I'm Done, I'm Out, I'm Leaving the Matrix.

There comes a moment in life when you realize you’ve been playing a game you never signed up for. A game where the rules are dictated by someone else, and the goal is as elusive as a mirage in the desert. That moment hit me like a ton of bricks recently, and I’m done. I’m out. I’m leaving the matrix.

For too long, I’ve been an ant in a world run by grasshoppers, toiling away, marching in line, carrying the weight of expectations that aren’t even mine. You know the drill—get a job, climb the ladder, buy the house, save for retirement, and, oh yeah, smile while doing it all. But here’s the thing: what if the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall? What if the “American Dream” has morphed into more of a communal nap where everyone just goes along with it because, well, that’s what everyone else is doing? Only few are awake and asking questions.

Modern life seems like living in a giant hamster wheel—always running, never getting anywhere that truly matters. The grasshoppers, those shiny, loud, and flashy types, seem to have it all figured out. They dance to a different tune, one that often leaves us ants looking on in a mix of awe and confusion. But I’m not confused anymore. I’m just done. Done with the grind, the hustle, and the perpetual chase of more, more, more.

What am I chasing anyway? Approval from people who wouldn’t notice if I fell off the face of the earth? A job that wouldn't care if I died? A sense of security that’s as fragile as a house of cards? No thanks. It’s time to go against the grain, carve out my path, and create the life I was made to live.

So, what does that life look like? It’s slow, intentional, and deeply connected to the things that matter most. It’s mornings spent in the garden, afternoons writing poetry, and evenings savoring a meal I made with my own hands. It’s learning to live with less but experiencing more—the richness of nature, the depth of meaningful conversations, the joy of simple, beautiful things.

Leaving the matrix doesn’t mean abandoning everything. It means choosing differently. It means saying no to the constant bombardment of “shoulds” and “musts” and instead asking, “What do I truly want?” For me, that’s a life intertwined with nature, wellness, and creativity. It’s about living in harmony with the world around me rather than being swept along by the tide of overconsuming and competition.

Yes, I’m stepping out of the rat race, but not to sit idle. I’m shifting my focus to things that make me feel alive, fulfilled, and at peace. I’m turning my attention to what I can create with my hands, how I can nurture my soul, and how I can help others do the same. I’m embracing the wild and graceful life that’s been calling me for years, a life where I get to define success on my own terms.

So, if you see me out there, living my best “off-grid” life, my personal American Dream, just know that it’s not about escaping. It’s about returning—To God, to myself, to nature and to what truly matters. I’m done with the matrix, but I’m just beginning the life I was always meant to live. It’s not always easy, and it’s certainly not conventional, but it’s mine. And that’s enough.

Are you in?

by Tamara Bernal