How To Become A Digital Nomad
When I packed up my suitcase and hopped on the plane with a one-way ticket to Bali, I wasn’t expecting to become a full-time digital nomad. I thought I had to work a 9-5 job to make money, and I would only be able to take vacations for three weeks of the year. But, stumbling into the digital nomad life, I realised that I could work and get paid anywhere in the world at any time.
As a business owner, I can now travel and work from anywhere with WiFi, and I want to show you that with hard work, it is possible to create the life you want.
Here’s my guide on becoming a digital nomad.
Determine Your Travel Style
First, it’s essential to figure out how you want to travel.
Determining the kind of travel that works for you and your lifestyle is essential to understanding your options.
Are you comfortable on a backpacker budget or need funds that will cover a little extra luxury?
Southeast Asia is an incredible place to base yourself as a content creator or remote worker. You can either work from one of the world’s most bustling cities like Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur or retreat to the islands, mountains or jungle; the region has it all.
If you are just getting started, I recommend finding a hub of digital nomads growing their businesses and working remotely. It is more likely that you will be able to network, grow, and build out your brand in places that embrace the digital nomad lifestyle.
Seek Out Job Opportunities
So, you want to work from anywhere but just don’t know where to start? First, I encourage you to consider two options regarding job opportunities.
Start your own brand/business and work online.
Work for a company in a remote position that allows travel.
Most digital nomads can work from their laptops anytime, anywhere, without affecting their job role or performance. Essentially, their office goes where they go.
To do this, you either need to develop a skill and build your own business or work for a company as a remote employee. Which one you choose depends on the kind of job you are doing.
For example, you can start your own business using platforms such as Upwork or Fiverr, sell a product, create an online course, teach English online, or work with clients as a copywriter, editor, videographer, or social media manager.
Once you know what kind of work you want, start networking and seeking job opportunities via Facebook, LinkedIn, and other job platforms.
Research & Network
Once you know what field you are interested in, start researching and networking.
I wanted to be in marketing, so I learned everything I could about social media management and brand creation. I did this by:
Reading marketing and business blogs
Watching YouTube videos and tutorials
Finding a mentor who could guide me
Trust me, once you start travelling, you will see that the digital nomad life is actually very common. Don’t be afraid to open up a conversation about your goals and ideas and aim to find a community of people who will support you.
Create A Portfolio
By creating my brand, I was developing skills and creating an online portfolio.
I started to build my online business by following a few beginning steps:
Deciding on a brand name and business goals
Creating a unique logo design
Building a website and publishing a blog
Rebranding my social media channels to reflect my business
Working with new clients and requesting feedback/testimonials
Sharing my success story on social media
Selling my course to create passive income
You can start building a portfolio using websites like Upwork, Canva, Fiverr, LinkedIn, or Facebook and your sharing your offer with potential clients.
Everyone has to start somewhere but building a cohesive brand and using it across your channels will instantly help market your business to those you know and help others discover what you can do for them!
Daily Life
Many logistics are involved in figuring out how to live abroad.
While you don’t have to have it all figured out, there is nothing wrong with planning key essentials for life in a foreign country.
A few things to consider include:
Visas
Working rights and local laws
Weather
Cost of living
Flights
Safety
Insurance
Work-Life Balance
One of the things that I didn’t realise about being a digital nomad is that it can be challenging to balance work and travel.
It is easy to focus 100% of your effort on your business and forget to network and enjoy where you are.
The entrepreneur/freelancer path can be lonely if you don’t have like-minded people in your corner celebrating you and supporting you through the lows.
I understand it can get complicated, overwhelming and lonely sometimes. So I created the MindREset course to help people fully understand and connect with themselves to find more satisfaction, joy and freedom in their lives.
Final Thoughts
Being a digital nomad means finding something you are passionate about and building a business online, but there are no set rules, so feel free to get creative!
It is different to any other industry because you are making an income from anywhere in the world. This means you can sit on your laptop in the airport, join meetings across time zones, and make money in your sleep from passive sales.
However, it requires a desire to go out on your own and to take risks. You must be determined to learn new skills, show up every day, and be confident that you are doing something you love and living a little differently.
I learned a ton from my yoga training, pranic healing course, and experience building my business.
Through this all, I created a mindset course that helps people find more joy and fulfilment in their lives. If you’re interested in developing the tools to have more contentment and inner peace in your life, then look at my MindREset Course.
About The Writer
Nikki Novoselsky
Hi! I’m Nikki, originally from Chicago; I now travel the world as a digital nomad and mindset mentor. I’m a yoga teacher, social media freelancer, YouTuber and entrepreneur. If you even have the slightest inkling that living a conventional 9 - 5 life is not for you, I hope I can inspire you to take the leap.
Editor: Cherie Julie