Ask HN: Did I make a mistake jumping on the homestead bandwagon?

I made the jump from the "big city" with a good tech job to the homestead a few years ago and have found as much as YouTube and Amazon have provided an incredible amount of information and resources, I find myself questioning my decision.

I am beginning to feel that regardless of modern innovations when push comes to shove...the truth is homesteading requires an almost soul crushing amount of hard work and fortitude for very small gains.

I can't help feel frustrated when I watch my friends in the city enjoy all of the comforts it offers and seemingly pull away from me both financially and socially.

So I am looking for either some hard truths or encouragement regarding this matter.

Please be honest and refrain from judging those who are! I am a big boy and can handle the truth.

Thank You

Could you provide a description of what you mean by 'homesteading'? Are we talking buy a small farm and try to live off grid?

What is the hardwork you are having to do? Will you have to keep doing it forever or it's just until you settle? Also if it's something you didn't use to do (like cooking??) maybe you get better/becomes easier in time. Maybe ask some homesteaders about it.

What were you hoping to experience with leaving the city and your social circle?

https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/love-humor/remote-cabi... has a writer who had a similar experience.

You’ve started to discover a kind of truth. It’s just not the truth you wanted to find. Which is part of what makes truth—deep emotional truth—annoying, and part of why so many of us avoid it as much as we can.

Authors you might want to read here on coming to terms with toil and place and work absolutely include Wendell Berry, who has basically made this his life's work.