106. Taking the Leap Into Nomad Life: Aligning Your Goals and Ambitions in Life and Business | Digital Nomad Digest

Welcome back to the Work Wealth and Travel Podcast. So this is our Digital Nomad Digest segment that is out every single Friday with myself and my co-host Kami. In today's episode, we were brainstorming some topics and we were thinking about ourselves before we left for our nomad journeys many years ago.

And it can be difficult sometimes to . Make that last push when you know that you want to leave, you know that you want for something more or something different in your life, but maybe you don't have the support or you don't know, and those around you don't know somebody who's done it before.

It can be difficult to make what is in your mind a reality and actually take the leap and do it. So we're gonna chat about what that looks like for us today, and if you feel like you are in the same place or a similar place where you know that you want a better lifestyle or a different lifestyle, just something that is not what you are currently in for yourself how you can take the plunge.

For me. I've been not living in my home country for six years now, and I. Tell my, I tell myself, and I tell other people, you can do it. Just leave your home country. Like, just go. It's fine. I did it. It'll be fine. Like, it's so easy, don't worry. But then it's so interesting because whenever I'm back in Canada, in the house that I lived in before, Before I left and before I did this journey, all the fields come back to me and I'm like, oh my gosh, it wasn't that easy,

And it was really difficult to leave everything, you know, and for me, move to China. And I was like, what the heck is gonna happen in China? Like I have no idea if I'm gonna love it or hate it, or never come back. Like, who knows? You know? So I think in theory, It's very easy for a lot of people who are already living this lifestyle to say, oh, it was so easy, but when you're really, for me, at least, when you're back in that place before where it all happened, where it started happening before you left on your journey, you really had the time to reflect and be in that same moment and be like, oh my gosh.

It was not as easy as I remember it being . So I don't know. Kimmy, what are your thoughts on this? How do you feel about this and what did that look like for you?

  Yeah, I understand some of the feelings. I feel like when I went back home now in August, no July anyways, whatever. Beyond the point , when I went back home recently, what I thought about a lot was how strong my why was . For me to leave my intention, what I wanted to create differently. I think that that was so strong inside of me that it pushed me through my limits and through all of the discomfort that I was I.

Allowing myself to face and kind of wanting to face, I was choosing to face that discomfort because the place that I was in was so uncomfortable. I think I've talked about this before in the podcast. I feel like the place that I was in was so uncomfortable already because it was so out of alignment with where my soul, my, you know, authentic self wanted to be in that.

It was more uncomfortable to stay in that comfort zone than to actually go into the discomfort of the unknown and where I was gonna end up in, how I was gonna pay my bills and everything like that. As like a human mind, you know, has trouble with and everything. So I think that the first thing that I would tell anyone who is really wanting and feeling like

This lifestyle, they, it's a choice that's coming from their authentic self and they really want to do it. I would say really double down on your why and on your intention. So why is it that you're doing this? Why is it that you're deciding to do this? And just have that constantly in the back of your mind, because I think that that is the fuel that will get you the most.

Forward in your journey, whatever how, whatever that looks like. And I will also say that one thing that I kept telling myself, Was that I, I didn't have to make it be something that, you know, it was this huge thing. So when people are like, oh, so you're going, I was, I, I always told them, yeah, I'm going for maybe two months, two weeks or two years.

I don't know. But like, don't, don't, don't pressure me. So I would always forcefully take the pressure off of other people's. . Intentions or thoughts of how my journey would look like. So I would also take the pressure off of my own expectations because I didn't want other people to have this vision that I would be the traveler for I don't know how many years, and maybe I wouldn't like it, and then I would return, and then I would feel.

Like a failure, although that's not true, but that's what I had in my mind. So I was really gentle with myself and with my mind. And instead of just aiming for the 100, I was not aiming for anything. actually, I was just aiming to, you know, take the next step and the next step and the next step. And until you, I, it.

Two years passed and two years and a half passed, and I'm like still here. But I always, even now, I always like to put a like, take the pressure off of that, take that identity. 'cause I think that this can also become your identity. Like I'm the traveler, quote unquote. I'm the digital moment. And then in the moment that you don't want to be traveling anymore, you feel like you're losing who you are or whatever, you know, like these things that we constantly put on ourselves.

So yeah, I think that . , my first two mindset tips would be, first off, start with your why, and really anchor yourself in it and really anchor yourself in . You know, maybe the place that you're in is more uncomfortable than going after something that is extremely uncomfortable, which is the unknown of traveling and things like that.

