5 Scary Truths about The Digital Nomad Life
The digital nomad lifestyle sounds tempting – the freedom to work remotely from anywhere in the world while exploring new cultures and living on your own terms. However, beneath the glamorous facade, there are some scary truths that every aspiring digital nomad should be aware of. Here are five of them:
1. Loneliness and Isolation: While being a digital nomad offers endless opportunities to meet new people, it can also be a lonely lifestyle. Constantly moving from one place to another means leaving behind friends and family, often resulting in feelings of isolation. Building deep and meaningful relationships becomes challenging, as most connections tend to be temporary and fleeting.
2. Lack of Stability: The digital nomad life can be unpredictable, particularly when it comes to income and work opportunities. One month you may be thriving, landing several high-paying projects, and the next month could see you scrambling for work. The lack of stability and financial security can be unsettling, especially if you have financial obligations or dependents to support.
3. Balancing Work and Play: When you have the freedom to work from anywhere, it becomes increasingly difficult to separate work from personal life. The lines can quickly blur, leading to burnout and an unhealthy obsession with work. The allure of exploring new destinations and indulging in adventures can often be overshadowed by deadlines and the need to stay on top of work commitments.
4. Constant Adaptability: Being a digital nomad involves a continuous need to adapt to new environments, cultures, and even time zones. While this can be exciting and enriching, it can also be mentally and emotionally draining. Adjusting to different workspaces, time differences, and foreign customs can take a toll on your productivity and overall well-being.
5. Financial concerns: Contrary to the popular belief that digital nomads lead a luxurious life, the reality might be far from it. The cost of constantly moving from place to place, visa fees, accommodation, and the expenses associated with stable internet connections can add up quickly. Saving for retirement and building a safety net becomes even more challenging without a consistent and predictable income.
While the digital nomad lifestyle can offer incredible opportunities, it’s essential to be aware of the downsides as well. Loneliness, lack of stability, work-life balance challenges, the constant need to adapt, and financial concerns are some of the realities every digital nomad faces. It’s crucial to carefully consider these aspects before diving into this life-changing adventure.
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that was AWESOME!!! Thank you for the honesty and candor.
We love hearing others perspectives on this life. We have been traveling for just under 3 years, earn our living running a remote accounting business. We aren't your stereotypical backpackers and we aren't retired – our life is pretty normal, we work a regular work week, but when we shut down the 'office' we have another country waiting for us to explore outside our door. Its been pretty magical. Nothings perfect of course and there are no free lunches, we work a lot to ensure our clients are happy – and we produce videos when we are done accounting -so its a long day. We miss our (adult) kids terribly, but we have some big goals and are very motivated to reach them. In addition to paying off our debt, we have a ten year plan to build a charitable foundation in my late sons name, and purchase property to build a home, and settle down there. Its a lot to accomplish in a short amount of time. We've been watching your videos I think before we ever left the US! As always, thanks for sharing the info and the insight.
Great video, and don't shy away from a salad now and then!
As someone who doesn't have many friends anyways, and I spend Christmas Eve alone watching Youtube videos in my home home, I'd rather be spending Christmas Eve alone in Lithuania.
Agree on all points – its so true!
If you have a best friend or lover you can do it with then it’s totally fine. Wolter is such a Lovable guy.
Great insight for anyone who wishes to pursue this life! Thank you!
Thanks for the realistic side of things. I've seen captions for youtube videos that suggest a person can make 3,000 dollars a month living a digital nomadic lifestyle. I'm sure some people can accomplish that, but I'm also sure that for every person who is successful, hundreds of people fail.
This is a great video that states the untold story of digital nomad. The great reminder that it takes time to build up the business and be able live traveling. The other issue is no one talks about taxes. Great job!
People are lonely because they refuse to speak to God who gives us comfort.
I'm an introvert. I can't say I can relate 🙂
This video explains and deals with issues that usually staying behind.
Thank you
01:45
It's not that lonely, if you have the right mindset. You have the opportunity to see the world. That is a magnificent thing. I began talking to wait staff when I was in Mexico City. They were the most interesting people I met. I feel lonelier at home at times, than I do while traveling. In order to transcend feelings of loneliness, remember that life is temporary for everyone. We are all born alone and die alone. While we can make beautiful connections that give life meaning, we are all alone in the world. Yet we belong to the human species. That is an extraordinary thing. Also, the people who really love you will not "move on" from you. They will love that you have these experiences out in the world. My parents love when I travel. I agree with your points, but I think some of these things are about perception. There is certainly a need to be pragmatic and thoughtful about being a person adrift in the world. But I think a lot of people never try because they are too afraid of uprooting themselves. As someone whose life was blown apart when I was about 30 – I lost all my savings, lost my apartment, and had to live in my car for a time through no fault of my own – I came to learn that truly everything in life is temporary. Security is always an illusion. Traveling abroad, sometimes alone, has been the greatest gift of my life.
Great video
Good insights, thanks
My wife and I have been nomadic for 3 years. While I agree about some of your points, I disagree about a few. I travel with my wife, so we are never lonely. We are kitesurfers, so we have instant community wherever we go that has kiting. Lastly, the "not free" point, is true, but we live CHEAPER traveling the world slowly than we had in our previous life. So much so, that my wife could stop working. Thanks for making the video. I think you bring up good points for people to consider. However, I wouldn't change our lifestyle after 3 years of doing it. I'm sure one day we wil! The hardest part for us is not know exactly what you are going to get with accommodations. Hard bed, no coffee pot, etc. Other than that, we love it!
This is what I needed the most. Thank you
Dude then fly back on holidays. I would make your video to offer a solution which is what you do towards the 2nd half of the video.
