Become Nomad - Digital Nomad Lifestyle and Long Term Travel

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