And then also the other part is taking off of the, taking the pressure off of yourself and giving yourself the opportunity to experiment with this lifestyle. But you don't have to put a date on it. You don't have to force yourself to be in it. And yeah, just take it as it comes in each present  moment.

I really like that because humans are, So like we want a label for things and that's just very natural. But I like that you mention that because it is so much pressure to put your a label on, literally. It doesn't have to be anything to do with traveling. It can just be in any aspect of your life.

It's so much pressure to put yourself as a label of. You know, like I am the successful like headhunter or whatever it is, because then the second you stop or the second that your mind starts thinking, oh, that other person is more successful, and that comparison comes into play and then you are not this successful or the traveler, like whatever it is, then you do kind of lose your identity and it's like, okay, well wait.

So who? Am I? That's, that's very normal. But a way to mitigate that as well is being very multifaceted. We can have labels and those labels don't have to stay forever. They can come, they can go, but it's not just having or being one thing. And then another thing I wanted to touch on that you said, which I really like the fact that you bring up being uncomfortable, because that, I feel like that has been the theme of my last few weeks.

And I heard some quotes recently that I really loved, and for me specifically I am thinking of uncomfortable in business because that's what I'm focusing on right now. But it really can go for literally any area of life. So some quotes that I've written down recently, and I like to write down quotes that, I want to remember because I know they'll make an impact on me and the way that I think in my mindset, but I also don't really rely on my memory for anything.

So I have a place to write down everything, otherwise I know I'll forget it. So some things that I've written down lately are  everything you've ever wanted is outside of your comfort zone for me, was one that I heard somebody saying and I was like, Ooh, I like this so much because it's so true.

If I. Had not left Canada for something else, I would've just stayed in my comfort zone, but I didn't want that. And the same goes for me with business. Another one that I've heard is comfortable. People do not end up successful. And for me, I was just like, oh my gosh, I love that so much because I. I think it's true.

And you know, I think that everybody can have different opinions and take these quotes in different ways, but the way that I took it is, yeah, if I was comfortable, I would still be in the same position I was most likely when I was 20 years old and I was working a corporate job and I had just finished school, except now I would have the house and the car and you know, the marriage and the kids, whatever it may be.

And that would be comfortable for me, but that wouldn't be success to me. So those are some quotes recently that I've written down along with some others. But those are the two that really, for me, I'm like, I want to be as uncomfortable as possible in doing all of the things and even just living this nomad lifestyle.

Like there are, I would say probably every day when I go out, like I feel uncomfortable doing something, and it can just be a little like . I don't think I wanna do that, but now I change from the mindset of like, oh, I don't wanna do that. So I'm just like, not gonna do that. And it's a small thing, so like I don't have to worry about it, to being like, okay, no, like I'm just gonna do it.

And honestly, I don't care the outcome because what matters is that I did it. The outcome doesn't really matter.

It's so interesting that we were talking about the labels because last week I had a podcast recording with a friend, and I am someone who I. Like I'm 29, you know, so I don't have a huge career or anything, but in the beginning of my career, quote unquote, my baby career, I worked in fashion.

I used to work with fashion marketing. I was obsessed with fashion. I wanted to, you know, travel and live in London and be like this fashion per fashion person, and. Everything. And then after that I started working as a yoga teacher, and then I started working as a communications manager in a spiritual company.

And then eventually I flowed into being a freelance with social media and digital marketing and having my podcast and talking about spirituality, but in a grounded way. And then, you know, talking about digital nomadism, fashion is not a big part of . My life anymore. I don't work with fashion. I like dressing in cute ways, but I don't work with fashion anymore.

I also paused my yoga classes. I'm thinking about starting them again, but it's something that I stopped doing for like three years. And I. It's, I was talking to a friend of mine about this and she said to me something that I had never thought of it this way, and I think that it really plays a huge part in being a, a digital nomad and offering your services onto the world.

She said, so she said to me, I'm so inspired by how you have this toolbox of all of your skills and your knowledge, and whenever life is asking for you to react, quote unquote, and use one of those . Tools in your toolbox, you use the right one at the right time. So right now you're using the skills that you have with social media and marketing and blah, blah, blah.

And then before you were using your skills with yoga and then before you're using your skills with fashion, blah, blah, and things like that. And. I thought it was so interesting because I have this huge shame of myself, like on my, I put this huge shame and judgment on myself of from, of the fact that I started my career in something and then I stopped doing this, and then I started something again, and then I stopped it and I was like, oh my God, I'm such a failure.

You know, I keep starting things and stopping things, but the way that she reframed it was like, I'm so . Inspired by how you have all of this multi, multi potentiality and all of those skills, and you know exactly when you have to use them in your life. And I think that this is really the chameleon quote unquote, in all of us as human beings because we don't have to be just one thing.

And what I love about reflecting about this toolbox with the digital nomadism part of my life is that when I started , Being a digital ed, I started selling copywriting stuff, you know, and nowadays I don't do that. It evolved. I do something else and nowadays it's evolving into something else and it'll keep evolving.

But it doesn't mean that I failed on copywriting or, or I failed in whatever it is that I'm doing now. It means that I'm allowing myself to. Build new skills and monetize them while so I can support myself in this lifestyle that makes so much sense for me. And so I really loved how she repurposed the idea of the label that is there to constrict you to several labels that are there too.

Expand and free you. So I used to be really against labels because I thought that they put you in a box, but I feel like sometimes labels, they have the potential to free you because you can express something. For example, saying that you're a yoga teacher is easier to. It's easier to say than trying to explain what you do in a class, you know?

So it frees you in a way that people can understand at least a little bit of who you are, what you do. So, but it's not about trying to fit into one specific, it's about, I think just building your skills and seeing those labels as this . Toolbox that you have in this tools, in this toolbox that you have, rather than something that you have to, like, I can only use the screwdriver, you know, but then the

Life is asking for, I don't even know the name of like a hammer. So, and then you're gonna try to hammer with the screwdriver, but it's not what's supposed to be used for. So I really, really liked what you brought in that, and I really wanted to bring it to anyone who's listening and maybe feel the same.

And then on the part of the discomfort and things like that. I think that for me personally, I think that there is a difference between . The huge thing about alignment, you know, it's like you can feel out of alignment. and being in your comfort zone, but you can also feel that you're out of alignment, being in the discomfort, and then you really shouldn't do it.

But the opposite is also correct, so you can also feel in alignment being seeking the discomfort and going through, you know, the uncomfortable of the unknown. And you can also feel in alignment by being in the comfort zone, quote unquote. So I think it's, for me, I try to guide myself more through the alignment than thinking to myself.

, ah, this is uncomfortable, so I'm gonna do it. 'cause sometimes the it's, it is out of alignment. Like I can feel it in my body. And when I go back to the moment that I jumped off the cliff and body one way plane ticket from Portugal to Brazil, it felt really uncomfortable and really scary. But in my body, it felt in alignment.

So I knew that it was okay versus, I dunno, me putting myself in a . Uncomfortable situation, but at the same time it doesn't feel good, you know? So I think that there is like a subtlety there that I, that's why I don't fully agree with saying one thing or the other. You know, like always go through your, you know, seek discomfort.

It's like, yes, but also be in tune with the alignment. 'cause that's what I preach a lot. So

Yeah, forgot who I was talking to, , but I love that bring up about the alignment and Yeah, no, I completely agree and I, I do think there is like a way to be uncomfortable and not aligned, and then also uncomfortable . Will end aligned. And then the same with comfortable. So, you know, there's, there's many ways to slice this, the way that I'm thinking about it is in terms of specifically business, because I'm really grateful to be in a place where I'm like, okay, my lifestyle is what I enjoy. I have built it to be this, which is what, this is what I want, you know, whatever the, this may be for the person.

And so I'm like, okay, this is great. But the business side of things, I'm like, I want . This, and I know I can get there, but it takes a lot of being uncomfortable. But I also know, you know, it's really interesting when we talk about business, because I look back at the journey about like three years being an online business, which isn't long.

But and I, I. Look at the clients I've had and the work I've done, and I'm like, this is great, but this is not going to get me to a million dollar revenue. You know, like, this is not what I want the goal to look like for me. And it's very, you know, whatever you want it to look like for you. And I'm like, the only way that I can get

From where I am to where I wanna be, which is pretty ambitious, I would say. And I know it's not gonna happen in like one year or anything like that, but is to be uncomfortable is to, for me, I see it as being uncomfortable leveling up. And if I don't take those actions and be uncomfortable, well I'm gonna stay in a very similar place to where I am, which is fine, but that's not what I want.

