Become Nomad - Digital Nomad Lifestyle And Long Term Travel

This is a story of dedication, perseverance, and community. Matthias Zeitler of Coworking Bansko joins us to discuss how he accomplished his dream of creating a haven for digital nomads. What he and his team have built is magical, the ultimate DN inspiration. But beyond that, we cover what it truly takes to build a community and what goes into rebranding an entire small city -- a small city that, for many westerners, isn't even on their radar.

This episode is in loving memory of our longtime team member, Vuk Milićević. The idea here is to dig to the core of the digital nomadic lifestyle and pinpoint precisely what makes it worth pursuing. When you're on the road for a long time, it's easy to get lost in logistics and trivialities. But when that happens, there are certain mindsets worth reminding yourself of. So: Stay curious, and enjoy this belated episode -- we'll be back with another shortly!  

In this episode, we discuss the future of nomadism. What changes have we seen over the past 5-10 years and which trends are likely to become mainstays? We explore this topic from a wide range of angles, from the practicalities of travel visas to the very way we identify where we come from. As always, expect a handful of answers... and a handful more questions :)

Choosing locations. It's one of the most exciting parts of a nomadic life... but what if you get it wrong? What if a place's reality doesn't match your hopes and dreams? That's what we're tackling today. Instead of what to look for, we're flipping the coin and examining what to avoid, what to be conscious of, and how to approach locations when things are suboptimal. ... Did we miss something? Let us know! dan@becomenomad.com or eli@becomenomad.com 

There's something special about traveling on your own... But there's also something special about moving in groups! Here, Eli & Dan discuss exactly what makes both approaches special. We tackle the psychological benefits of both experiences, as well as some of the possible negatives. Plus, we also ponder what the ideal balance is... if one even exists! ...Psst! Join our Slack for more BecomeNomad!

How do you choose your next destination? Next adventure? Even your next activity? Do you plan ahead to ensure your schedule contains that which you care about? Or do you go with the flow and allow for the moment to dictate your experience?   In this episode, Eli & Dan address what really guides their nomadic choices. And they see if they can strike a balance between the planning mindset & the carpe diem mindset.   And hey, have some thoughts? Shoot an email to eli@becomenomad.com & dan@becomenomad.com -- one of us will be in touch asap!

It's safe to say the past two years have been... pretty unique from the nomadic point of view. In some ways, the landscape has changed irreversibly; in others, it's returning back to form. Here, Dan & Eli reflect on 2021 -- with both a personal and big picture perspective. And they look ahead to discuss all the ups and downs that 2022 may have in store. Topics include: Up-and-coming hubs, emerging forms of nomadism, Eli's evolving thoughts on structure & definitions, and more!

We've talked before about the concept of disconnection as a means of staying grounded and enjoying our surroundings. Not just binging Netflix, but really engaging in some fulfilling pastime. One of Eli's favorite practices is taking a "Week of Disconnection" every few months (see episode 65!), but here he examines the topic from a daily perspective. Ultimately, all these discussions on disconnection come back to one key question: "How do I become more in the world and less in myself?"

A few years back, Eli spent an episode dissecting the intro of The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran. It's an incredible book, effortlessly taking a fresh approach to ideas that feel obvious... but maybe aren't. In this episode, Eli expands his reach -- focusing on some of the core concepts introduced throughout the book (not just in the first chapter). Some truly illuminating ideas here, ideal for anyone wishing to reexamine their preconceived life stories.

How do you know if your nomadic life is on the right track? Here, the answer to that question is a sort of metric system -- one that lets us organize the chaos of this lifestyle. For any location you're in, these pillars help you thoughtfully assess whether this location is actually giving you what you need. And, to that point, these pillars are also a vehicle for self-reflection -- a chance to question the way you prioritize your nomadic values.

When your environment keeps changing, it inevitably becomes more difficult to stay focused. The fluctuation and constant building of new routines is part of the digital nomad charm... But it's also one of our biggest challenges.   Here, Eli talks about his approach to building and keeping that focus in new locations -- including both practical tips & more general mindsets!

