We’ve all heard the phrase “live life on your own terms.”
It sounds aspirational. Empowering. Like something we should want.
But if you’ve ever wondered what that actually looks like in real life, beyond the Instagram quotes and Pinterest boards, you’re not alone.
Living life on your own terms isn’t about following a single path or quitting your job to work on a beach (unless that’s what you want).
It’s defining success for yourself.
Most of us grew up being taught a very specific version of what success is supposed to look like:
Go to college. Get a “good” job. Climb the corporate ladder. Buy a house. Work hard now so you can (hopefully) enjoy life later.
That’s one standard definition.
And while there’s nothing wrong with that path if it feels good to you, the problem is when it’s presented as the only way to be “successful.”
Because life doesn’t come with one single playbook.
Living life on your own terms means giving yourself permission to build your own playbook: a life that fits your values, your priorities, and your version of happiness—even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.
For some, that might be scaling a business to seven figures. For others, it’s working part-time, spending afternoons in the garden, or choosing a simple, quiet life close to family.
The key is realizing that success doesn’t have to look like constant hustle, corporate promotions, or chasing more for the sake of it.
Living life on your own terms means staying in your lane, getting clear on what matters to you, and making choices that support that vision. In this post, we’re highlighting real-life examples of what it can look like to design a life (and career) that actually feels good to live in—not just impressive on paper.
30 Examples of What Living Life On Your Own Terms Can Look Like
Teaching English abroad, not because you want to climb a corporate ladder, but because you crave adventure, new cultures, and real-life experiences that no office job could offer.
Designing your work around your life—not the other way around—so you can log off early, pick up your kids from school, or just enjoy your afternoons.
Turning your love for animals into a career because you’d genuinely rather spend your days with dogs than in meetings.
Choosing stability, structure, and a job you like without feeling pressured to “be your own boss” just because entrepreneurship is trendy.
Focusing on building community and connection, not scaling to a franchise, because being part of something local feels more meaningful.
Prioritizing Sunday dinners, family time, and staying rooted in your hometown, even when others chase big-city careers.
Choosing to rent your home because freedom, mobility, and less responsibility matter more to you than the pressure to buy.
Designing your work life to have natural breaks—whether that’s ski resorts, national parks, or seasonal markets—so you can recharge intentionally.
Choosing a slower pace of life, connected to nature, raising animals, and creating goods for your local community.
Creating income systems that let you explore new places, work remotely, and enjoy true location freedom.
Not to scale to six figures, but simply because you enjoy it, whether that’s baking, crafting, or teaching a skill you love.
Choosing part-time work that covers your needs and leaves space for hobbies, family, or rest—without the need to fill every hour.
Prioritizing healthcare, retirement plans, and steady income because it supports the life you want, not because it’s the “safe” choice.
Downsizing on purpose, not for minimalism clout, but because you hate cleaning and value simplicity.
Running a small rental property to create a flexible, low-stress income stream that supports your lifestyle.
Intentionally keeping your business small because you don’t want to manage people—you want freedom, not scale.
Structuring your day so you can walk your dog, give them meds, or simply enjoy slow mornings with them.
Saying no to corporate gigs that don’t fit your energy and choosing projects that light you up, even if it means less consistency.
Rejecting the “you have to move away to be successful” narrative and building a life you love right where you are.
Moving to a new country to soak in the culture, language, and lifestyle, without needing to turn it into a “big career opportunity.”
Keeping your job flexible and energy-aligned by teaching yoga locally, not for growth, but for personal fulfillment.
Choosing to step away from work to travel, rest, or explore new interests, because life isn’t only about career milestones.
Building your work schedule around your natural rhythm instead of forcing yourself into a 9-5 you hate.
Designing your work life to honor chronic illness, mental health, or personal needs—profits second, well-being first.
Choosing slow, sustainable growth in your business because free weekends, hobbies, and family dinners matter more.
Allowing yourself to have hobbies just for fun, without turning everything you love into a side hustle.
Working for a non-profit, becoming a craftsperson, or choosing paths that align with your personal values over mainstream success markers.
Whether that’s van life, homesteading, or city living, designing your income sources to fit the lifestyle you want—not vice versa.
Rejecting the constant push for bigger, faster, better, and choosing “enough” as your version of success.
Understanding that your needs and priorities evolve, and giving yourself permission to pivot your business model accordingly.
At the end of the day, living life on your own terms isn’t about a specific job title, income level, or lifestyle choice. It’s about clarity. Clarity on what matters to you, what feels sustainable, and what kind of life you actually want to wake up to each day.
The examples above are just possibilities—proof that there’s no single version of success. What feels right for one person might feel wrong for another, and that’s the beauty of it. The point isn’t to replicate someone else’s path, but to create a framework for yourself that honors your priorities in this season of life.
Because when you strip away the pressure, the comparisons, and the “supposed to’s,” what you’re left with is freedom… the freedom to define success for yourself and the courage to actually live it.
Success doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be big or fast or impressive to anyone else. It just has to be yours.
It sounds aspirational. Empowering. Like something we should want.
But if you’ve ever wondered what that actually looks like in real life, beyond the Instagram quotes and Pinterest boards, you’re not alone.
Living life on your own terms isn’t about following a single path or quitting your job to work on a beach (unless that’s what you want).
It’s defining success for yourself.
Most of us grew up being taught a very specific version of what success is supposed to look like:
Go to college. Get a “good” job. Climb the corporate ladder. Buy a house. Work hard now so you can (hopefully) enjoy life later.
That’s one standard definition.
And while there’s nothing wrong with that path if it feels good to you, the problem is when it’s presented as the only way to be “successful.”
Because life doesn’t come with one single playbook.
