James Brownis a 43-year-old traveler, relational coach, graphic designer, and lifelong seeker caught between the urge to roam and the desire to put down roots. (jameswonders.uk)

After spending his twenties and early thirties working long hours in England’s gray corporate offices—commuting three hours a day to a job he genuinely loved but a life that left him drained—James finally broke free. He quit, bought a motorbike, and rode across Europe before taking an eight-month cycling journey through Asia with his girlfriend. The trip ended their relationship but sparked something else: a realization that he could live on very little, work remotely, and make his own rules.

In the years that followed, James built a flexible, purpose-driven life as a freelance designer for nonprofits while living in Italy, Costa Rica, Spain, Morocco, and Colombia. His days alternated between deep creative focus and drifting—renting apartments in tiny towns, learning new languages, and building communities he would inevitably have to leave when visas expired or restlessness returned.

At the heart of James’s story is tension: between adventure and stability, freedom and belonging. He dreams of having a home base, a dog, and his own cupboard full of clothes—but he also knows that at any moment, he could sell everything and ride into the horizon again. Lately he’s been trying to understand why through the practices of “circling” and “authentic relating.”

We talk about how childhood restlessness can become adult wanderlust, how travel can be both healing and escapist, and how to know when “freedom” starts to look like avoidance. James reflects on the comfort of drifting, the fatigue of constant choice, and what it might take to finally stop moving—not because he’s trapped, but because he’s ready to stay.

Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/james