If Not Now, Then When
Why I’m leaving the city to live, run, and work quietly from the mountains.
Come December, I’m moving to the mountains — for the love of running, simplicity, and doing things that give me joy and peace.
I’ll start with Sikkim.
The plan is to live there for a month or two and see how things go.
The idea is to live - nothing fancy - and focus on what matters to me: running, working, eating, sleeping, reading, working out, and just being okay with myself.
If not Sikkim, then maybe Nepal, Manali, or Leh. I don’t have a fixed plan - and I like it that way.
Along the way, I’ll look for remote roles in digital marketing - especially in content and digital advertising.
Why the Move?
Or as my mother puts it,
“Why can’t you lead a stable life in Bangalore and be happy?
You practise Vipassana, but you’re so restless.”
She’s right in her way.
But I’m doing this for myself.
The Need for Change
In the last week of August, I resigned from my position as Marketing Lead at Analitica. The next two months were my notice period.
In September, I was in Leh for two weeks - living my best days: running, sipping coffee, exploring Tibetan markets, and finally running my dream race, the Khardung La Ultra.
I was by myself.
I enjoyed my own company.
Every day felt full and alive.
In October, I travelled to Manali for the Solang SkyUltra, but more than the race, it was the routine - running through alpine forests, eating simple food, sitting quietly in nature — that made me feel at peace.
And one of those days, the thought just came:
What’s stopping me from living this way?
If not now, then when?
What This Means
Running won’t pay my bills - so I’ll look for remote work.
I’ve set a monthly budget to see if I can sustain this life.
If not, I can always come back to the city and find a regular job.
But for the first time, I’m not excited by the idea of a “permanent” role or chasing titles.
The motivation to live in cities is gone.
Life feels too short to keep waiting.
I don’t want to look back one day and think, “PN, you could have tried.”
So I’m trying.
P.S.
If you know of any remote or consulting gigs in digital marketing, feel free to reach out. https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasantnaidu/