Life As A Digital Nomad
Have you ever met someone who can work and live anywhere and wished that was how your life was?
As someone who post a lot of photos like these, I want you to know that a lot what’s out there is not what it seems.
Living a life of a nomad isn’t perfect.
So today, I’m sharing with you the good, the bad, the beautiful, and ugly. I want you to see that living a nomad life isn’t perfect and that your life is amazing, no matter what it looks like on camera.
You Experience Rapid Self-Growth
You can devote more time to yourself when a “job,” protracted traffic jams, or draining relationships are no longer taking up your time. Self-reflection is a rare activity in modern society, despite the fact that it is essential for survival when traveling.
I’ve been traveling for years, and during that time I’ve gotten lost in sketchy neighborhoods, extremely severely ill on far-off islands, and confused in a wide range of situations where no one speaks my language. In these situations, nobody is to blame and none can make things right. There is just me. I have to think about it alone to figure it out. That requires a great deal of responsibility, but every responsibility also provides an opportunity for development.
Rapid Personal Growth
Self-growth often has a cost. You feel like a totally different person. It can make returning home to see your family and friends difficult because nothing seems to have changed.
I spent years struggling with this. I saw my old self in others, which made me worried that they might pull me back to my old habits. I lost the ability to relate with those caught up in materialism and toxic relationships. They were unable to understand my way life, my comfort with filth.
I start letting go of people for new experiences. More importantly, I had to let go of my believes about how my previous relationships should have turned out. I had to learn to love others as they are.
Getting Things Done is Really Challenging
Imagine trying to work by the beach, surrounded fresh-faced backpackers. Or using poor Wifi to respond to work emails. Or resisting the urge for a day or surfing.
It requires unbelievable discipline.
You Learn to Bounce Back
I was a control freak. I hate it when plans changed or when people changed. I lacked the ability to go with the flow.
I instantly came to the realization that I have very little control over what happens around me. Sometimes buses are running and no bus at all. People will either treat me nice or they can ruthlessly scam me. You’re at the mercy of the world.
Actually, there’s something incredibly liberating about that. Travelling pushes you to surrender, and that submission results in freedom. You come to understand that your abilit is what makes you strong. You can face anything that comes your way.
Feeling Stuck in One Place Feels Scary
Constant travelling and stimulation can teach flexibility, but it also create restlessness. When you have the option to move or live anywhere you want, running away becomes a choice when things go tough.
For most nomads. the decision to work through conflicts or pack and leave is actually often a question. We have such freedom to move around that we are never required to stay when things get uncomfortable
What many don’t understand, is that the inability to sit still actually a cage itself. I often feel terrified thinking if I’ll ever be happy in one place. It feels like being homesick to a place that doesn’t even exist.
You’re Surrounded by People and Yet you Feel Alone
You’re in a crowd yet feel lonely.
There will be times you’ll miss your friends. Your family who is always there for you, no matter what. Who don’t care whether you cry uncontrollably or a hundred TMI moments.
However, you’ll find independence. Without the ties you once believed defined you, you’ll have a greater understanding of who you are. You’ll come to cherish your time alone. And the more hooked you are to people with who you could form lasting bonds, even while traveling.
The secret is knowing yourself enough to enjoy your own company and loving yourself well enough to know who you want to spend your time with.
Relationships Take a Back Burner
Although I enjoy being alone, there are times when I wish I could share this adventure with someone. I’m pretty sure my nomadic lifestyle is to blame for this solitude.
Think about it, how are you going to find someone when you’re constantly travelling?
Of course, it’s possible to sleep with a different person every single night when you’re traveling. And so many do. However, I would rather be alone than with someone I have no feelings for. I can’t see myself sleeping with someone I’ll never look at again.
Letting Go is a Daily Routine
If you want to learn to let go, be a Buddhist, or a nomad.
Everything you own will eventually be lost, destroyed, or stolen. You’ll have to say goodbye to most people you meet.
It may be difficult to let go, but it will allow you to stay open to new opportunities that life has in store.
Burnout From Travelling
It’s easy to realize you don’t have complete freedom if you’ve spent your life in working for a job you hate to support a life you don’t love. You constantly find youself dreaming about how freeing it would be to travel the world and leave everything behind.
And it is.
But then it hits you. You find yourself faced with the same problems that you ran away from. But now, there’s nowhere left to escape. Because you’re already out there and you can’t book a flight to the moon.
Some people keep running and looking for ways to feel the rush they felt when they first started travelling. Some prefer to look within.
No matter where you are, you have the choice to be free, despite where you are or your current situation. Because freedom comes from acceptance. It comes from choosing the now, and right now is the perfect moment.
