My corporate job and big-city life made me feel anxious and drained, so I left it all behind to move to a remote cottage in the woods

• Taylor Yates, 27, felt drained and burned out from living in a city and being surrounded by people. 
• In 2021, she and her boyfriend decided to move to live in a rural cottage in the woods. 
• While there are some things she misses about living in the city, she doesn't regret her decision.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Taylor Yates, 27, a TikTok creator who moved from Toronto to live in a rural cottage in the woods. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Growing up in Toronto, I always knew I wanted to move out of the city.

I'm a very sensitive person, and constantly being surrounded by so many people and activities sapped my energy and made me feel exhausted. I was drained living in a city, and I felt like I always had to be doing something or I was missing out. It felt like my baseline was always maxed out.

When I realized my boyfriend shared the same vision, I was thrilled. We spent a long time looking for the right rural cottage to buy. When we found a 600-square-foot house in the forest in Ontario — a two-hour drive away from everyone we knew — we decided to take the leap and made the move in October 2021.

It was a big step, but I'd never felt more sure of a decision. It's not as cheap as I initially thought it would be, but it's nice that we're putting money towards our own home instead of renting in the city and giving our money to a landlord.

Since moving, so much has changed: I left my corporate job in advertising, grew a social media following on TikTok, found a sense of community, and adopted some pet sheep and ducks. It may not be for everyone, but I wouldn't go back to city life.

Growing an online following has been a shock, but I'm glad I might be able to inspire others

Growing up, I loved watching YouTubers like Zoe Sugg and Alfie Deyes, and Jack and Finn Harries — I felt inspired by them. So when I moved, I decided to share my journey on TikTok.

My goal wasn't necessarily to be seen by lots of people. I just wanted to document my journey. But in March, one of my videos where I showed some of my lifestyle went viral, and I suddenly got loads of followers. People thought it was so cool that I was choosing to live like this.

One of the most common questions people ask is how I found a job and make money living so rurally.

I always suggest that if you're young, you should start thinking about jobs that can be done remotely and don't tie you down to a place or a building. There are also often entry-level jobs in town, like coffee shops, grocery stores, and bookstores, as well as seasonal work on farms or in certain trades.

When I lived in the city, I worked at an advertising agency. I was lucky because they let me work remotely after moving. But after six months, I decided I wanted to leave my job and start freelancing as a social media manager and content creator. It gives me lots of flexibility and the opportunity to be creative. I also work one day a week at a local coffee shop, just to get out of the house and be a little bit human.

Growing such a big following has been an interesting experience. In some ways, it's kind of scary. I used to film and not really care if people saw my car or my license plate. Now I realize I probably have to be more careful with that.

The slower pace of life has given me the opportunity to develop new hobbies

When I was surrounded by people and events, I had a lot of anxiety. I fell victim to feeling like I always needed to be doing something to be happy. I only began to recognize this since moving away. I think it has a lot to do with consumer culture and fast-everything. It got to the point where I'd need days to recover from social interactions.

In the woods, it's very different. Nothing happens. There's nothing to stay up to date with, and I don't feel like I'm missing out. No one is looking at whether I'm keeping up with trends or what I'm wearing. The trees don't care if I haven't brushed my hair in a few days.

Now that I'm not constantly rushing around, I've been able to develop lots of fun hobbies too. I spent some time volunteering at a farm animal sanctuary, which helped me to make some friends — even if most of them were animals. I've learned to tap maple trees and make syrup, and I also keep bees and process honey to sell at local markets.

We own lots of animals, including rescue dogs, sheep, and ducks. Our sheep are our pets but they also provide wool for small textile projects and weavings that I like to work on. We have ducks that give us eggs, so we haven't needed to buy store-bought eggs in a long time. We also raise ducklings to sell locally in the spring and summer.

I sometimes miss the city, but I'd never move back

I miss some things about living in the city, such as how easy it was to make plans with friends on a whim, or the variety of groceries you could buy. But I don't miss living there.

I like the rural lifestyle and community. I'm so close with my neighbors as we have to rely on each other — whether that means assisting with animal chores, lending one another things, or helping each other when the water well stops working or the power goes out, which happens occasionally.

I'd rather have the life I have now, and the ability to visit the city when I want to. Living here has felt like coming home, and the more time I spend here, the less I want to return to the city.