Living life on your own terms means giving yourself permission to build your own playbook: a life that fits your values, your priorities, and your version of happiness—even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.
For some, that might be scaling a business to seven figures. For others, it’s working part-time, spending afternoons in the garden, or choosing a simple, quiet life close to family.
The key is realizing that success doesn’t have to look like constant hustle, corporate promotions, or chasing more for the sake of it.
Living life on your own terms means staying in your lane, getting clear on what matters to you, and making choices that support that vision. In this post, we’re highlighting real-life examples of what it can look like to design a life (and career) that actually feels good to live in—not just impressive on paper.
30 Examples of What Living Life On Your Own Terms Can Look Like
1. Choosing Life Experience Over a Career Ladder
Teaching English abroad, not because you want to climb a corporate ladder, but because you crave adventure, new cultures, and real-life experiences that no office job could offer.
2. Building a Business That Lets You Be Done by 3 p.m.
Designing your work around your life—not the other way around—so you can log off early, pick up your kids from school, or just enjoy your afternoons.
3. Running a Dog-Walking Business
Turning your love for animals into a career because you’d genuinely rather spend your days with dogs than in meetings.
4. Working a Steady 9-5 You Genuinely Enjoy
Choosing stability, structure, and a job you like without feeling pressured to “be your own boss” just because entrepreneurship is trendy.
5. Owning a Small-Town Coffee Shop
Focusing on building community and connection, not scaling to a franchise, because being part of something local feels more meaningful.
6. Living Close to Family
Prioritizing Sunday dinners, family time, and staying rooted in your hometown, even when others chase big-city careers.
7. Renting for Flexibility (Instead of Owning)
Choosing to rent your home because freedom, mobility, and less responsibility matter more to you than the pressure to buy.
8. Working Seasonal Jobs for Built-In Off-Seasons
Designing your work life to have natural breaks—whether that’s ski resorts, national parks, or seasonal markets—so you can recharge intentionally.
9. Living on a Farm and Selling Homemade Goods
Choosing a slower pace of life, connected to nature, raising animals, and creating goods for your local community.
10. Building Passive Income Streams to Fund Travel
Creating income systems that let you explore new places, work remotely, and enjoy true location freedom.
11. Turning Your Hobby Into a Side Hustle
Not to scale to six figures, but simply because you enjoy it, whether that’s baking, crafting, or teaching a skill you love.
12. Working Part-Time Because It’s Enough
Choosing part-time work that covers your needs and leaves space for hobbies, family, or rest—without the need to fill every hour.
13. Staying in a Job for Benefits & Stability
Prioritizing healthcare, retirement plans, and steady income because it supports the life you want, not because it’s the “safe” choice.
14. Living in a Tiny Home
Downsizing on purpose, not for minimalism clout, but because you hate cleaning and value simplicity.
15. Managing a Cozy Airbnb as Your Main Income
Running a small rental property to create a flexible, low-stress income stream that supports your lifestyle.
16. Building a Business Without a Team
Intentionally keeping your business small because you don’t want to manage people—you want freedom, not scale.
17. Designing Your Schedule Around Your Pets
Structuring your day so you can walk your dog, give them meds, or simply enjoy slow mornings with them.
18. Choosing Freelance Work That Aligns With Your Value
Saying no to corporate gigs that don’t fit your energy and choosing projects that light you up, even if it means less consistency.
19. Staying Local Because You Love Your Town
Rejecting the “you have to move away to be successful” narrative and building a life you love right where you are.
20. Living Abroad for the Experience, Not a Career Move
Moving to a new country to soak in the culture, language, and lifestyle, without needing to turn it into a “big career opportunity.”
21. Teaching Yoga Part-Time for Joy
Keeping your job flexible and energy-aligned by teaching yoga locally, not for growth, but for personal fulfillment.
22. Taking Sabbaticals Without Guilt
Choosing to step away from work to travel, rest, or explore new interests, because life isn’t only about career milestones.
23. Working Night Shifts Because You’re a Night Owl
Building your work schedule around your natural rhythm instead of forcing yourself into a 9-5 you hate.
24. Building a Business Model That Supports Your Health
Designing your work life to honor chronic illness, mental health, or personal needs—profits second, well-being first.
25. Saying No to Hustle Culture
Choosing slow, sustainable growth in your business because free weekends, hobbies, and family dinners matter more.
26. Not Monetizing Every Hobby
Allowing yourself to have hobbies just for fun, without turning everything you love into a side hustle.
27. Pursuing Non-Traditional Careers for Fulfillment
Working for a non-profit, becoming a craftsperson, or choosing paths that align with your personal values over mainstream success markers.
28. Creating Income Around Your Ideal Lifestyle
Whether that’s van life, homesteading, or city living, designing your income sources to fit the lifestyle you want—not vice versa.
29. Choosing Simple Success Over “More”
Rejecting the constant push for bigger, faster, better, and choosing “enough” as your version of success.
30. Making Your Business Fit Your Season of Life
Understanding that your needs and priorities evolve, and giving yourself permission to pivot your business model accordingly.
The Bottom Line: You Get to Choose
At the end of the day, living life on your own terms isn’t about a specific job title, income level, or lifestyle choice. It’s about clarity. Clarity on what matters to you, what feels sustainable, and what kind of life you actually want to wake up to each day.
The examples above are just possibilities—proof that there’s no single version of success. What feels right for one person might feel wrong for another, and that’s the beauty of it. The point isn’t to replicate someone else’s path, but to create a framework for yourself that honors your priorities in this season of life.
Because when you strip away the pressure, the comparisons, and the “supposed to’s,” what you’re left with is freedom… the freedom to define success for yourself and the courage to actually live it.
Success doesn’t have to be loud. It doesn’t have to be big or fast or impressive to anyone else. It just has to be yours.