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Welcome to the Travel Transformation Podcast with me, Jessica Grace Coleman, the podcast where we talk all things travel and all things transformation. Now, this is just a quick little solo episode about being a digital nomad, because I think there are a lot of people out there who would love to try the lifestyle even just for a little bit, but don't really know where to start – like I didn't really know where to start before.

I actually created a PDF called the Digital Nomad Starter Guide, a Flip The Script Academy Guide To Solo Travel, Remote Working, And Epic Travel Transformations, which you can find in my Academy at traveltransformationcoach.com/academy. And I'm just going to go through a little bit of it now – not all of it, because I'll be here forever, but just the main points. 

So, what is a digital nomad? And it might not be what you think. Even just a few years ago, the term ‘digital nomad’ – for most people – conjured up an image of a glamorous and probably inherently annoying influencer lying on a beach with a laptop and a cocktail, living the dream of working only four hours a week and relaxing the rest of the time.

Also, some people still think of digital nomads this way and it couldn't be further from the truth – although, I admit, sometimes we do work on the beach with a cocktail in hand. I mean, if you can, you may as well try it.

Basically, a digital nomad is exactly what it sounds like. They're a nomad, so they wander around the world, but the digital part is that they can work from wherever they go, remotely from a laptop, as long as they have a laptop and a WiFi connection.

They can be full-time or part-time digital nomads. Sometimes they're called location-independent workers or simply remote workers who travel. Some of them don't mind the digital nomad label, but others hate it because of the whole ‘influencers on the beach’ thing.

I don't mind it because I think it's just an easy way to describe what you do, and it is as accurate a term as you're going to get. 

So, basically, digital nomads are full of wanderlust. They don't want to wait for annual leave or until they retire before they go on epic adventures. They want to work their way around the world. They want to meet new people and experience awesome new things. They want to push themselves outside their comfort zones and grow and transform as much as possible. They don't want to be stuck in the same place forever. They want more out of life. 

If this sounds like you, then I'm here to tell you something you might not know: becoming a digital nomad isn't some unachievable dream. More and more people are joining the location independence revolution every single day, especially since COVID and since a lot of people are remote working a lot more these days. 

Now, it is estimated – according to twoticketsanywhere.com and a load of other websites I found – that there are over 35 million digital nomads in the world as of last year. So, if you think it's a lifestyle that only a few people are doing, you would be wrong. And it's only going to grow, I think, especially since the pandemic and since remote work has become more of a thing. 

Being a digital nomad is not for everyone, by any means, but I think it is worth trying it out if you have the means and the ability, and if you really, really want to see if this is possible for you. And, again, it may be more possible for you than you know. I know of digital nomads who do it part-time, who have to be in their home country – at work, in their office – for a certain amount of time, but they can go off a few months at a time, that kind of thing. 

There are digital nomads with kids. World schooling is a huge movement right now, which, like the digital nomad movement, is only going to get bigger and more popular. 

One thing is for sure: once you get a taste of the digital nomad life, you won't want to go back to your normal life, even if that means just incorporating more travel into your year anywhere you can. So, what do you say? Are you ready to become nomadic? 

So, where are the best places to stay? First of all, I just want to say colivings, colivings, colivings. There are other places, of course, which I'll go into, but I will always recommend coliving places – especially if you're just starting out, especially if you want to meet awesome people from all over the world, have epic adventures and totally transform, all while getting your work done. And it is harder than it sounds, I know, but it can be done.

Fortunately, more and more coliving houses are popping up every month in all kinds of different countries, Europe in particular. So there are plenty of options. I'm just waiting for the day when there are plenty of colivings like this in the US – there are some, but a lot of them are just rental properties for groups and it's not the same thing. 

Okay, so colivings is one option and, as I say, it's great if you're a solo traveller and want to meet people and ease your way into the whole digital nomad thing because you can learn so much from everyone you meet. 

Or you could go traditional and stay in hotels or B&Bs, though this will probably be a lot pricier. I use Airbnb a lot. I know a lot of people don't like them and they've got their issues – and there are issues around the world with housing not being available for the people who need it because the landlords are turning it into Airbnbs, so I obviously don't condone that aspect of it – but it can be a good way, especially if you've got a group of people you want to meet up with. You can end up with a really nice Airbnb that you would not be able to afford on your own, way nicer than any hotel you would stay in (well, on my budget anyway; I'm sure you can stay in lots of fancy hotels that are really nice!) But yeah, I use Airbnb a lot. I use Booking.com a lot, VRBO, and hotels.com. 

