- The couple left high-paying Toronto jobs to start a new life in Bir, Himachal Pradesh.
- They opened "Aahista Stays" homestay in Himachal Pradesh.
- Dipti and her husband are now embracing mountain life and rediscovering passions despite uncertainty.
The grass is always greener on the other side, until you pack your bags and trade your comfortable life for something you always intended to do. Dipti Nair and her husband Dhananjay More quit their well-paying jobs in Toronto and moved to Bir in Himachal Pradesh to try their luck at building a different life. Leaving a well-settled life with a combined annual income of Rs 1.3 crore, Dipti, in one of her Instagram videos, shared how they decided to follow their hearts to the hills of Himachal Pradesh.
"What most of us actually dream about is more time with people we love, seeing more of the world, getting completely lost in something we enjoy, or just having a random Tuesday afternoon with nowhere to be,” she said.
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“The Math Behind Quitting Our Jobs”
Nair’s Instagram account is filled with videos documenting her journey. In one of her videos, titled 'The Math Behind Quitting Our Jobs', she explains that while leading a settled life with a comfortable salary, she always had a question about what she truly wanted to do. "I wasn't unhappy. I just started wondering why a 'dream job' had become the dream in the first place," she said.
Before leaving their jobs, they both had a financial net. Their monthly expenditure in Bir, including rent, groceries, gym membership, house help, Wi-Fi, eating out, fuel and miscellaneous costs, is around Rs 38,000. This translates to approximately Rs 12 lakh for over 2 years. Following strategic planning, the couple had mindfully kept around Rs 22 lakh for two years in the hills. For travel, adventure activities, content creation, and other experiences, they have kept an additional Rs 10 lakh.
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A Homestay In Himachal Pradesh
With no experience in the hospitality industry, the couple wanted a property that they could convert into a homestay, offering people an exquisite mountain experience. Eventually, they found a house with a scenic view from every room and named it Aahista Stays.
She documented her entire journey in a series called “Opening A Homestay In Himachal” on Instagram. “There’s something very different about turning a house into a place people will actually pay to stay in. Suddenly every little decision matters, what to spend on, what to skip, what needs fixing now and what can absolutely wait,” she said in one of her videos.
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“I Miss The Money”
Even though Dipti is building a new life in Bir, the uncertainty sometimes makes her doubt her choice. But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. “Every month I’m not adding to my savings, and some days that keeps me up. I miss the money”, she wrote on her Instagram account. Further, she explains that this is the real trade-off, where she is paying from her savings for the slow morning and mountain view.
Staying in Bir, away from all chaos, Nair has rediscovered her love for writing. Instead of a Teams notification, she is enjoying her workspace amidst the mountain view with her husband just six feet away and neighbours next door.