Woman quit Harvard job to spend summer in tiny cabin by remote island

Go Small and Go Home: Tiny Houses a Growing Trend

As the recent tiny house trend continues, a 35-year-old woman gave up her dream job at Harvard University to live in a tiny cabin near a remote island in Canada.

Bethany Butzer was studying the benefits of yoga for children and teens at Harvard's medical school when she decided to move to a 130-square-foot cabin near Manitoulin Island. Despite having a PhD in psychology and a steady job at Harvard, the woman wasn't happy with her life in Boston and felt that she needed an extreme change. She told the National Post:

"I felt that my professional success was flourishing but my personal health and well-being were foundering. It just didn't really feel satisfying. I just knew that I needed to spend some time outside in nature. I just took the leap."

After selling almost all of her possessions, Butzer arrived at the cabin with only two bags of clothes. She and her husband spent the summer living in the log cabin, which is only accessible by boat. She was amazed at how content she was in that atmosphere. Butzer said of her first few days at the cabin:

"I would just stare at the trees, watch the sky, go fishing and read."

What I love about trees is their ability to be firmly rooted into the ground, while also being flexible enough to withstand the worst storms. I try to embody this energy in my life. What about you?
Posted by Bethany Butzer, Ph.D., Mental Health & Wellness Advisor on Monday, June 22, 2015

Now, Butzer is no longer living in the tiny cabin. However, she and her husband enjoyed the experience so much that they tried another life-changing move. Last week, the couple moved to Prague in the Czech Republic. Butzer will teach psychology at a college there.

Despite leaving the cabin, Butzer does not regret her decision to quit her job and move away from Boston. She wrote on Facebook:

"I was scared to take the time off, scared about whether I could afford it, and scared about what others would think of my decision. But my True Self kept urging me to honor my self-care by spending time in nature. So I took the leap. Regardless of whether I go into debt or get behind on work or other people think I'm crazy - it's worth it. What fearless decisions have you made lately?"

This summer I'm spending 6 weeks at a remote cabin to recharge. This was truly a "practice what you preach" decision. I...
Posted by Bethany Butzer, Ph.D., Mental Health & Wellness Advisor on Monday, April 13, 2015