I wish I could recall the first time I wanted to become a digital nomad. It would have been easier to write this post. 

What I can remember, however, was the exact time I realized I was building someone else’s dream. Or the day I realized that someone could buy my time and, by extension, my life. 

Ironically, those two episodes happened on the same day, in the same workplace, and with the same manager that, thanks to his employers, was islands hopping in South-East Asia.

I can’t recall the moment where I decided I had to work for myself because deep inside, I knew it has always lived in me. Maybe it started when I was a kid moving from Italy to Africa, or during one of my solo trips in Europe. Maybe, studying in Brazil helped, or maybe moving to Amsterdam by myself was the final drop. 

What is certain, is that travelling was always in my life and, with it, freedom was simply following.

The more I travelled and explored the world, the less I wanted to settle down and adapt to a regular life (which I tried many times, and always failed).

How it all started

 

 

 

 

 

Soon after graduating from High School, I decided to move by myself to Amsterdam. To me, that was a big accomplishment as I was finally able to start all over again in a new city, new home, and new job. Everything was so fresh and new, but what I was loving was the feeling that I had turned my dreams into reality by myself. 

I had made wonderful connections, I had my cozy apartment, I was able to travel sometimes, I was happy! However, I could live this beautiful life during my days off only. I did not have the freedom to travel whenever I wanted, nor to work on my passions or looking for a new hobby. I was not growing, and reaching my full potential was not even an option.

What once seemed like a perfect life, soon turned into a self-built cage, and routine was back, once again. I thought the easier answer was to leave, and so I did.

Moving to Australia, on the other side of the world, was another huge accomplishment to me (kangaroos, here I come!) Yet, after I settled in, was time to find another job and I realized I had to start from scratch. All my past travel and work experiences meant nothing and, once again, I had to hit pause on my passions and dreams, in order to fit in the same system I was running from.

There has to be a better way.

Here in Australia, it’s where I first thought about having a personal business, that was able to grow with me and that was not resetting every time I moved across the globe. 

With this intention in mind, I started a travel blog and got involved in the world of digital nomads, freelancers, and travel writers, finding a ton of inspiration but, at the same time, realizing that I was consciously embarking on a very harsh and long path.

After countless online courses, hundreds of books and webinars, I was finally able to find my own very specific niche, and I now focus on showcasing cultural diversity & social inclusion, alongside with slow and conscious travels. 

Working on my travel blog helps my creativity and my wanderlust: I am finally able to focus on what I love. The missing brick is that I am, once again, in the old same situation, where I cannot make money from my passions, nor can I live the life I know I can have.

Being a digital nomad doesn’t mean working from the beach

I know this, and this is not what I am looking for (even though it might be ideal!). Being a digital nomad is so much more than that and, to me, means being ready to put in all the effort in order to gain ultimate freedom.

Creating my own schedule, discovering new passions, finally working hard on something I love, prioritizing my own happiness and being able to fully live life.

So, now that I have my motivation sorted, how am I gonna fulfil my dreams? 

To be honest, this is the hardest part. I realized going big as a blogger may take years if not forever and, after exploring different paths, I am now starting out as a virtual assistant.

I don’t know why I never considered this option, but being a VA basically allows me to perform tasks I already do on a daily basis, work with clients that align with me, and all of this can be done remotely! 

Becoming aware that this was the thing for me was mind-blowing, and some magic happened: not only I was able to build my portfolio in no time, but I managed to book in a discovery call within one week! 

So, what’s next for me?

2020 is the year of not backing off, procrastinate, or making up excuses. In fact, that’s the year of working smart, travelling, and turning my dreams into reality.

And let’s make sure this is gonna happen! The promise I make to my self is to be location independent by the end of 2020. And everyone reading this is now a witness!

By Sonia Moroni

Her blog: www.silentravel.com
Virtual Assistant services: https://silentravel.com/virtual-assistant-services/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildlysonia/

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