If you want to save money and if you love animals, then house or pet-sitting could be for you. I do quite a bit of pet-sitting for friends and family and I also used to be on Trustedhousitters.com. There is an annual fee for this now, but it's worth it if you plan on house-sitting a lot. And you don't generally get paid for this, but you also don't have to pay for accommodation, so it's a really good way of moving around and seeing the world and getting to hang out with cute animals – so it's win-win.

If you like to work with your hands and want to get stuck into a community project, or if you want to help out a family, then WWOOFing could be for you. WWOOF stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and you can go to Wwoof.org.uk or you can go to Wwoof.net. 

In a similar vein, Workaway.info offers cultural exchanges where you can help people with their projects or just help them out around the house in different countries in exchange for room and board. This can be a great way of meeting new people too, of really staying with a family, seeing what it's like to live in a family home in these places. And you might get involved in the community as well and help out that way, which can be really fulfilling.

If you want to bond on a deeper level, visiting several countries all over the world with the same people, there are sites for that too. You can try companies like Hacker Paradise, WiFi Tribe, and Remote Year. There are quite a few of them these days, and these are pricier, so I've never actually tried these myself, but I know people who have tried them and who love them. So that's also a good option, especially if you're solo and if you want to just jump into a trip without having to organise it, without having to plan every little bit, as someone else will do all that for you. And everyone there is a remote worker as well.

So how do you make money on the road? The million-dollar question! And, basically, the answer is: however you want. Honestly, there are so many ways you can make money online these days, even when you're on the road and moving from place to place. And when I've been travelling, I've met people who make money in all kinds of different ways that I'd not even thought of and didn't think was viable or didn't really consider as options.

So, here are just some of the ways the people I've met are making money while on the road: They have their own business, which they can run remotely. They work for themselves or as freelancers. They're working on a startup or an app, using funding from investors. By coding, writing, editing, designing, web developing, coaching, accounting, or consulting. All this stuff you can do remotely. Doing a part-time remote job while studying for a degree. Working remotely for their company back home – although this is usually in the home country's time zone, which can make things a little trickier, but it's still definitely doable. Being self-employed but working for one big company client, owning e-commerce websites, selling all kinds of things, living off passive income or semi-passive income from ventures and products and services they've set up already, and so much more.

I earn my money from my two businesses: my Coleman Editing business, which does proofreading, editing, and ghostwriting, and I also self-publish my own books, which come under the kind of same writing umbrella. And then my Flip the Script Travel Transformation Services, including my online digital products, my itinerary services, and anything else I come up with to make money to do with travel transformation.

And, once you start, I mean… I have lists and lists and lists of ideas that I've not had the time to get around to yet, but would be perfectly fine ways of making money if I could make it work. 

And, like I say, some of these people are on the road all year round. Some have a home base and go travelling for a few months a year. There are so many different ways of doing it. It's really quite an incredible time to be alive in terms of travel and remote working. 

So what other things do you need to be aware of? Here are a few tips and tricks that I included in the guide.

As with anything in life, you get out what you put in. If you go to stay at a coliving house and don't get involved with any of the other people or try to learn anything, then you won't get the full experience. FOMO is real, but don't let it ruin your time travelling – not time-travelling, your time travelling! There will always be excursions and events planned, but if you're trying to get work done as well, there has to be a balance. Don't feel like you have to say yes to everything – unless it's a great opportunity to transform or to conquer a fear of yours, in which case I always encourage you to say yes.

Similarly, if you're an introvert like me, make sure you give yourself the time and space to rest and recharge. This might mean spending a bit of extra money to get a private room instead of sharing with others, or making sure you have a few nights alone at a hotel in between coliving houses. Travel burnout and social burnout are just as real as work burnout, so do whatever you can to prevent them. 

Try to do at least some kind of exercise while you're on the road, because when you're just starting out as a digital nomad, it can be tempting to be in holiday mode all the time, especially if you're somewhere nice and sunny in somewhere you would usually go for a holiday. Eating out, drinking, and not being very healthy is all too easy to do. I'm totally guilty of this. Exercise will help you mentally and physically and will at least do something to counteract all that amazing new food and wine you'll no doubt be indulging in, even if it's just going for a walk every day or every other day.

Wherever you go and whoever you meet, always strive to learn something from every experience in every new place. Whether you're learning about other people, other cultures, or yourself, travel is only transformational if you learn from it.

Don't be afraid to try new things. If you hate it, at least you've tried it and you never have to do it again. The more you travel and the more you step outside your comfort zone, the more likely you'll be to try new things in the future. And, who knows? You might even love them.

