Sometimes, you have to pull life’s handbrake. Not just slow down, but come to a complete stop. Not because life has fallen apart—but because it's only in stillness that we truly hear our inner voice. That’s exactly what I did when I chose to live aboard a sailboat for six years. Far from the rat race, the noise, and the expectations of everyday life, I found something I had never discovered before: myself.
Those years taught me more than I could ever have imagined—not just about boats, weather, and solitude, but about something that had followed me like a shadow throughout life: procrastination. That strange force that makes us put off the important things, in favor of what feels easier in the moment. On the boat, there were no excuses. The wind didn’t wait. The engine didn’t start itself. And no one else came to fix what was broken.
Today I live in another country. I’ve chosen a different path and a different pace in life. And looking back, I can say this with clarity: it was only when I stopped that I could truly start moving forward.
The Trap of Modern Life
We live in a time when everything moves faster than our human minds were designed for. Calendars overflow, notifications ping nonstop, and screens fight for our attention. We rush through our weeks, driven by a need to keep up—with what, we often no longer know.
In that kind of tempo, it’s easy to start postponing what really matters. Making that call. Writing that letter. Starting that project that’s been whispering from the back of your mind for years. We procrastinate—not out of laziness, but because we’re overwhelmed. We’ve lost our direction. We can’t hear ourselves.
Life at Sea – A Mirror That Doesn’t Lie
Living on a boat was, in many ways, the most honest life I’ve experienced. There’s no room for denial. If something needs to be done, it needs to be done. If a rope is worn, it must be replaced. If the weather changes, you prepare.
Procrastination doesn’t survive there. On land, I could delay something for a week or two and no one noticed. On the boat, a single day of inaction could mean danger, discomfort, or costly problems. Slowly but surely, I learned something I had only understood in theory: action creates energy. Not the other way around.
I realized that putting things off was often a defense mechanism. A way to avoid fear. But when I had to act daily—often in uncertainty—I changed. Not overnight. But gradually, I built a kind of courage.
Understanding Procrastination
Procrastination isn’t just a “bad habit.” It’s a signal. For me, it was about fear. Fear of failure. Fear of choosing wrong. Fear of starting—because then I might discover I wasn’t good enough.
But on the sea, I didn’t have that luxury. I had to start. I had to act. I had to take responsibility. And that became a kind of daily training in bravery. I began to understand that I didn’t need perfection—I needed presence. Small actions. One knot at a time.
Choosing a Different Life
After those years on the sea, and the inner journey they inspired, I eventually stepped ashore. Not as someone fleeing—but as someone who had chosen something else. Today, I live in another country, closer to nature, the mountains, and the quiet.
That decision changed me. I started to see how much of my past procrastination wasn’t about lack of motivation—it was about living a life that didn’t align with my values. I was postponing things because they didn’t feel meaningful. Today, I do fewer things, but with more awareness. And procrastination has lost its power.
The Handbrake Is Not a Failure
To stop in life is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength. To dare to ask: What do I really want? requires courage.
Many people go through entire lives without ever asking that question. They keep going, the job rolls on, the pension plan grows—but the soul has gone silent.
For me, pulling the handbrake was the beginning of something new. I stopped. I took a deep breath—and chose a direction. Not once and for all, but one step at a time.
Five Lessons from the Sea and the Stillness
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Stillness is not emptiness—it’s presence.
On the sea, I found a calm I’d never known. In that silence, I began to hear myself. -
Motivation is overrated—action is underrated.
Don’t wait for the right feeling. Start—and let the feeling catch up. -
The simple life is often the most meaningful.
Fewer belongings, more insights. Fewer obligations, more freedom. -
Fear doesn’t vanish—but it shrinks when you act.
I was often afraid—but I acted anyway. And that changed everything. -
Procrastination is a symptom, not the illness.
It shows us where something needs to change. Not what to fix, but what to understand.
The Question We Should All Ask
If you recognize yourself in this, if you often put off what truly matters—maybe it’s not discipline you lack. Maybe you’re on the wrong path. If you constantly avoid tasks that should feel exciting, maybe it’s time to stop and ask: Why am I doing this?
You don’t have to move countries or live on a boat. But you do need stillness. Moments when you meet yourself honestly. Because only then can you choose with clarity—instead of just reacting.
Final Words – I Live, I Don’t Just Survive
Today, I live close to nature. I live in a country where I can breathe, think, and create. I’ve let go of much that once defined me, and in that space I found something new: direction. Gratitude. Joy.
I no longer live to impress anyone. I live to be true to myself. To build the life I once only dreamed of. And every day I remind myself: a postponed life is rarely a lived one.
So if you’re standing at a crossroads—dare to pull your own handbrake. Not as a sign of defeat, but as the beginning of something real. You’re not stuck. You’re free. But freedom begins with a choice: to pause, to listen—and to set your own course.
By Chris...
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