later, Natalie packed up her dog, put her belongings in storage, and hit the road.

That was nearly four years ago.

The Shape of a New Life

For someone who once imagined she might roam forever, two years in New Orleans have come as a surprise. It's the longest she's stayed in one place since stepping into this new life. Her days have found a rhythm—working 9 to 5, evenings spent on her passion projects, caring for her 14-year-old dog, visiting the gym, running errands. From the outside, it might look ordinary. But something subtle has shifted.

She's considering long-haul day trips now: flights to New York, Los Angeles, maybe even Paris or Kenya. Her dog's arthritis makes long drives harder, so these ideas feel like the right balance—small experiments in movement, without leaving it all behind.

There's no pressure to abandon everything. Natalie isn't chasing reinvention. She's designing a life that makes space for the things she loves—creativity, freedom, companionship—without pretending to be someone she's not.

Living Light

Minimalism wasn't always the goal, but it's become one of the lifestyle's most rewarding side effects. "I could literally leave at any second," she says, reflecting on the ease of having less.

She doesn't mean it dramatically. It's just a quiet fact: fewer possessions, fewer attachments, more flexibility. The kind of spaciousness that comes not from aesthetics, but from alignment.

The Cost of Mobility

With movement, however, comes the inevitable ache of distance. Natalie has always been independent, but she admits that one of the most challenging parts of her lifestyle is the lack of a deep-rooted community.

You can travel lightly in the world, but it doesn't mean you don't sometimes long for people who've known you for years.

Still, she's not one to dwell on what's missing. The trade-offs, for her, are worth it.

Holding Her Own

Natalie doesn't often feel pressured to conform. She's never imagined herself living a "normal" life, and when people make assumptions, she's learned to brush them off. Friends have been supportive. Family, she says, keep their opinions to themselves.

But it's not always other people who raise the questions. "I recognise that time is running out," she says — there's a cultural expectation to have already settled down, maybe had kids, by a certain age. It's just never been something she's felt genuinely excited about. When she looks inward, the answer is still no.

Defining Freedom

Freedom, for Natalie, isn't measured in miles travelled. It's in the ability to say yes to a moment. To buy a plane ticket. To make a plan and follow through. She still works full-time. She still makes arrangements for her dog. But if she wanted to spend a day in Miami, she could.

"Freedom isn't always about what you do—sometimes it's just knowing that you could."

That feeling of openness is enough.

If You're Standing at the Edge

Natalie is the first to say her story doesn't fit the usual narrative. She didn't quit her job to live on the beach or sell everything to travel full-time. She's built something that works with her responsibilities, not in spite of them.

Her advice is practical: start with what you have. Don't chase the perfect leap—chase small, smart shifts that align with your life. There's room for travel, for creativity, even for change—without needing to burn everything down.

Still Learning

Despite the freedom, she's still figuring things out. As she puts it, channelling Socrates: "I know that I know nothing." Time management, procrastination, the push and pull between FOMO and knowing when to rest — the usual suspects. She hasn't cracked the balance yet.

But she's showing up for her life, one plan at a time. Not searching for perfection — just something real.