How To Improve Your Relationship With Money And Create An Online Business You Love With Laura

“When my relationship with money improved, everything else improved.”

Connect with our Nienke Nina and our guests

Your host Nienke Nina

More digital nomad tips and life advice via instagram @digitalnomadsdaily

Connect with Nienke Nina on LinkedIn @Nienke Nina Keizer

Find Nienke Nina on Instagram @nienkeninatravels

Meet digital nomad Laura

Find her on Instagram @itslaurahhenings

Check out her TikTok @ownyourwild.co

Other episodes you might like:

🎧  Episode #28: How Digital Nomads Can Become Successful Entrepreneurs With John

🎧  Episode #49: 8 Freelancer Mindset Challenges to Overcome For Success With Steve

🎧  Episode #50: Creating Your Career Around The Lifestyle You Want To Live With Natasha

Digital Nomad Introverts Never Need To Be Lonely With Marcel

“If you’re an introvert, don’t try to become an extrovert.”

Shifting careers – from IT company to keynote speaker

Marcel is the founder of Trendingjobs.com, which is a job search website in the United States. Even though remote work is a hot topic right now, his website isn’t focused on remote jobs. After running his business for a while Marcel didn’t feel fulfilled anymore. He wasn’t sure about his next steps and he was actively trying to figure out what sparks him joy.

This was a new array for Marcel and he tried different things to see what made him tick and what things weren’t his gem. His approach worked really well and he learned that hosting a talk was one of the things that made him spark. This wasn’t an overnight process though, and he shares that giving himself the time to discover different things was essential.

One of the experiences he loved doing was hosting a talk. So he brainstormed how to turn this into a new career path and decided to become a keynote speaker. While his first talk was about bootstrapping a business, this isn’t the topic Marcel is interested in sharing as a keynote speaker.

Community building is an important element of the digital nomad lifestyle and we often talk about this on The Digital Nomads Daily Podcast. But how do digital nomad introverts network and make meaningful connections? This question is close to Marcel’s heart as he identifies himself as an introvert. To him, this basically means he needs more alone time and if he spends too much time hanging out with others he gets drained. So his way of recharging is simple being on his own, probably more often than extroverts.

Today marcel has friends all over the world but creating his community wasn’t always easy. With trial and error, he found his way of community building without crossing her personal boundaries. Here are 5 things that helped Marcel feel more confident networking as an introvert

👉🏽 Focus on building a network of like-minded people that can become your long-term friends.
👉🏽 Use social media to share your location and ask for recommendations.
👉🏽 Visit Facebook Groups and explore Meetups to find events.
👉🏽 Book experiences like [tourguide] for example, a food tour or a free walking tour.
👉🏽 Check out hostels in the evenings.
👉🏽 Ask around if there is a WhatsApp group to stay tuned for new gatherings.
👉🏽 Make interactions fun so it’s more likely others will invite you for more experiences like road trips, hiking or diving etc.
👉🏽 Organize activities yourself and invite others via Facebook Groups.

The difference between being introverted and shy.

Some people get energy from being surrounded by people and others recharge from a lot of alone time. The folks who love doing activities alone can be identified as introverts, like Marcel.
One of Marcel’s realizations this year was that being introverted or extroverted is genetic and that shyness is something you can overcome. He experienced this firsthand as he used to be very shy. By working on his social skills, he learned to overcome shyness, and this has been important for his personal growth.
An example is that he discovered he wasn’t great at making new connections by moving away from his home and going abroad. It’s very likely that he wouldn’t learn this about himself if he would just stay in his home country and continue to live his life. It is a great example of how the digital nomad lifestyle is so much more than sipping coconuts and tropical adventures.
So living the digital nomad lifestyle gave him many new insights. This, of course, only happened because Marcel opened up to new experiences. He also shares that slowing down your travels and staying a couple of months in one place can really help create deeper connections.

Digital nomad introverts should prioritize working on their social skills

Going deeper into the challenges introverts face in the digital nomad lifestyle, Marcel explains that many introverted people most likely don’t have the practice and exploration extroverts have. Introverts are naturally inclined to be alone they just haven’t been out there to try new experiences. Putting this in perspective – Athletes spend a significant amount of time doing the groundwork and the same goes for someone’s social skills. If it doesn’t come naturally, all it takes is practice and getting ready for a challenge. Everyone can learn how to become good at starting a conversation with people you don’t know yet. This doesn’t apply to meetups but also impacts how confident you show up at work and pitch your business to potential clients.
A final piece of advice Marcel gives to all digital nomad introverts is that whatever you’re doing right now, do not try to be an extrovert. Shyness is definitely something you can overcome, but it will take time and self-reflection. And never be afraid to miss out or keep pushing yourself into crowds because others are doing that.
There is no reason to become a FOMO-victim and while others are getting energy from meetups, you can do what works for you! Marcel shares that he loves going out for dinner on his own and reading a book and prioritizes me-time moments over hanging out with others. In fact, if he goes to all those activities, his energy is drained and he is less fun to hang out with, and that does not go for him and his environment.

