We’ve all seen those swoon-worthy pics on Instagram. The ones featuring a beautiful boho-chic woman, perfectly posed on a Balinese beach with her laptop and bottle of Brem. As we drool over the lifestyle, we can’t help but wonder “Can I have that, too?”.
Boho-chic not your style? Bali not on your bucket list? Well, you gotta admit, there’s a piece of you that desires that life. A life where you’re experiencing different cultures, indulging in regionally authentic foods, unchained from the 9-to-5, and getting out of your comfort zone.
I totally relate and empathize with you. I’ve always wanted to travel overseas but never knew how I’d accomplish it or even if I would. I’d fantasize about Venetian-summer gondola rides and restaurant-hopping in Accra. And ‘fantasize’ was about it. I didn’t even have a passport so that should tell you how far removed I was from making the dream a reality.
After the 2020 pandemic hit, I started realizing if I wasn’t going to go for what I really wanted, it was never gonna happen. So in 2022, I decided to commit to my dreams and create a plan. In March 2023 I finally took the leap across The Pond! With only $2000. And a child.
You can make the leap, too! It takes courage – not a big bank account – to move across the world. I’m going to share with you the 4 major steps to take to make your digitally-nomadic dreams a reality.
Commit
The first step is to make the decision to move across the world. No matter what! Once you’ve committed, talk with your child(ren) and their other parent (if applicable) about the decision. Then tell only those whom you have to tell, like trusted family and friends. Not even your job (that you’re giving ample notice to) needs to know all the deets. It’s important to protect your peace – and your dream – by telling only those you know will be happy for you.
If you choose to tell naysayers just be prepared for mental (mortal) combat so their negative feedback doesn’t take root in your mind. It’s normal that when someone does something new that they haven’t accomplished themselves, they project their fears. If you’re not mentally strong, this can be detrimental to your success and sway your decisions. Only tell those you know have your back and will cheer you on at every milestone.
Once you’ve committed to yourself then you can take the next step.
Research
People tend to think when someone decides to move anywhere other than across town, little to no research went into the decision. That couldn’t be further from the truth. When you decide you’re about this digital nomad life, research will take up every bit of your waking hours.
Grab a notebook or open a new Google Doc and start documenting everything you research. Be sure to make yourself a checklist… or two! Start by asking yourself all types of questions, especially the basic ones:
Where in the world do you want to go?
Once you decide on the part of the world, narrow it down (by doing MORE research) to the country, city, and part of town you want to live in.
- Why are you choosing that country?
- What language(s) do they speak?
- Can you legally make this move?
- What are the child laws in your home state/country and the new country?
- Do you need passports?
- When does your passport (for self and child/ren) expire?
- Do you need a visa?
Once you decide which country to call your new home, check out airline prices. Check for flights landing in neighboring countries as well. Find which airlines will allow the maximum amount of luggage FOR FREE.
Connect with people online who come from your home country and now live where you want to live. You may find them to be a source of motivation and inspiration if you grow fatigued. These connections can help in countless ways, from linking you to trustworthy landlords to helping you navigate the land.
The research never stops, but you must keep going. Now it’s time for you to take the next step.
Eliminate
You’ve made it this far in the article, so it’s safe to say you’re probably in a similar situation to what I was in when I made the leap — meaning, you don’t have a ton of money stashed in a savings account. So you definitely don’t have extra funds to relocate a bunch of furniture across the globe either.
When you decide to get on that plane, you’re only taking the absolute necessities. And maybe a few knick-knacks and keepsakes (because everyone feels nostalgic at times). This means you have to downsize. Everything. Start asking yourself where you can reduce, reuse, and recycle in everyday life. Try to stay away from buying unnecessary items. If it can’t be packed in the suitcases, don’t buy it.
Start selling things. The Rule of Thumb is: If you spent a pretty penny on it, sell it. Ask friends and family what they want/need, and give/sell to them. The last thing to sell is probably your car, but in the meantime, start selling furniture and clothes. Sell what you can, donate, and throw away the rest. If it doesn’t fit in your suitcase, and you really can’t part ways, give it to a friend or family member. Just make sure it’s not burdensome for them.
During the Elimination Phase, continue to research; stay up to date with flight prices and laws that may change. Now there’s just one last thing for you to do!
Leap
If you haven’t decided on a definite fly-out date yet, now is the time. This is probably the scariest part. Because realistically you can stay in the Research and Downsizing Phases for years!
If you don’t already have a concrete ‘let’s goooo!’ date in mind (i.e. you haven’t purchased your tickets months ahead of time), usually what happens is flight prices continue to creep every day, then you’ll realize if you don’t take the leap prices will keep rising and eat into your funds. When that happens, if you’ve been doing ALL the steps mentioned above, go ahead and LEAP! Purchase those tickets.
While you and the kiddos wait for fly-out day continue revisiting your checklists, ensuring you’ve dotted i’s and crossed t’s. Keep yourself on a schedule – working in your online business, tying up loose ends, cleaning your abode, and visiting family/friends before the big day.
Moving yourself and child/ren across the world is incredible and you can do it! Get your children involved at each phase of the journey so they understand your decision to move is just as much about them pursuing their dreams, as it is about yours. Work on your mindset and the practical steps as a family every day and before you know it, you will be across the world, settling into your new home!
Image by Lookstudio on Freepik
