To think about just leaving everything behind and living a peaceful life of solitude

[Tarbert12]

Work fully remotely, live in a small house somewhere far from anyone I know, get a cat, no other interactions for the rest of my life. Try to avoid the news, just read and see out my time.

I wouldn't necessarily go mad, right?

Sounds lovely. I went on a retreat in the middle of nowhere this year which was silence from 9am-6pm. It was glorious.

Sounds wonderful

If it sounds wonderful it’s probably because it’s a contrast to your current life.

It is a bit ‘be careful what you wish for.’

I sometimes imagine being on the run. I only have cash, and I'm trying to evade being caught. Not sure what it is that I've done. I think about new identities, changing my appearance and habits.

I read somewhere it's a common fantasy to do with how overwhelming life can be and in my case that's true.

I fantasise about being stranded on an island, in a log cabin, building campfires, and being on my own. Some days, the fantasy keeps me going.

Anybody else have a hiding in plain sight version of OP's dream. I think about working in a bar, but having a room over the bar, they pay me in cash, I don't have bills, I don't need to buy food, I don't need to travel. I'm either working (for cash!) or i'm in my room sleeping / reading. If the police are looking for me they think i'm in a cottage by the sea

There's a place in Scotland that you can only get to by boat. I want to live there with a horse and a dog and a cat and no internet 😁

You have no idea what age Tarbet is

Thinking about it as a teenager, in tge depth of the 80s I visited a monastry retreat as part of RE at school. I adored the day, the peace and quiet, simple meal for lunch, no 'modern' life. The monks had gardens producing food. I could have easily stayed.

I’m sure I saw a black mirror episode like that

Sounds doable.
You'll need a pension plan, vet access and home delivery. A Doctor and dentist available somewhere.
Maybe a weekly email to someone incase you pass away and the cat is on its own.

It was looking fine up to the cat, but on the whole, yes.

I often dream about a life of monastic solitude.

I'm beginning to think some users have a secret bingo game of how quickly they can mention peri.

i think if I was a single, childless man, then I’d be one of those men you see in American films with a large rucksack, a long beard and stick. They just walk and walk and keep walking.

Or a lighthouse.

It’s the ‘emotional Labour’ that has me running for the hills. The constant having to keep my head while all around are losing theirs. Staying calm and kind when other people are getting stressed and cross. Kids I can do but adults are really starting to piss me off. I feel like I want to just shout and hurl insults and sulk. But I don’t because I am an adult. None of this in a remote cottage in my own!!

I work fully remotely and live alone in a cottage terrace where I rarely see or hear my neighbours in winter. Recent change.

Bought it in spring thinking I might move in with my on/off partner.

I find it really boring and prefer having friends or family over or going out.

I listen to podcasts a lot.

It does have a real fire though so it's very old fashioned.

Also, it's hard to stick to routine living alone like this. I can do my job at any time, so end up working in the middle of the night or in the evening.

I make myself open the blinds every morning, do the dishes etc but no-one is affected really.

We sometimes came into contact with the enclosed orders of nuns via school. I think that's why I had a romanticised view of what it must be like.

I'd like one of those remote cottages as alternative, but I'd get a little dog (along with my cat).

I think that's a normal fantasy with a toddler. I had plans to drive as I could on a tank of petrol. Got to the roundabout at the bottom of my road, realised I had no where to go and came home. But those few minutes of driving away was bliss 🤣

You might like the book Gaining Ground (alternative title is Abra) by Joan Barfoot.

There are lots of places in Scotland you can only get to by boat. They're called islands 😄. If you mean on the mainland I'm guessing you mean Knoydart.

My life resembles your fantasy OP, though I do have a partner. We live in a very isolated spot on an island. Overlooking the sea with just a few scattered neighbours. I work from home so have interaction with people by phone some days but apart from that I can go a week without seeing or speaking to anyone other than DP. It suits me, I like my own company. My idea of the perfect day is lounging on my sofa, drinking tea and reading my kindle. It's peaceful here.

Madness, I live my fab cat, at times when my Parkinson’s gets bad, enforced staying in, not ideal.
unfortunately don’t drive, near buses tho

So common during peri!

🤣🤣🤣🤣

This. I am gobsmacked that 90% of people on the poll are saying the OP is not being unreasonable... It's all fun and games having all your time and space to yourself, and having no-one chatting away to you, grabbing the remote off you, and talking when you're watching TV, or trying to read etc etc. But not when it's permanent. As you say, being alone all the time, with no-one to come home to, no-one to chat to, no-one to socialise with, no-one to eat dinner with, no-one to kiss goodnight before you go to bed, no-one to laugh and cry with, and no-one to love - or to love you! What kind of life is that?!