Episode 130: Finding Purpose & Alignment Through Conscious Co-Living & Retreats with Digital Nomad Anja
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Listen to our interview with Anja:
🔥 Running successful retreats for digital nomads and entrepreneurs 🔥 The pros of co-living experiences and community living for digital nomad 🔥 Transforming passion projects into actual businesses 🔥 Prioritizing financial stability while exploring entrepreneurial plans 🔥🔥🔥 And so much more must-know digital nomad lifestyle tips for (aspiring) digital nomads!
“The magic of co-living lies in the unexpected connections and intense bonds we form when living intentionally with others.”
Meet digital nomad Anja
In this episode, Nienke Nina chats with Anja, who has been a digital nomad lifestyle for over a decade. She started her journey with a flexible remote work setup and has since explored various countries around the globe.
Currently, Anja earns her income through a mix of a steady consultancy job and her passion projects. She leverages her background in consulting and project management to maintain financial stability while exploring her entrepreneurial dreams.
Nina and Anja spoke about the ins and outs of running retreats for digital nomads and entrepreneurs, the co-living experiences, and the journey of turning passion projects into actual businesses. Join us for a conversation packed with insights and a decade of experiences.
Key takeaways from Anja’s interview
5 things you learn in this Digital Nomads Daily episode
➡️ Running successful digital nomad retreats: Discover the process of running retreats that align with who you are and that resonate with digital nomads and entrepreneurs.
➡️ Ensuring financial stability while pursuing your passion project: Learn how Anja balances a stable income with her entrepreneurial dreams. You will find out practical advice on sustaining your career while indulging in your passion for travel and new experiences.
➡️ Importance of incorporating flexibility in your routine: Learn the importance of having flexible routines that adapt to different environments and enhance your productivity.
➡️ Possible advantages of co-living: Find out how co-living brings depth and connection to your nomadic lifestyle through shared living and community.
➡️ Building lifelong friendships in co-living: Share the joy of forming deep and genuine friendships in a co-living environment through shared experiences and intentional living with Anja.
Turning 33 and sharing 33 digital nomad life lessons
Just like normal people, digital nomads celebrate birthdays and in our lifestyle, it’s very likely that you will celebrate your bday with new friends. On April 27 Nienke Nina celebrated her 33rd birthday in Lisbon the day after the biggest conference about remote work and the future of work called remote work. On Linkedin, she shared inspiring 33 life lessons which we will be sharing in this article. Are you ready?
33 life lessons for digital nomads
1 My life source is my unique energy.
2 I don’t have to say yes.
3 Everything is a process.
4 I got this – whatever is it.
5 I’m never alone.
6 I’m worthy.
7 I’m allowed to say no.
8 I can build a successful business.
9 It’s OKAY to say no.
10 Prioritize off-screen time.
11 A good cry is healthy.
12 I can trust my gut feeling.
13 I don’t need a man, kids, a car or a house to belong.
14 I’m not afraid to be openly vulnerable.
15 Therapy is great.
16 I can trust my gut instinct.
17 I’m not perfect, never will be.
18 80% is better than 100%.
19 Everything is figureoutable (thanks Marie Forleo)
20 I’m enough.
21 My energy is my superpower.
22 I like a glass of wine and that’s okay.
23 Uncomfortable is good, it means growth.
24 Picking my brain for free is not a thing.
25 Multi-passionate is awesome.
26 Kindness is key and so are boundaries.
27 I don’t have to work hard, it’s about doing it with intention.
28 I love female empowerment.
29 Invest more in community gatherings
30 Find a digital nomad-friendly hobby
31 Keep on telling stories digitally
32 Update my experiences bucket list
33 Growth never stops
Whenever you turn one year older, it’s always good exercise to look back at what you learned that year and your goals for next year. Many digital nomads do this and by sharing this with your community, or on LinkedIn like Nienke Nina did, you can impact more people.
Enrich your digital nomad lifestyle by giving back to local communities
In this special episode, the founder of Nomads Giving Back, Tarek, interviews Nienke Nina about how you can enrich your digital nomad lifestyle by helping local communities. He is an experienced digital nomad and passionate about sharing knowledge about how to support local communities successfully. The Nomads Giving Back team contributed to Nienke Nina’s book Digital Nomads With Confidence. They shared insights about the different ways to give back and practical tips you can apply in your digital nomad life. Tune in and enjoy this inspiring conversation.
“I would ask everyone, “How do you give back to the communities?” “How do you connect with locals?” Most of the time they would say, “I don’t know, but if you figure it out, let me know because I want to do the same thing.”
