New Digital Nomads Must Prepare For 3 Changes (Lessons From 18 Months Of Travel)
Prepare for the unexpected. In business. In travel. In yourself.
Travel for a week long vacation usually brings spontaneity and various stressful occurrences(delayed flights, middle seats and getting lost on the way to landmarks).
Traveling long term as a digital nomad is so full to the brim with spontaneity and stressful occurrences that you must prepare yourself ahead of time.
Prepare for Business Catastrophes
Lesson: Extend all deadlines a few days past what you know you can get the project done by to ensure you have enough time to find adequate wifi/office.
When I first set out on my digital nomad adventure, I pictured myself working from the beach with a coconut in hand. What I didn’t picture was how terrible the internet was on the beach. After traveling through fourteen countries, I can say that in every single one, I had moments of pure catastrophe as a deadline loomed closer and I had yet to Wifi strong enough to open a Google Doc.
Prepare For Consistent Travel Failures
Lesson: Prepare to spend four hours for every activity you think will take one.
As I tell all aspiring travelers, prepare for a one hour excursion to take four. Have you ever tried grocery shopping in a new city and taking public transport to get there?
In theory, the adventure should take an hour. But after you’ve taken the wrong bus, had to walk thirty minutes to the next bus station, finally get on the right bus only to find that this grocery store only has fast food ramen and you have to find another one and repeat your above bus excursion-you’re going to be stressed out.
Add that to thinking this grocery shopping date was going to happen during your lunch break when in reality it became your entire work day and you’re going to start contemplating what you were thinking in the first place.
Prepare To Become A Brand New Person
Lesson: Don’t freak out, embrace the change.
My biggest struggle as a digital nomad was how quickly I experienced major self development strides. After six months of life on the road, the only way I can describe my internal break down was-I didn’t recognize myself anymore.
I didn’t fit into my old life. And I didn’t fit into the cities I was traveling in. I was a nomad without a home and I felt incredibly lost, fearful and regretful.
In hindsight I can see that six months of solo travel intersected with starting my freelance writing business had brought out an entirely new side of myself that I hadn’t known before. I felt like I didn’t even know who I was and it was true. I had always lived with my friends and worked to help other people achieve their dreams. My bubble was safe and easy. I read self development books and thought I was woke.
Nope.
Becoming a digital nomad is like taking the speed ferry to the land of enlightenment.
You’ll face so many consistent struggles that you will be forced to chisel yourself into your best version on a daily basis. In the end, you’ll come out as smooth and pristine as the statue of David.
With all of this said, let me make myself clear.
In 18 months of this digital nomad lifestyle, I have never felt more grateful for an experience. Because I chose to jump off of the ledge and go full force on my dreams of being a world citizen with her own business,
I have created a lifestyle where I make the leaps and bounds that used to take me five years, within a few months.
I can see this development in my business, in my ability to travel the world solo and in my personal life as I have become 10x more emotionally intelligent as I’ve continued to lean into this newfound potential.
Prepare yourself for struggle. Prepare yourself for the most beautiful and gratifying experiences of your life.
