Why I Stopped Being a Digital Nomad: A Personal Journey
For many years, being a digital nomad was my dream. The idea of working remotely while traveling the world, exploring new cultures, and experiencing different cuisines was incredibly enticing. I daydreamed about meeting fellow travelers, creating lasting memories, and having the freedom to work from any location.
In pursuit of this lifestyle, I quit my traditional office job and embarked on my digital nomad journey. As expected, the first few months were exhilarating. I lived in bustling cities, lush beach towns, and serene mountain villages. I surfed in Bali, hiked the Machu Picchu trail, and admired sunsets from European rooftops.
However, after a while, the constant movement started taking its toll. Here are a few reasons why I ultimately decided to stop being a digital nomad:
1. Lack of Stability and Routine:
Being constantly on the move meant that I rarely had a stable place to call home. Living out of a suitcase became tiring, and I longed for a routine. Having a dedicated workspace, regular working hours, and a comfortable living environment became more enticing than the constant adventure.
2. Loneliness and Lack of Connection:
Contrary to what I had envisioned, being a digital nomad often made me feel lonely. While I met incredible people along the way, the transient nature of the lifestyle made it difficult to form deep and long-lasting connections. I craved a sense of community and missed the familiar faces of friends and family back home.
3. Work-Life Balance Challenges:
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance became increasingly challenging as a digital nomad. The boundaries between work and personal time blurred, and I often found myself working odd hours to accommodate different time zones or deadlines. It became harder to disconnect and enjoy the moments of exploration and leisure, which was one of the main reasons for pursuing this lifestyle in the first place.
4. Financial Uncertainty:
While being a digital nomad can be cost-effective in some ways, the lack of a stable income and fluctuating currencies created financial uncertainty. It became exhausting to constantly search for affordable accommodation, plan budget-friendly meals, and worry about unexpected expenses. As time went on, the constant financial stress began to overshadow the joys of travel and exploration.
5. Burnout and Exhaustion:
The allure of constantly being on the move started to fade as exhaustion set in. The need to always stay alert, adapt to new environments, and be productive while juggling the demands of travel became overwhelming. The pressures to document every experience for social media further added to the mental strain, gradually leading to burnout.
In conclusion, while being a digital nomad initially fulfilled my dream of a life of adventure and freedom, the challenges eventually outweighed the rewards. The lack of stability, loneliness, work-life balance struggles, financial uncertainty, and burnout all played a role in my decision to stop being a digital nomad.
I have since found solace in a more settled lifestyle, one that allows for routine, a sense of community, and a healthier work-life balance. Although I won’t trade the incredible experiences and personal growth I gained as a digital nomad, I now appreciate the value of stability and the importance of finding long-term fulfillment in one place.
Ultimately, the decision to stop being a digital nomad was a personal one, and I acknowledge that it may not be the same for everyone. It is essential to explore different paths and find the lifestyle that brings us the most joy and satisfaction, regardless of societal expectations or trends.
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The worst for me is to see people come and go. If you"re wired correctly, you get attached to people and, well, you end up leaving or they just move elsewhere. Being a numeric nomad, you"re in a kind of nowhere space and time, nothing is meant to stay, you're building stuff that look fancy in a YT Video, but doesnt ammount to anything tangible in the real world. So yeah, do this for 1 year and a half max.
love channel bruuu
I love be a digital nomad is just not everything is good but for me is the best way to live, find different amazing places and be free!
I think it's fantastic that you did it and then made a new choice when you realized it wasn't sustainable for you. You had great experiences and you won't spend your life wondering and dreaming about what it would have been like. You two made some amazing memories and then chose on a new way. Some things are not meant to last forever. I see the same thing with Full Time RVing channels – nobody talks about feeling isolated or missing their loved ones. My wife and I decided long ago that RVing Full Time is not for us for that reason. When we retire, we will take much longer trips, but we won't stay away from home for too long. Thank you for being honest. Most people dreaming of the full time travel lifestyle don't consider that part.
Working on the beach sounds like hell, I just want to travel, work on an apartment, do tourism on my free time
You just need more vacations because your economy is unfairly and highly privileged
The crazy thing about this is before I clicked on the video I had no idea you were from Copenhagen. I lived there for a year and it became my base. After going back to Australia (where I grew up) I realised that I still wanted to travel so I came to Bali to be a digital nomad and it is mentally exhausting. I related to everything you said. Thank you for this video.
Thanks for the realness of this video. My current goal is to be able to work from home / work from anywhere. The problem is knowing how to do it. I’m currently a Personal Trainer so I’m trying to transfer onto online. But I think I defiantly resonate I think I’d like a balance of working from home mostly / and then travel go on trips when I want.
Moving every month or so is a choice. You can stay in most countries for 3 to 6 months and more countries are offering DN visas. You could literally have two homes and bounce back and forth every 90 days for less than living in Western Europe or North America. That won't suit everyone, but travel has always been interesting for me.
I have been a teacher in a private school in London for 17 years (The private schools get much longer holidays here) with 4-5 months of holidays a year. I have seen the world during that time. It has felt like having the best of both worlds. Stability for a while and I can see my friends and family often while also having the freedom to roam the world. When you are on holiday you can just focus on the travel. Never numb to the travel experience because I have worked hard all term and the routine before i set out has become mundane again so i am again eager to see the world again. I always rent out my apartment while I am away from between one and two months at a time
Can we stop using kids from other ethnicities as exotic objects on videos or pictures. Wouldn't it be weird to do the same with European kids without their parent consent.
To which country have you paid taxes to? Denmark?
I used to work in hotels & travelled around Europe living in different countries that way. Now I am older, & being a natural loner, I would like to re-train & take up a digital nomadic life, but I would only likely be choosing to work outside of my home country (UK) for a part of the year. I would like the freedom to work anywhere, be that at my home in the UK, or a month in Turkey, or 6 months in Spain, basically I would like to have the freedom to decide as I go along, how much time I want to spend in a country, & how far my money will get me. I realise I need to apply for visas, but aside from that? Is my dream realistic? I would rather work during the night, & have flexibility as to the hours I work, maybe a zero hours contract, or a task by task contract? Any advice? And what areas should I train in?
EXPECTATION: extremely flat BBL
Legit digital nomads are the ones with WFH or remote work contracts from legitimate companies. A lot of Americans are just wannabes. They are just scam YouTubers who depend only on their scams in vlogging like poverty porn, illegal charities, click-baiting, roaming freeloading backpackers, etc.
I’m a digital “Slow-mad” I’m currently in Costa Rica and have been here for the last 7 months in 2 different towns. Before this I was in Mexico for 8 months and lived in only 2 towns as well. I like getting to know a place and moving around a little less. Next stop will be Italy or Portugal. I love traveling with more of a local experience so I rent apartments medium to long term for a better price. I also love coworking places to make new friends.
we all belong somewhere… you can't belong "everywhere"
I traveled around a bit, then settled in Bulgaria – low expenses, great food and amazing nature. The Internet is excellent too.
Yeah it's a well tailored lie
Nice
I was one for 3 years. Now I just work at home and when I go on vacation I leave my work at home. So much better