The digital nomad lifestyle can often feel like an extended holiday, hence why it’s becoming more popular. There are more ways to give meaning to this lifestyle and giving back to local communities is a beautiful way to enrich your digital nomad life and others.
There are different ways to support other communities beyond donating money. Tarek is the founder of Nomads Giving Back and shares his story on The Digital Nomads Daily Podcast. In the episode, he shares how you can give back and other helpful this. Listen to the episode by clicking here. The conversation inspired us to dedicate one chapter in our book Digital Nomads With Confidence to inspiring others to also give back to local communities. In the book you find answers to the following questions:
#93 Why is it important that I give back to local communities?
#94 How can I help the local community?
#95 How can I determine if a project is ethical?
#96 How do I know a volunteering program is right for me?
#97 What if I don’t want to join an entire volunteering program?
#98 How can I support a local community from a distance?
#99 How can I inspire others to give back too?
#100 How can I reduce my waste while traveling?
The chapter also includes one of the many personal stories of Nienke Nina. She shares how she turned her birthday into a donation day and helped a community in Brazil. The digital nomad lifestyle offers many beautiful opportunities and giving back to local communities could enrich your experience even deeper. Nienke Nina and Tarek share in this episode that smaller initiatives could already be impactful. And if you are not sure how to give back, you can always turn your birthday into a special donation day.
33 icebreaker questions to start a conversation with a digital nomad
The digital nomad community is thriving and more people are joining the movement of working remotely from home or at a tropical destination. A part of travel, the community is a big reason for people to become a digital nomad.
All over the world, incredible humans are gathering to reinvent their own lives. They meet up to get inspired, share ideas, network and build businesses from the ground up. But where can you actually meet digital nomads? And how do you start a conversation with a digital nomad? On our podcast Magali said it beautifully on the podcast and shared that in her experience the community is very warm and people are super kind.
Photo by Noma Collective
Where can you meet digital nomads?
Places where digital nomads meet are for example at (online) events, co-working spaces, hostels, or community meetups. Connecting with people in Facebook groups or joining a curated trip for working professionals are also great ways to meet digital nomads.
Once you have found your tribe you also want to hit it off right. The best way to start a connection is to genuinely show interest in someone else’s life. We collected 33 questions to help you start a conversation with digital nomads during any type of event.
33 questions to start a conversation with digital nomads:
😎 How did you find out about the event?
😎 Have you been on any interesting trips lately?
😎 What is the most rewarding part of your career?
😎 How many countries have you been to?
😎 What’s your favorite city you’ve visited?
😎 Why did you come tonight?
😎 I love that shirt/jacket/dress/shoes. Where did you get it?
😎 What are you reading right now?
😎 What’s your favorite restaurant around here?
😎 What’s the next exciting event you have coming up?
😎 Doing anything fun this weekend?
😎 What do you do for a living?
😎 What do you normally do for fun?
😎 The food looks great. What’s the best thing you’ve had so far?
😎 Have you ever been here before?
😎 How long have you been living here?
😎 Where did you grow up?
😎 What made you choose this as your career?
😎 What’s the most interesting thing you’ve worked on lately?
😎 I’m new to this area, what’s your favorite place to hang out around here?
😎 Working on anything exciting lately?
😎 What personal passion project are you working on right now?
😎 How do you know the host?
😎 Have you been to an event like this before?
😎 How long have you been in ___?
😎 Are there any upcoming events you’re planning on going to?
😎 Why did you move to [city]?
😎 I’m trying to plan my next trip, have you traveled anywhere interesting lately?
😎 Who in life has inspired you the most?
😎 If you won a million dollars, what’s the first thing you’d do?
😎 What’s on your bucket list?
😎 What’s your favorite type of ice cream?
😎 If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Finding your tribe and meeting up with new connections is one of the many challenges digital nomads face. The good news is that everyone is in the same boat but at the same time this can be very overwhelming. These questions are great conversation starters to take of the pressure. Choose 3-5 questions you would like to ask a stranger at an event and who knows what your new connections will bring into your life.
Finding the answers to all your daily digital nomad questions
You might have more questions about the digital nomad lifestyle, remote work and travel or seek some inspiration. We created a special book called Digital Nomads With Confidence. This book is inspired by the conversations shared on The Digital Nomads Daily Podcast and the purpose is to show different perspectives on how to deal with typical digital nomad everyday uncertainties. Consider it your companion to travel and work remotely from anywhere.
