Living a downshifted life

LAST year Tracey Smith started her National Downshifting Week campaign from her farmhouse in the south west of France.

This week sees the start of her second seven-day drive to get people to think more about their lives, but this time she has swapped the Lot and Garonne for West Dorset, yet the message is still the same.

“Like many young families with kids we spent so long at work that weekends were rushed and before you knew it you were back at work, so we headed out to France to live the downshifting life,” Tracey said

“Our house in France allowed us to grow our own vegetables, raise chickens and collect their eggs each morning and live as a family once again.”

Tracey, and her husband Ray, had already set their heart on living life at a gentler pace, with the emphasis on living within their means and producing for themselves much of their day-to-day needs.

But Tracey’s enthusiasm for this way of life was soon channelled into writing for magazines offering advice on what people could do to make a difference and from this came National Downshifting Week.

“The appeal of downshifting meant that I was beginning to spend more and more time in the UK and so wasn’t seeing Ray and the children as much, so we made the decision to leave France,” said Tracey.

“We found a place in Cornwall to rent whilst the sale of our property went through that allows us to continue living in a thoughtful way, but also allows me to help others who want to turn their backs on this throwaway culture we are living in and think more about what they can do.”

Her campaign this week to promote a downshifting way of life will see her tour newspapers and radio stations, as well as drop in on schools and businesses to help them think about sustainability and offer simple tips to use less and recycle more.

“Everyone can do something,” Tracey said. “From cooking a meal with products from local shops, or if you run a business look to make your fleet of vehicles greener and schools could cultivate a simple vegetable patch.”

Comments

[Tracey Smith]

Hi Craig,

Well, I am knee-deep in Day One of the event and it's been reported in the Guardian already...

For any budding downshifters out there, I wish you all the best with your journey to find a slow, green groove.

Embrace the changes gently, if you like how you feel, do a bit more and enjoy finding your comfort level of downshift.

Tracey Smith
www.DownshiftingWeek.com
Download my free-e-book
'Slow Down & Green Up'

[jim]

Hi Tracey, I too am returning to the UK. Although life in France has been OKish I do miss the British sense of humour not only that I feel that there is a back-lash contre les anglais. Although not obvious and upfront it is there nonetheless. I work for an agence immobilier and know that the French want to sell to theBrits because they think that we will pay anyprice. This myth in turn creates a resentment in the young French who want to get on to the property ladder over here. I think that there will be quite a strong chauvinistic reaction in the not too distant future so I'm leaving and quickly too!

Before I moved over here I lived in North Wales for many years and I know now that I took the gentle pace of life there for granted so that's where I'm returning to.

Did you ever work for a French employer? I do and what a nightmare it has turned out to be, I should have read "A year in the merde" first. Living in France has not turned out to be the genteel idyll I had thought it would. But at least I gave it 10 years or so. Can't say I didn't try.

Best of luck with your new venture in the UK. I too am setting up a business in the UK and will be buying items in France and selling them in the UK and the USA. That way I can enjoy frequent visits to France but not have to live here. I like the people and most of the culture but it ain't home is it?

All the very best to you, warm wishes,

Jim

[Gerard]

I'm starting to breathe...wao!