How do you record your experiences? Is it even an important part of appreciating what's around you? Or does it take you out of the experience and cheapen it? In this episode, Eli & Dan discuss their approaches to remembering and looking back on their travels. We debate the importance of doing something now for your future self, the methods of memory capture that we find most meaningful, and the ways in which recording experiences can actually deepen their value. Also, really want to give a shoutout to StartupBlink -- their global startup ecosystem map & rankings have been updated for 2021. Really fascinating stuff; check it out at www.startupblink.com

There's something special about just getting in a car, shifting gears, and going... wherever. So in this episode, Eli & Dan talk a bit about the unique, psychological effects of cross-country road trips. We discuss the experience of shifting landscapes & cultures, the benefits of changing locations, the mentality of reexamining your life story, and a whole lot more. Are you a big cross-country road-tripper? We'd love to hear your story & where you've been! Give us a shout at dan@becomenomad.com & eli@becomenomad.com. 

The actual tactics behinds saving money while traveling change month to month, year to year. But the necessary mindset underlying it all tends to stay consistent. In this mini-episode, Eli reflects on his decade-plus of travel to share some "mindset hacks" for living a low-cost lifestyle. Do you have any hacks that you've implemented into your lifestyle (travel or otherwise)? Let us know at support@becomenomad.com -- we'd love to hear from you!

We've talked before about the nomadic social life... But never like this. This episode won't give you tips for socializing while traveling or anything like that. You can find that elsewhere. But we will talk about social life from a bird's eye view: What are the big challenges and the mentality required. Join us here for a back-&-forth discussion about what it means to try to build friendships on the road. - - - - - - - - - Books mentioned: Tribes by Sebastian Junger Social Chemistry by Marissa King

We're too busy. We're all plugged in. And even for us nomads, it can be easy to lose sight of the greater goals.   In this episode, we're trying to recapture our spirituality. With all this talk of building startups and finances and practical elements, let's remember why we're doing all this in the first place.   How do we tap into that deeper fulfillment? Is it getting harder as the world gets more connected? And what does it mean to be a spiritual nomad, anyway?   - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   Plus, a huge thanks to our sponsor, Flexverk! They make awesome laptop accessories for travel (think: laptop stands & cases). Check it out at www.flexverk.com and use code "flexnomad" for 10% off (good thru end of April, contrary to what Eli says in the pod intro :) ). - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   Books mentioned: Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman by Richard Feynman The Origins of Everything by David Bercovici

Apologies to all! We had a mix-up with the audio yesterday, but are back on track. Full, correct episode is here -- thanks for bearing with us :) The Camino de Santiago -- it's one of the most famous treks in the world. In this episode, Victor Prince joins us to share the practical & spiritual realities behind such a journey.   Victor Prince is the author of The Camino Way: Lessons in Leadership from a Walk Across Spain. The book shares stories and lessons that he (& dozens of other hikers) learned by walking the 1,000-year-old Camino de Santiago trail across Spain.   See photos and videos from Victor's 5 hikes on the Camino at victorprince.com and #TheCaminoWayBook on Facebook.   - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Also want to give a huge shoutout to our sponsor, FlexVerk!   Their laptop products make the transition from work life to personal life seamless -- perfect for anyone who's on the move. Get 10% off with code "flexnomad" (good thru end of April).  

When business commitments start increasing, can you still live a nomadic lifestyle? And if yes, how does it differ from a freelance or purely nomadic lifestyle? In this episode, we continue the conversation from episode 078... But instead of focusing on "what it's like to build a startup while nomading," Eli explains "what it's like to nomad -- while building a startup." By the end, we surprise ourselves with some candidly open reflections on the nomadic pursuit and what it means for a fulfilling life. What else would you expect from a BN pod?? Our conversation mentions startup ecosystems and StartupBlink's work in tracking them. Check out the map & ranking system here to see what we're talking about!

On this episode, travel guru Derek Baron pops in to shed insights on his 20+ years of continuous travel. From the state of travel blogging to digital nomads' evolution to his social mindset, Earl brings his uniquely honest attitude to everything we discuss. He's one of our favorite travel bloggers -- check out his website to see why!

Let's look beyond the basic psychology of habits to explore the nomadic idea that "Discipline is Freedom." In this episode, Eli covers the value of routines in an uncertain lifestyle, offers recommendations for building them effectively, and shares what he's learned about himself through his ups and downs of habit-forming. Have some thoughts about building routines while on the road? Shoot us your thoughts at info@becomenomad.com -- we'll give you a shout in our next episode!