In this book, you will find answers, hacks, inspirational quotes and a ton of inspiration to live your digital nomad lifestyle with confidence. Download the free chapter about building a thriving community here if you want to enjoy your remote lifestyle every single day.
What is the Best Online Digital Nomad Community in Europe?
Traveling to Europe soon? In this article you will find a list of popular Facebook groups. Joining online communities will help you plan your travels and of course meeting other digital nomads. The best time to visit would be during the Spring/Summer weather from May to September.
A Blooming Digital Nomad Community in Europe
The digital nomad community in Europe is thriving. Digital nomads prefer Europe as their nomadic destination for several reasons. There is lots of travel with short flights, historical sites, rich culture, and a majority of the countries are safe. Compared to the United States, there are also lower living costs, especially in the South and Eastern countries.
Digital nomad Facebook Groups in Portugal
One of the biggest digital nomad hubs in Europe is Portugal. Digital nomads enjoy visiting Portugal as it is a safe and expat-friendly nation. It offers everything a remote worker seeks while traveling to a foreign country. From good internet connection, fantastic surf, delicious food, close to nature, exciting culture, and cheap rent to 300 days of sun a year.
Do you think Portugal would be your favorite digital nomad community in Europe?
Digital nomad Facebook groups in Spain
Spain is another well-liked destination among digital nomads as it is known for its affordable living conditions. Read here tips about how to find the best accommodation for digital nomads. The country has warm winters and a fast internet connection, two essential things remote workers consider. Another plus aspect is how Spain provides digital nomad visas to grow the digital nomad community, permitting internationals to live in the country while working remotely for foreign companies.
While Portugal and Spain are the largest nomad hubs, more exciting places are to explore. Online communities can help you to find out more about a specific location. They can tell you exactly when and where you need to be to meet up with digital nomads. See a list of other digital nomad communities below:
If you are traveling through Europe and are unsure where you are going, communities like these can be very helpful. Part of traveling is being curious and entering the unknown. We hope that you found a digital nomad community in Europe on this page to help you. Sometimes though, it’s more relaxed when you are prepared and have a plan of what you want to see. You can learn more about each city in Europe via Nomad List.
Europe has many options and this is what we love about it! The different cultures, landscapes and foods definitely will bring you an enriching experience. Since 2021 more countries welcome digital nomads with open arms by giving a unique digital nomad visa.
So what will your next destination in Europe be this summer? Let us know in the comments below and tell us about your trip!
What is the Best Online Female Digital Nomad Community?
Digital Nomads usually love to meet people and having both male and female friends is pretty common. Some female digital nomads prefer to connect with other nomad girls only for various reasons. The Digital Nomad community includes groups that are location specific and groups that are female-only.
The benefits of joining a female digital nomad community
Women have different needs than men, which is why a female-only group is so great. It’s an online space where you can share and ask questions about your feminine needs. Think about travel tips, relationship advice, dating tips, and helpful tips about entrepreneurship. You can also build a network and find new gigs among these groups. The female digital nomad community is a safe space as they can share the same interests and goals. Learn more about the digital nomad lifestyle on our podcast where we interview nomads and talk about daily nomadic challenges.
Many of the groups are on Facebook. Even though you are not a heavy Facebook user, it’s a great place to connect. Because of gender exclusivity these online communities are private groups. To join you have to send out a request and this may take a couple of hours or days before it gets approved.
How do I connect with other female travelers?
A great way to connect with other people in the female digital nomad community is to introduce yourself. Before you do this make sure you read the guidelines. Some groups allow this while others could mark it as self-promotion. The group guidelines are always available and we recommend quickly reading them, especially if you want to participate in these groups actively and avoid getting kicked out.
Another thing you have to keep in mind is that everyone in the female digital nomad community is in the same boat. When people ask for advice, you could leave a comment but bear in mind that you keep things kind. It doesn’t happen often but sometimes comments can easily backfire and lead to massive discussions. So always be open-minded and try to form opinions in a gentle matter.
Like in any other community, respecting your peers is crucial, and online communities are no different.
How can I find remote work or jobs in online nomad groups?
Online communities can boost your network and this is one of the reasons why we love these communities. If you are looking for a job or a new gig you might find your new one in the online nomad community. Don’t put all eggs in one basket though because you will see that some posts attract many people and it will be hard to stand out. What you could do is also view the poster on LinkedIn. They receive a notification that you viewed their profile and this means you showed interest in their professional life.
Groups also have a search feature that makes it easier to search for the latest job openings or other topics like tips about your next nomad location. Looking for more digital nomad communities? Explore our digital nomad community page to explore online groups across the globe.
