When the Dream Life Turns Into a Trap
Nomadic life was supposed to be freedom. A dream: culture, escape, balance.
Instead? It was hell wrapped in paradise.
My daughter screaming in the street. My wife launching her biz with barely a minute to breathe.
I was juggling a remote VA and a fried nervous system.
We weren’t thriving. We were barely hanging on.
Everyone kept saying it was like we were on a permanent vaction.
Well, if we’re going to live like an infinite vacation, we have to actually enjoy it like one.
Everything changed when we stopped performing success—and started building something sustainable.
Table of Contents
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This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. I only recommend programs that align with my values and create real transformation.
What Is a Pleasure-Led Life?
It’s not perfection. Not optimization. Not vibes over substance.
It’s a framework for living rooted in clarity, joy, and the ability to say: This actually feels good.
A pleasure-led lifestyle is when every part of your life—work, relationships, self—supports your nervous system, not drains it.
We don’t hustle harder. We align smarter.
The 3Es Framework for Intentional Living
Explore – Build Awareness That Doesn’t Bullshit
We bought the dream of location freedom.
But our brains weren’t built for that version of “success.”
Explore is where you admit what isn’t working—even if it looks great on paper.
This is where you look at your schedule, your systems, your relationships—and tell the truth.
Explore means:
- Naming what you’re tolerating
- Owning what you’ve outgrown
- Making space for what’s real
Ready to Explore:
Trust Your Intuition
Organize Your Pleasure-Led Life in a Week
2. Engage – Show Up Fully (Even in the Chaos)
Explore shows you what’s real.
Engage asks what the hell you’re going to do about it.
You don’t get a pleasure-led lifestyle by checking out. You earn it by showing up fully.
Engage means:
- Protecting your energy with real boundaries
- Creating systems that serve you, not a template
- Being seen, not performing
We didn’t fix the tantrums. We fixed how we met them. Now? We give a shit about hobbies, not just hustle.
Ready to engage:
Boundaries
Overcome Your Fear of Confrontation
How to Handle Difficult Interactions
3. Elevate – Create from Alignment, Not Pressure
Elevation isn’t about rising above—it’s about rising from what’s solid.
I left medicine not because I couldn’t hack it, but because I realized my success meant shit if I wasn’t present in it.
Elevate means:
- Setting values-driven goals
- Leading from clarity, not confusion
- Creating work that reflects who you are, not who you think you should be
Want to speak with that kind of power?
Check out this speaker training—it’s built for creators ready to stop shrinking their message.
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GPT Boss shows you how to do it without coding—and without the fluff.
Ready to elevate your life:
Effective Communication
Redefine Achievement
Leadership vs. Being a Leader
How to Start Living a Pleasure-Led Life
Step 1: Pick an E
Step 2: Audit Energy Leaks
Step 3: Make a Bold Move
Not sure where to start?
Use the Fulfillment Checker to figure out which of the 3Es needs your attention first.
Key Takeaways for Building a Pleasure-Led Life
- A pleasure-led lifestyle is built, not found
- The 3Es—Explore, Engage, Elevate—aren’t steps, they’re cycles
- Presence is more powerful than perfection
- You get to define success. But you also have to design for it
This Is About More Than Just Feeling Good
You’re not here to build a life that just checks boxes.
You’re here to build one that holds all of you—your ambition, your softness, your edges, your fire.
The 3Es give you a way forward, but this isn’t a formula. It’s a framework.
And it only works when you work it—with honesty, with action, with pleasure.
If you're ready to stop surviving and start building from the truth of who you are—
You're not alone.
Join the Pleasure-Led Entrepreneurs Facebook group. Let’s create lives we don’t need a vacation from.
DJ is a lifestyle enthusiast and founder of Pleasure Led Life, dedicated to helping others embrace a low-demand lifestyle filled with joy, balance, and personal fulfillment. With a passion for living authentically and prioritizing what truly matters, DJ shares practical tips and insights to guide you on your journey to a more pleasurable, stress-free life.
