The Dream We Were Sold Is Being Recalled
I’m 38. Canadian. Educated. Employed. And somehow... stuck.
I don’t say that lightly. I’ve done everything I was told to do: go to university, get a good job, keep my head down, save what I can.
And yet, there I was — looking at a future that didn't look much different from my present.
Unless my parents help. Unless I get lucky. Unless we finally get that leader we’ve been waiting for 🙄
But there is a way for all of us to get unstuck. 🥾
Recently, I came across a Policy Horizons Canada report that laid it all out in writing — straight from the government.
Captain Canada basically said “Mayday, mayday, the ship is going down”…. 🛳
The report clearly states that social mobility is fading. This was the theory that demonstrates if you work hard you can climb the ladder. Fading.
Homeownership? Basically reserved for the wealthy or those with generational help.
Education? Increasingly a luxury.
AI? Eating white-collar jobs faster than we can create new ones.
The report practically admits we’re heading toward an aristocracy, not a meritocracy.
Let that sink in: The government is now publicly forecasting that hard work might not be enough anymore.
And guess what? Our American friends are in the same boat.
You’re Not The Problem. But You Are The Solution.
What about everyone who already got ahead and now your money isn’t getting you where you need to go? That’s worse than not getting ahead in the first place.
You already did all the hard work, and now?
So we start pointing fingers:
👎 It’s the billionaires.
👎 It’s the immigrants.
👎 It’s the politicians.
👎 It’s the universities.
👎 It’s the boomers.
And maybe you’re right.
But yelling doesn’t fix anything.
And this isn’t schoolyard politics.
Remember when your parents told you to just walk away from a fight?
Yeah… that’s your move now.
Walk away. Move on. Build a life where the odds are actually in your favor.
(and that’s coming from a throw the first punch kind of kid…) 🥊
Why More People Are Leaving (Quietly)
What if you took your perfectly good, overtaxed, underappreciated self…
And just left?
What if I told you there are places in the world where:
❤🩹 Healthcare doesn’t make you wait 9 months for your procedure that you need in 9 hours (we call that free health care in Canada).
🫰 Housing doesn’t require generational wealth.
🥑 You can eat fresh, local food without checking your bank balance.
🪺 And your nest egg could buy you a life that feels like retirement — even while you’re still working remotely?
I’m talking about Latin America. About parts of Europe. About places where your Canadian or American dollar goes 2–4 times further.
Where winter doesn’t lock you indoors for 5 months of the year. Where walking outside actually feels like living again.
Take Mexico, for example.
Better cell coverage than many parts of North America. Accessible healthcare. A thriving expat community. And contrary to what fear-based headlines would have you believe, many parts — like Cozumel or Mérida — are statistically safer than cities like Winnipeg or Baltimore.
But What About Staying Connected?
That’s the thing — this isn’t 1983. You already live your life on a phone, on Zoom, in group chats and voice notes.
You can sit on a patio in Oaxaca with a mezcal cocktail and FaceTime your grandkids like you're just down the street.
You don’t need to vanish. You just need to be open to changing your scenery.
Try getting out of dodge for one month. That’s it.
Rent a place. Keep your number. Keep your job. Keep your routines.
The only difference? The year round sunlight on your face.
The money left in your account that takes you home for all the big events.
The food that tastes like our great earth produced it.
Owning a Mortgage Isn’t the Same as Owning a Life
If you're concerned with the social impact of renting and feel shame about it?
Don't. 🛑
Renting and saving is often a smarter financial move than sinking into six figures of debt for a leaking roof and a community development plan that leaves your equity in the dust.
AI Won’t Save You — It’ll Flatten Everyone
Look — AI is exciting.
But it’s not going to magically make your life better. It’s making everyone better — faster — at the same time. 🧑🤝🧑 🤖
Which means more competition, more downward pressure on wages, and more stress keeping up with machines that never sleep.
If you think you're feeling overwhelmed now, just wait until your boss asks why you didn’t finish what the AI assistant could’ve in a fifth of the time.
And What About Mom and Dad?
If you’ve got aging parents — and no plan — now is the time to get honest.
Long-term care in Canada or the U.S. is staggeringly expensive. And unless you’ve had some very uncomfortable (and very necessary) conversations, you may be in for a financial and emotional crisis you didn’t see coming. 🥹
But in many countries, quality elder care is not just affordable — it’s respectful, human, and part of the culture. 🫡
We’re Running Out of Time, Not Options
If you're 45, 55, 65 and realizing retirement isn’t looking like what you hoped… you're not alone.
But you do have a choice.
You can keep blaming the government, the rich, or "those people" (whoever they are).
Or you can step outside the lines.
You can design your own safety net. You can move somewhere that offers you life, not just survival.
You’ve got more options than you think — and more time than you realize. But the window doesn’t stay open forever.
All I’m saying is: Try somewhere new. For a month. Get unstuck.
Take your phone. Keep your job. Go live in the sunlight.
See what it feels like to breathe easier — financially, physically, emotionally.
No commitment. Just a taste.
Tell me. Vent. Inspire. Make me laugh. Make me cry. Let’s talk about it.
We’re here to talk about your options. Drop me a comment below and we’ll connect, or you can reach us directly at [email protected]
Kam & The Cozumel Collective