And it's so funny, it's, it's so interesting 'cause we see things so differently and I know that I. Shouldn't see it this way, but it's so hard not to because I, I'm like, I'm 29 and I see all these people online and I'm like, they have these like multimillion dollar businesses and they're doing what I want and I have the same skills as them and I can do exactly what they're doing, but I haven't.

And so it's like, oh, like I. I feel like I'm so old and I could be there, not old in terms of like age, but in terms of where I am in my business. But then I have to take a step back and reframe and be like, okay, I've been doing this for a few years and I know a lot of things and now I have to put them into practice, but I have to take that uncomfortable action, which I haven't been doing in the past.

And that's great. That's fine because now I have the realization that I was, you know, I was getting referrals and I was just kind of reaching out to people and that was great. But that's . Not the actions that are going to take me to where I want to go. So I think, yeah, it, it, it really is different for everybody.

But for me, that's kind of the way that I've been looking at it and I'm like, I need to, I. I want to be uncomfortable not only in that aspect of things, but also in every aspect of my life because I do, and I guess this comes back to what you were saying, like I feel aligned in that because I know that that's going to make me better in every aspect of my life.

But if I don't push myself, then I am never going to get there. And then one thing I wanted to mention, . It's the one instance where I felt, so I, I guess you would call it, not aligned at the time. This was three years ago. At the time, I was like, I just like, I don't wanna do this. But I didn't know why.

as when I, it was February of: 2020

I think there was like four cases in Thailand at this point, like not many, but it was spreading pretty quickly and I was like, oh my gosh, it's gonna be all over Asia soon. So kind of just like overnight, I bought a ticket to go back to Canada. And it was like a pretty expensive flight and obviously it was a really long flight.

And I remember I had to do a layover in Manila in the Philippines and I, so I went to Manila. I stayed the night, and then the next morning I went to the airport. I. And I was waiting in line to board the plane to go back to Canada and I just remember being like, ah, like I feel like I shouldn't get on this plane, but I already bought the ticket and it was really expensive and like everyone is now expecting me to come home.

And I was like, I like, I don't know what it is, but like there, I, I just feel like I shouldn't get on this plane, but I did because we were boarding and like, what else am I gonna do? Be like, no, and make a scene and like run out of the airport. So I like got on the plane and I was like, I don't know, like maybe like it's wrong, like I just need to get on it.

So, got on a plane and then I got locked out of China for 10 months and I was like, oh shit, I probably should have stayed in Asia. So

that's the one time that I. Really remember where I'm like, Ooh, that was probably like very out of alignment, but just something in me was like, Yeah, you probably shouldn't get on this plane.

But you know, it was like crazy times covid. So we, nobody knew what was gonna happen there.

, I think that there is, when it comes to like spirituality and personal development, and when we talk about alignment, I think that there is a huge fallacy in which people are like no, I can't really like record this video 'cause it's super out of alignment, but it's actually you hiding your fears, of being uncomfortable in the, it's not in alignment.

After a lot of years of knowing what alignment feels in my body, now I understand what it really feels to be in alignment and not in alignment. So I do, and I do it through my body, but I constantly can remember a lot of times that. I was using the alignment card to stay in my comfort zone when it was really not about alignment or not, and I can say something in regards to business that I am overcoming a lot this past month, which is showing up consistently instead of being, being kind of flaky, quote unquote, and then showing up and I have a lot of energy, but then on the days that I have really low energy,

Just disappearing, not showing up at all, and I've been realizing that I was using. The eye doesn't feel lining to just . Not push myself a little bit, quote unquote, or nudge myself gently. 'cause I don't like the word like pushing. 'cause I, I'm a very gentle person with myself, so I try to nudge myself gently and hold myself and hold my hand and be like, are you sure?

I don't want to post something today? Maybe we can go through this route, or something like that. You know, like sweet parent. But I don't like pushing myself like, go you, you know? But. I've been realizing that I was using this like a lineman card to not show up and not get out of my comfort zone of, and actually I was hiding my fear of being seen

on the alignment card, you know? So I was hiding from everyone. I was hiding my knowledge. I was hiding the things that I have to offer my services and things like that because I was so afraid of being judged, of being seen. But it wasn't really about a lack of alignment, you know? It was about all of the fears that were there.

And once I kind of faced that and I was realizing how much stuff was underneath the hole, not aligning to show up. A huge thing, quote unquote. I was then able to understand and face these fears and then I was able to move forward. And now I'm realizing that especially when it comes to business online, there is, it's so important to show up consistently, but the showing up.