Not trying to be rude, but a lot of these are all skill issues lol. Most of these aren't an issue for a social person that has the ability to network and meet people that can help them out.
I don't feel like loneliness is a thing for extroverts or people that like to go out a lot lol. There's always a lot of locals to speak to. There are always a lot of local events to go to. You kind of just have to try to always be outside from my experience. When I travel so far I've always had great people to show me around and always keep me busy! But I travel to amazing countries with great people. I'd guess things would be tougher in NYC or London lol.
Fabulous video! Another good tip for digital nomads is to head for destinations in the off-season when it is easier to befriend locals. I got great deals on housing when I arrived in Essaouira Morocco in January and departed in May as the season kicked in and then unexpectedly ended up in two other great digital nomad destinations in Mexico, Tulum & Puerto Escondido during the off-season where I had my choice of accommodations.
I don't know…. loneliness…..sounds awesome! Lol The covid lockdown was one of the best times of my life. I've also spent months alone across various continents and I loved every minute of not HAVING to talk to anyone. Being alone is incredibly peaceful for me.
instead of the digital nomad thing.. why not work a factory or take a blue collar job in a country like Poland? or is it more complicated than that?
Thanks for bringing up this topic — appreciate you keeping it real.
❤❤❤
As a digital nomad originally not born in the US all those negatives are nothing. Dates are extremely easy to find overseas, people are very approachable without having a glass wall like they do in the US, food is amazing and healthy, healthcare is 5-10 times cheaper and so easy with international health insurance. Friends and family barely see each other in the US since everyone works too much. Winston Wu got entire digital nomad life figured out before Youtube was a thing.
you’re spot on. I’ve found myself in the same loop, doing the same things lonely over and over. I think if you don’t stay at the same place for more than two weeks, maybe it’s more bearable if you’re just on your own. Even the most beatiful places could be boring at some point, especially when people only speak their local language.
I think you've discovered something you don't even realize. When you become a digital nomad, you start fantasizing about your life "back home" and if you were back there, it would be full of everything you're missing – like friendship. Example: I live in the States. I live thousands of miles from family. If I can't travel during the holidays to be with them, I'm "Home Alone", too. You're under the delusion that everyone back home has everything you don't have. It's a psychological state called "the grass is greener".
Such good points! Another thing is that you need to work, it's not all about hanging out at the beach or working for an hour at the coffee shop. Even if I'm abroad, I need to do he work I've promised to my clients and if I'm trying to do a bunch of fun activities in new places too, it can quickly become overwhelming. Traveling slow is definitely key as a digital nomad 🙂
Oh about Portugal
You'll be treated better than the average citizen by the government, make like 5 times the average salary, and enrich our culture (making every single traditional portuguese restaurant either get too expensive and trendy or disappear)
(Please don't actually come our government wants you to but if you really apreciate our country please don't. We love foreigners but we don't have the money to keep up with you. Just come visit)
Being alone sounds GREAT!
Humans are not supposed to be on their own. Family matters for mental health too. Quite a few of the "influencers" just lie and it is annoying.
Been a digital nomad for 8 years probably longer than most. The whole depression/sad times etc., I'll say this you have to be a high functioning INTROVERTED individual to want to or even feel comfortable doing the job of BEING A DIGITAL NOMAD
THIS WHOLE IDEA OF well this sucks
Or
I got stung by a bee need medical attention. Uhmmmm nope!!!!
Get a physical and make sure if you are a digital nomad YOUR INSURANCE AND TRAVELLERS INSURANCE COVERS up to 300k in all services this includes flight delays/cancellation issues in the case of an emergency. This includes Medivac air carriers or by boat. Also, have all of the airlines cards/memberships thus you have access to their flight benefits in a separate email than YOUR REGULAR EMAIL (use a spam filter so you don't receive targeted ads
About WI-FI
BACK IN 08 yes you'd be heavily inconvenienced when it comes to that. IN 2023 we have 6 of the best updated with AES encryption and security for public access points PORTABLE ROUTERS they're light, reasonably cheap.
You also need a standby documents bag. Depending on your time in the country length of time it's an emergency backup bag that has duplicates of all your personal documents. Store them with a family member YOU CAN TRUST in your home country OR apply for a digital nomad POSTAL BOX. Plenty of companies online that mail forward. Learn all the postal locations in your city that cater to everyone WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE IN THAT COUNTRY PICK UP THEIR MAIL.
KNOW WHAT TIME THESE PLACES ARE CLOSED AND OPEN.
P.S. You have tons of things to do. If you are a digital nomad you have tons of things to catch up on.
Also establish a VPN (a reliable one that has over 20 countries, Thus, allowing you to get around and tunnel your internet traffic) they HAVE physical versions
Also, get a TimeKettle M3 it is a tool you'll need in every single country.
Last: KNOW THE LAWS
so true so true…
Yeah it gets glorified but there are downsides.
Get this man to Million Subs ASAP !!!
True
Everything said here is true. But every point here is also true for America as well, even for locals. Especially the loneliness and finding love part
I've been nomading for 9 months now across USA and Mexico and I have to disagree with some of these points. All the airbnbs I've stayed have been lovely, I made a ton of friends and although not living where they are, I will connect with them for years to come, I don't get lonely at all but also have a dog with me. The annoying thing for sure is getting accustomed to the area you're in everytime like figure out where things are, cell phone plans, nearby grocery and gym, also dating is near impossible for sure.
Most of your problems can be fixed by learning cold approach and losing weight
Nice to hear someone speaking the truth. Most vloggers are selling dreams.
Hey Wolter, How can you live with 1200€ a month?! A one bedroom in Lisbon is like 1000€ for rent. Source: I'm a native
Thank you for the insight 🙂