Connect with our Nienke Nina and our guests

Your host Nienke Nina

More digital nomad tips and life advice via instagram @digitalnomadsdaily

Connect with Nienke Nina on LinkedIn @Nienke Nina Keizer

Find Nienke Nina on Instagram @nienkeninatravels

Meet digital nomad Marcel

Follow his journey on Instagram @1marcelwijermars

Follow his keynote speaker journey on Instagram @neverlonelynomad

Other episodes you might like:

🎧  Episode #07: Overcoming Fears and Building Community with Digital Nomad Magali

🎧 Episode #46: The 5 Best Ways To Find Friends For Digital Nomads With Marina 

🎧 Episode #52: Connections Stronger than Wifi With The Bucket List Queen Nini 

Traveling The World For 25 Years With 3 Kids And A Dog With Andrew

“I urge everyone to continue to be as much of a minimalist as possible and with the kids as well. Even though you continue in as much of a minimalist lifestyle, keep things from different places that will remind them of the different seasons of life.”

Ever considered living the digital nomad lifestyle with your family? Traveling the world while working remotely can be challenging, especially when adding kids or pets to the mix. It requires more planning, a higher budget, and reaches a whole new level of responsibilities. This sounds overwhelming, and it probably is from time to time, but luckily there are experienced digital nomads who have walked this path.

Andrew Jardigen is the CEO of Insured Nomads and shares on the podcast a glance at his life as a traveling family man. Together with his wife, three kids, and his dog, they have lived on various continents. He shares helpful tips for (aspiring) nomad families, like:

🌟 Try different types of education and keep an open mind for your kids’ needs.
🌟 Have a financial buffer large enough to sustain everyone in your family.
🌟 Be part of communities and make this a priority for everyone in the family.
🌟 Consider traveling with a pet so there is some consistency for them.
🌟 Continue to be a minimalist but also keep some things as memories from the places they lived.
🌟 Think about therapy for yourself and your kids as they also need it to have an outside voice, to process experiences, especially the more traumatic things.

Connect with our Nienke Nina and our guests

Your host Nienke Nina

More digital nomad tips and life advice via instagram @digitalnomadsdaily

Connect with Nienke Nina on LinkedIn @Nienke Nina Keizer

Find Nienke Nina on Instagram @nienkeninatravels

Meet digital nomad Andrew

Find him on LinkedIn: Andrew Jernigan

Find the company on Instagram @insurednomads

Other episodes you might like:

🎧  Episode #29: A Digital Nomad Family Enjoying It Part-Time with Rowena

🎧  Episode #33: How Digital Nomad Families Can Live A Boundless Life With Marcos

🎧  Episode #55 The Digital Nomad Family Life As A Gay Couple

The Power Of Open-Mindedness In The Digital Nomad Lifestyle With Elle

“The digital nomad lifestyle doesn’t have to look like what you see on Instagram.”

What are your expectations of the digital nomad lifestyle

When you start the work and travel lifestyle, you can expect cool adventures while exploring the world. This lifestyle has so much more to offer though. Especially when it comes to discovering who you are and how you design a lifestyle that works for you. The episode with Elle shares many tips about mindset and the transformation from leaving your “normal” life behind to building a new way of living. One thing is for sure – it doesn’t have to look like what you see on Instagram.

Before Elle began her digital nomad journey, she went backpacking. She left her job as a director of finance operations for an international non-profit in Washington DC. During this trip, she wasn’t working online and mainly focusing on self-reflection and seeking clarity. Maintaining an income as a digital nomad is crucial and Elle did this as a consultant in finance. At the same time, she was connecting the idea of a new business with things closer to her heart. This helped her slowly transition and move away from her consulting career as she had financial stability while building her coaching business. In episode 21 with Anne, we also touched on this and more tips about entrepreneurship for digital nomads and online businesses.

In episode 19: 5 Benefits Of Joining A Digital Nomad Travel Group With Craig, we talk about the five benefits of joining a digital nomad travel group. He is not the only one who loved joining a travel group! Elle shares that her experience was not only amazing but also saved her a lot of hassle organizing her trip. The biggest benefit of joining a digital nomad travel community is that everything is arranged for you.

‘‘I literally showed up and there was a guy with a sign at the airport. I had an apartment, I had a roommate, I had a group of friends, I had a co-working space and I had a SIM card. They just made it so easy for that first month of being a nomad.’’

Saying goodbye to your old life and starting the digital nomad lifestyle can be super overwhelming. You need to take care of many things, and a travel group can ease a part of that process. Other benefits of joining a travel group are:<br>
🌟 You are surrounded by like-minded people and it’s easy to make friends<br>
🌟 There is a safety factor which is especially helpful if you don’t know the local language<br>
🌟 It’s perfect if you are new to this lifestyle or want to live it part-time

Expectations and mindset

One thing Elle is passionate about and she had experienced firsthand is the mental transformation the digital nomad lifestyle has to offer. Through her travels, she open-up and learned a lot about herself and her thoughts about who she wants to be in this life. This meant letting go of culture, traditions, and things her parents had taught her. This requires ongoing reflection with the self and discovering the consistently challenging stuff she carried around and what she didn’t need/want anymore.