Will be, will look different every day. So one day the showing up will be that you're not gonna post anything, but you're gonna build, I don't know, a little part of your website. And then the next day you're gonna post a lot of stories. You're gonna make a, you know, a reels or something like that and you're not gonna touch your website.

And then the next day it'll be recording a podcast or something like that. It, but it's about considering how can I show up? In the bandwidth that I have today in whatever bandwidth I have today, emotionally, physically, mentally, what, however that looks like, and how can I be gentle with myself, but at the same time show myself that I can do this, that I got this, and that I can put myself in uncomfortable situations, quote unquote, to go after what I want, to build what I want.

Even if it doesn't look gigantic today. It's like just a sand in the sandcastle. There's something that I'm doing and I think that this is something that I was lacking a lot 'cause I was so afraid of so many things that I was just . Putting, you know, a like a covering it and just pretending that I didn't want to do anything, that it wasn't in alignment.

And I think that this comes a lot when it comes to being a digital nomad and deciding to have this lifestyle and kind of finally taking the leap. It's what are the consistent small steps that you are taking every day? Again, it doesn't have to look like a plane ticket that you're buying or a client that you're getting, but are you looking into the possible countries that you are wanting to go, the cities how, where you're staying, how you're gonna meet people, how you're gonna, what services can you sell?

It doesn't have to be always action, action, action. It can also be planning and also working on your own mindset. I think that's a big thing as well that you can do. But I think it's so important to gently, and I repeat that gently because again, this is really important. Gently showing up consistently so you can slowly build your dreams.

And don't be super impatient. You know, these things take time.

I love this conversation 'cause I feel like it's something that I've been. Thinking through for a while and it, it, okay, this is gonna be like super cliche, but , it makes me think of, so what you just said makes me think of something else that I always try to keep front of mind, which is, we've all heard it before to some degree, but I think, you know, we've all heard things, but they really click at a certain point in your life for you.

Like when you're like, okay, I need to get to this next level. Or like, this is my goal. Like, then it clicks. If you just hear it, well it's just gonna go in one ear and out the other. But something for me that has really clicked lately is, You can't have motivation because motivation will always fade.

You need to have the discipline to do something and to make it a habit or a routine, whatever that looks like. And you know, we've all heard that. And before, I think in the past I was like, . Yeah, I mean, that's fine. Like motivation, like okay, I'll have discipline, but when it actually comes down to it, I'm like, okay, I need to, like, the motivation doesn't matter whether I want to do it or not, doesn't matter, and I feel like I am, again, like we're so different.

I'm the opposite to you in some senses where sometimes like I won't be gentle because I know I just won't get shit done because I'll make an excuse or you know, or it just, it will never get done. Or maybe it will, but not when I want it to or not how I want it to. So I have to be like, Nope, doesn't matter.

Like. If you don't wanna do it today, like that's, we're gonna do it, you know? And of course not every day is like that, but I feel like that's, that's how I operate best because I know if I am like too gentle with myself and that's not necessarily the type of person that I am to begin with. So I'm not gonna not be myself with myself, if that makes sense.

Yeah, like, I'm just like, it doesn't matter. Like we, we are doing it or you know, I can be like, okay, well we're gonna do it like four times a week or like five times a week. And so if you're not gonna post today, if you're not gonna like go to the gym today, like whatever it may be, then that's fine, but you're gonna be making up for that at some point, you know, and really having that discipline and then building a habit or routine around it.

One other thing that came to mind when you were speaking that I think really kind of sums up this whole conversation really well, and I actually just posted it on my Instagram today because it's something, it's something I saw like a few years ago and it always just stuck in my memory, which is pretty rare.

'cause like, I, I, like I said, I don't really remember too many things. I have to write them all down. But one thing that always stuck with me was there's a quote and I don't know exactly how it goes, but it's like you have to choose your heart. Marriage is hard and divorce is hard. You know, being fit is hard.

Being obese is hard. And for me, and, and there's other like hards, I don't know what they all are, but it's basically saying like, whatever the choice you choose, it's going to be hard. So for me, I was like, okay, well what are some hards, you know, staying in my home country was hard and leaving my home country was hard, but which one is going to have the greater benefit for me?

You know, and which one do I really want? What are some other ones like. I don't know. I posted it today on my Instagram because I was like this. It's always resonated with me so much because it can look really easy on the surface, but whatever decision you make, it's going to be hard, and the counter decision is also going to be hard.

