Ranan Lachman’s wife, Michelle, was diagnosed with late stage breast cancer. After a tortuous year of medical treatments this near-death experience transformed their views on life. It created a sense of urgency to focus on purpose and dedicate the time they have with the people they love. Today Ranan and his family are living a life of their own design. They live in Bali, Indonesia where he helps other families escape the “rat race” and live a healthier, more balanced life.
Life Of Their Own Design
Ranan’s family were living out the “American Dream”. He worked on Wall Street, created a few start-ups and moved to Silicon Valley to chase the tech boom and…money. Ranan worked long hours, coming home after the kids were already in bed. But life took a turn when his wife became diagnosed with late stage breast cancer. After surviving a year of aggressive medical treatments they questioned everything. What they were doing and what they were living for. They came to realize the values they were living and the values they believed in did not match. So here’s what they did; sold their belongings, quit the office work setting, and set out to travel the world for a year.
Lesson #1 Making The First Decision Can Be The Hardest
“We haven’t done anything special, we just made the decision to leave.” After researching and planning their adventure for 6 months they decided to get on the road. Life centred around learning and travel. They purchased an RV and headed south to the tip of South America. On this journey they experienced things they would have never done if they were still living in the US. They roadschooled (learning and homeschooling as they traveled), volunteered, learned a new language and got to know each other better as a family. They experienced things together. Experiences of joy but also challenging experiences. A life of their own design.
Lesson #2 The Challenges Stretch You
After a year traveling South America the family moved on to Australia. They traveled Australia for a few months, then headed to Bali with plans to move throughout Asia. But once they got to Bali, their travel stopped. In this episode Ranan talks about why Bali is the right place for them to be. How it offers a healing space for his wife, the low cost of living suits their family, and the value in minimalism reflects their lifestyle. They decided to stay.
Lesson #3 Saving Money Through Travel
Ranan has found the cost of living in Bali to be a small percentage of the cost of living in the United States. The climate is beautiful, amenities are many and accessible and there is a large like-minded community. It is a growing hub for Worldschoolers and those seeking a slower, simpler life. Since being in Bali, Ranan and another business partner have started helping other families relocate and create a life of their own design. They provide information, mentoring and relocation services. Listen in near the end of the episode where we share tips on different things you can do to get started on your travel or relocation .
Where will they go from here?
What would you do if life suddenly shifted for you? If it caused you to take a look at your values and what you were actually living for? Would you make a change? If not, what do you think would be your biggest hold back? I appreciate the honesty Ranan spoke with and the joy that you can hear in his voice for the life they have now. And it sounds like his wife is back to good health, enjoying their terrific lifestyle in Bali. Recently Ranan and his family had a chance to return to the US for a visit. During their stay, he and his wife saw life in North America again through new eyes. The pace was fast, life was nonstop and it was really apparent that their values have now changed.
Resources
Tips to leaving the rat race as Ranan mentioned in the episode;
https://www.terrificlifestyle.com/resources
If you would like to listen to other episodes of families that have chosen to leave the rat race and explore the world together, check out my interview with Rozanne Dioso Lopez: Slow Learning and Living or with Jaime Salonen: Escaping The Rat Race and Worldschooling