Don't be discouraged from life on the road if your friends and family don't understand. You'll meet so many open-minded people while travelling who have extraordinary lives, and for them, anything is possible and all kinds of lifestyles will be encouraged. Don't listen to the haters; they're probably either jealous or just worried for you and want to make sure you stay safe. 

Don't fret too much over the dangers of travelling. Dangerous things can happen anywhere, but do be sensible as you would in any other place. Be aware of your surroundings. Don't get blindingly drunk, especially if you're on your own or with strangers. And don't go walking alone at night if you feel uncomfortable. Just don't do things if they don't feel right. Listen to your gut and don't put yourself at risk unnecessarily. 

Don't book everything for the whole year ahead. Leave space for spontaneity. I've met people in coliving houses and have gone on to travel with them to other places – places that weren't even on my radar. And that's half the fun of travelling! 

Shop around for prices of flights and do it over several days, because flight prices change all the time. Also, sign up for email alerts so you can track them over a week or two. You can also sign up to email newsletters like Matt’s Flights at mattsflights.com to get cheap national and international flight deals. 

Okay, so we've gone over some things, but is it really doable? Like, as a lifestyle, is it realistic? Quick answer: yes, it is. And it's becoming more and more realistic every day. If you really want this lifestyle, or even if you just want to try it out for a little while, then you will make it happen. If you're thinking of it as just a pipe dream that's completely out of reach for you and it's just a ridiculous notion that could never happen, then it will never happen for you.

As with anything in life, it's all about your mindset, how you look at things and what you choose to prioritise. Some people will prioritise buying a house, getting a mortgage, and having a family. Some people will prioritise their career, climbing the corporate ladder, and earning as much money as possible. Others prioritise travel, having new experiences, meeting new people, and seeing the world. All of these are fine options. It just depends on what you want to spend your time and money on.

If you want to prioritise travel and having amazing experiences with awesome people, then yes, this is absolutely possible and completely realistic for you. It might rely on you making some sacrifices in your life and, obviously, a lot of things are going to change, but everything good requires sacrifice of some kind. Again, it's all about priorities.

If 35 million other people can become digital nomads, then why can't you? And if you think you're too shy, too anxious, too introverted, not confident enough, not capable, or any other limiting beliefs that are coming up and holding you back, then think again. Because travel is made for people like us. And yes, I say us, because I was all of those things and more. Travel helps you come out of your shell, boost your confidence, and open your eyes to new ways of living. And it can be totally transformational. Solo travel and remote working will show you just how capable you really are.

Okay, the rest of the guide is full of useful links for coliving houses, group tours and travel communities, accommodation, Facebook groups, useful tools for freelancers and remote work, inspiring books and media, and useful items for your DN toolkit. 

So, again, if you want to grab this whole guide, it's in my Academy, which is at traveltransformationcoach.com/academy and which is full of courses, resources, guides, challenges… basically anything I create online, I put in my Academy to help my members transform through travel. 

I will quickly just go through the useful items to your DN toolkit, though, because I think this is quite handy. So: a pac-a-mac for when it rains, the ones that roll up really thin and small that you can fit in your bag. A laptop stand, maybe a USB keyboard and mouse as well, if that helps you. Headphones a must, an absolute must. Reusable water bottle, a universal charger, a foldable rucksack, really helpful. Eye masks and earplugs to help you sleep, an external hard drive – and obviously keep backing up your stuff as you go. Hats, sun cream, walking boots. Air tags can be really useful. I know some airports don't like this anymore, but you used to be able to put an air tag in your luggage and track it in case it went missing. Kindle – obviously, I prefer actual books, but a kindle is so much handier for travel. A multipurpose scarf, always useful. Sunglasses, obviously. And I've also put a travel/gratitude journal because I think that's really important, and keeping track of the things you do will really be an awesome thing to look back on in the future. 

So that's it – that's the end of the guide! It just ends with my quote, ‘Life is short. Let's make sure it's nothing short of amazing.’ And yeah, if you have any other questions about being a digital nomad or remote work or colivings or anything like that, you can email me at info@traveltransformationcoach.com or DM me @traveltransformation coach. And, if I get enough questions, then I might do a Q and A on this topic in the future. 

That's it for now. Thanks for listening, and until next time, I'll catch you on the flip side, bye! 

Do you want to learn how you can use travel – and travel-related principles – to completely change your life?

Written by Travel Transformation Coach Jessica Grace Coleman, this guide walks you through 10 ways you can transform yourself – and your life – through travel... even when you can't travel!

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