So you have to figure out which hard you want and then work towards that.

I saw that on your stories. I really, really liked it. And I think that everything, if you look at it in an aligned mindset, can be easier for you to do, you know? And can be easier to swallow it.

So for example, I used to be, Actually, if you met me six years ago or if you met me seven, I think maybe I would be really different than what I am now. I used to be really type A really strict with myself that translated in my eating. I had disordered eating, you know, I had a lot of . Things with like body issues.

And I was really, really not gentle with myself. It was the opposite. It was the complete opposite. I was really harsh on myself and kept beating myself up for everything. And one thing that in that journey of mine I learned from, you know, going from extreme control and extreme being harsh with myself to the place that I am now with my body and with food and things like that, is that

When you reframe what is healthy, what is the type of movement, what is the right or wrong, quote, unquote way to work out, or something like that. If you reframe that, the chances of you failing, quote unquote, or quitting, quote unquote, or giving up are way smaller. And I'll explain myself. So for example, the

Seven years ago, I thought that the only valid type of workout was if I went to the gym for over one hour and I did a strength training session and a, a low impact cardio because that's what, that was how I was gonna reach my goals. And if I didn't do that, I felt, and that I had to do it at least five to six times a week.

And if I didn't do that, I was a failure. I was not doing it correctly. It, it didn't count basically. And nowadays I have in my calendar a Remi like an event that's called Movement that is a repeating event in my Google calendar for one hour every day. And I look at that and I re remind. It reminds me that I.

Should move that. It's like an invitation for me to move. That could look like the workout that I do, that I talked about on the previous episode. It could look like a run. It could look like a simple one hour or a 30 minute walk. It can look like nothing, and then I'll just delete it if I really know that I don't have energy for it, and I've never felt so happy and aligned with my body and with my eating that I have.

Today because I don't like, I just ate a piece of chocolate before starting this and it's 4:00 PM and I haven't like had lunch. You know, I would just had breakfast. It's all over the place. But nowadays I really reframe what is a healthy meal? What is a unhealthy meal when they . Should be in my life or not, quote unquote, and how I should move, quote unquote.

It's like, let's try to eat like this. This is the best and most supportive for you, and you know it, and you feel it in your body. And also move, try to move at least one hour. If you don't feel like it, if you're too tired, it's okay. Like, it, it, you know, it doesn't, you don't have to beat yourself up for it.

'cause I know that . And I think that it, this comes to something that we talk about a, a, a lot, which is knowing yourself and knowing how you work. Because I know people that couldn't work with this level of gentleness, but I've tried both, and especially when it comes to this, for example, I know that.

For me, that other thing won't work because I can fall into control very easily. So I think it's really important to reframe certain things or if you're working in your business, reframe what working in your business looks like. It's not only about getting clients, you know, getting clients is important.

You get money in, but at the same time, what are the, all of the other areas that you should be working on to get your business done? So, . I think that it's sometimes we get so fixated on one specific thing of how this thing should look like, that we forget that showing up and being consistent in whatever you want in your life can look like a lot of different things.

They don't just look the same every day. 'cause you're not a robot, you're a human being. Your energy ebbs and flows. Of course, you're a business and whatever. You have in your life will also ebb and flow, you know, so I think it's important to take that into consideration and then know your personality, know yourself.

I know some people that thrive a lot because they, they were professional football players. They thrive a lot from people who kind of low key yell at them and are really harsh. I'm not that person. If you yell at me, I'll drop the ball and leave. 'cause I don't take that to my house with me. Like I won't take it, you know?

I won't swallow it. But there are some people who are field by it, you know? So I think it's really important to just know yourself, know your personality, know what works best for you, and then adapt everything in your life to that.

It really comes down to knowing yourself, and I think it's interesting having this conversation because you and I like, we can have similar goals and still get to where we want to be. Go each of us in our respective goals. but the way that we get there is so different.

Like for me, for example, I. and you know, there's also areas that are easier for some people and more difficult for other people, and that's really normal. Like for myself, I've always been, I. The, type of person who's like, you know what tonight I want to eat an entire pizza to myself, and I will and I like, I won't be mad about it.

I'll be like, I'm super full. And I probably didn't need to eat all that, but it was really delicious. And then like, you know, and then I wake up the next day and I'm like, okay, well I ate a whole pizza yesterday, so like, do I really feel like I want to eat any carbs today? No, not really. you know, and it's not even me making the decision of like, I'm not going to, it's just like, well, I don't really, like, that's not really something that I want.