She realized that no matter the reasons you are frustrated or not happy – the external factors that come with traveling will not solve it. These things you still carry with you and that’s why to be successful in this lifestyle, any lifestyle, self-awareness and personal development are key to growth.

Connect with our Nienke Nina and our guests

Your host Nienke Nina

More digital nomad tips and life advice via instagram @digitalnomadsdaily

Connect with Nienke Nina on LinkedIn @Nienke Nina Keizer

Find Nienke Nina on Instagram @nienkeninatravels

Meet digital nomad Elle

Find her on Instagram @beyondtheitinerary

Check out her website www.beyondtheitinerary.com

Other episodes you might like:

🎧  Episode #19: 5 Benefits Of Joining A Digital Nomad Travel Group With Craig 

🎧  Episode #39: The 5 misconceptions of the digital nomad lifestyle with Charlie 

🎧  Episode #51: How To Live A Balanced And Joyful Remote Life With Ali

Facing The Realities Of Online Entrepreneurship with Anne

“As entrepreneurs we learn so many lessons. I think entrepreneurship is basically a self-development journey on steroids.”

The digital nomad Lifestyle and online entrepreneurship aren’t that glamorous

The digital nomad lifestyle is less glamorous than shown on social media, and in this episode, we talk about two of the challenges Anne experienced as a digital nomad. The first part of the interview covers her dating life as a digital nomad and why it’s so difficult for digital nomads to date. The second part of the interview is about how to build a successful online business as a digital nomad. She shares some of the common challenges she faced and how to overcome them.

Why dating is difficult for digital nomads

Loneliness is a common topic in the digital nomad community. Sharing this amazing lifestyle with someone else is a dream for many nomads. But why is dating so difficult for digital nomads?

‘‘It felt like the pool was so small because there are locals, travelers, and then there are the digital nomads…’’

Anne shares that in her experience, one of her challenges was that the pool of digital nomads is very small. Meeting people is pretty easy throughout the journey as you meet travelers, locals, or ex-pats. It gets harder when you finally make a special connection but one of you is leaving. So pretty early on, you have to decide to keep hanging out or walk away. This type of commitment is overwhelming and why dating can become very complicated. What helped her was to be open-minded and flexible. She advises that if you like the person to share how you feel and if it’s mutual to be flexible with your plans.

When she met her boyfriend in a hostel in Thailand, she wasn’t interested but could use some company during dinner. They got along and decided to go to an island. It wasn’t part of her plan but she liked the idea and was flexible and open-mind. It wasn’t really a date but there was definitely some romance! What’s funny is that Anne’s boyfriend wasn’t a digital nomad at the time! He learned about this lifestyle by seeing her working remotely and wanted to pursue the same lifestyle. Anne and Nienke Nina also talk about how to date safely and more tips for digital nomads dating.

Building an online business while traveling the world

Becoming an online entrepreneur and traveling the world gets extremely glamorized on social media. Anne shares that she totally underestimates the work part of this lifestyle. As a freelancer, she worked many hours and was basically sitting behind a screen all day long. Of course, she would go out and go on adventures but it was a lot of hard work in the beginning.

‘‘I was like, okey I’m going to do this business now, and I expect to be able to live off this immediately. My income will grow and grow and I will definitely will be very rich before the end of the year – that did not happen’’

Luckily she transformed from a virtual assistant to a successful freelance career and built a podcast management agency. The agency business model enables her to work with other talents and to do the work she loves. On top of that, she is working fewer hours and has more flexibility in her schedule. We collected some of her most valuable tips for freelancers and creative entrepreneurs in this article.

Key takeaways from this episode:
🌟 Be open-minded and flexible when you’re dating
🌟 Give yourself time to build a sustainable business and have patience
🌟 Create a financial buffer to cover your expenses so you have less stress
🌟 Set goals for the near future and for what you want to achieve in the long run
🌟 Start your online business as a side-hustle and go full in once it’s making money

This episode is fun, honest, and very insightful. If you dream of becoming a digital nomad or a creative freelance who wants to build a business, this is your episode!

Anne shares more tips for freelancers and entrepreneurs who want to live the digital nomad lifestyle. We recommend listening to this episode as they are many great tips and a ton of motivation to start your own digital nomad lifestyle.

Connect with our Nienke Nina and our guests

Your host Nienke Nina

More digital nomad tips and life advice via instagram @digitalnomadsdaily

Connect with Nienke Nina on LinkedIn @Nienke Nina Keizer

Find Nienke Nina on Instagram @nienkeninatravels

Meet digital nomad Anne

Find her on Instagram @thepodcastbabes & @digitalnomadstoriespodcast

Find her on LinkedIn: Anne Claessen

Other episodes you might like:

🎧  Episode #05: Dealing with High Anxiety While Building a Successful Online Business with The Remote Yogi

🎧 Episode #20: Tips For Becoming A Traveling Freelancer Website Designer With Chelsea 

🎧 Episode # 30: Distraction-Free Productivity For Digital Nomads With Taylor