And so I feel like for me it's always been about, Having some sort of balance. And I feel, you know, some things come easier to people than other people. Like, for me, kind of having the balance and some things, not all, I think have become a little bit easier. And then when it comes to business, maybe I go too far to one end and I'll like work myself too hard and then it's like, okay, I need to take the whole next day off.

And then I'm like, you know what? That's okay because I got a lot of shit done yesterday and that's how I like to work. All, all, most of the time, not all of the time. Sometimes I just get like, so in the zone, we were talking about this yesterday, like staying up super late and working and I'm just like, I can't turn off my brain.

But yeah, I think it really comes down to like knowing yourself and knowing what works best for you and your body. And then for me, I know, okay, like I'm gonna be a little bit. More relaxed with myself if I know I just ate a whole pizza, you know, I'm not gonna do that again. Or if I know I just worked for 12 hours straight and like my eyes hurt and they're strained, and I'm like, okay, you know what?

when I first started in like: 2005

And he was working online and freelancing at the time and then built this big business. And he's like, but I see all these people who are nomads and traveling and it's like, how much work are you really getting done? And I was like, yeah, you know, I totally agree. 'cause it can be, you know, I see my life and I'm like, it could be really easy to just go outside and explore like almost all day every day.

But that's . It's what I want to a degree, but it's also not what I want because having the business aspect of the nomad life is also very important to me as well. So, you know, like right now, a lot of time looks like being inside. And granted, to be fair, we've been here for one month. So it's kind of nice because at the beginning we were outside a little bit more, and now almost every single day I'm at my computer and I'm working, or I'm recording or I'm, you know, doing something.

So I think it really is just. Knowing your lifestyle, knowing what you want, knowing what balance looks like for you, and also just knowing yourself. You know, if you are gonna beat yourself up after eating an entire pizza, then like, don't eat the whole pizza. But for me, I know I'll be like, that was a great pizza and I'm, I'm pretty happy that I did that.

What you just said about the balance of the next day, you are tuning into your body and seeing like, okay, what do I feel like it's gonna be the most supportive and nourishing for me today? Or the next day that your eyes are strained and you, you know, went to sleep at 3:00 AM 'cause you're working, you are, you reflect, you tune into your body and you're like, okay, maybe I should take this day off.

That is also being gentle, so I think that being gentle with yourself comes also in different forms and I think it's all about . . . Just not for forcing it and pushing yourself so hard to the point that you're gonna burn out. And again, we're talking about building a digital lifestyle. I think this also can happen in this lifestyle.

For example, when I started, I was moving around every week, every two weeks, and at some point I realized I tuned into my body and I realized that that wasn't making sense for me. So I . Stopped doing that, and I started traveling slower. Whilst for you, that still makes sense. And for you, the, it's, it's, it's out of alignment to stay in a place for so long.

So it's really about not pushing yourself for you to look like a certain way or this certain type of digital nomad or this certain type of life. And it's all about you tuning into yourself and understanding what makes sense for you in that moment and . . Yeah, I think that for sure, I see some people also doing that in business.

When you're a digital moment, you know, like when you're an entrepreneur, it's so easy to get caught up in work. E either like the both sides of the spectrum, spectrums, you either get caught up in work and you're not stopping even in the weekends. 'cause you know, it's the only thing that sometimes you have to do.

Sometimes you don't know anyone in the city, so you're like, okay, I guess I'm just gonna work. And then the extreme opposite of, oh my God, I'm in a Greek island. I'm just gonna go to the beach every day. And at some point I think that if you're really in tune with your body, you kind of . Get tired of either spectrums and you end up finding a balance either way.

So yeah, that's what I wish for, for everyone.

And I think, you know, it really all comes down to experience. Like when you started, you realized what you were doing wasn't what was working for you and for me, you know, when we stay somewhere for too long, I'm like I'm bored. Like, where's the next place? So like you, you kind of figure it out as you go too.

And I think it's important to. Just try it. You'll figure out what you like and what you don't like and kind of go from there.

This has been our Digital Nomad Digest segment of the Work Wealth and Travel Podcast. We have this segment out every single Friday with myself and with Cammy. If you like these episodes, please don't forget to leave a review if you're listening on Apple or Spotify. And if you have any questions or you want to reach out to either of us further, all of our links are below, and we will see you in next week's episode.