You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.
William Faulkner
I was afraid.
While I loved travel, hated home maintenance, and had the freedom as a writer to live anywhere, I was intimidated by the idea of becoming a digital nomad (someone without a primary residence who lives and works in short-term rentals in various locations).
My wife and I had dreamed about becoming nomads for years. We’d reached the point where the only thing holding us back was my fear—fear of the unknown, of the unusual, of losing some creature comforts, of releasing our physical possessions.
Then about eight months ago, we listened to a podcast featuring Bill Perkins, the author of Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life, who argued that when you lived your dreams was as important as what your dreams were. His reasons included:
1. Tomorrow is not guaranteed
How many people wait until retirement to pursue their dreams only for illness or tragedy to prevent those dreams from coming true?
2. Some dreams are better when experienced younger
Bill gave the example of traveling to Japan with his aged parents. While he and his wife had the energy to soak up a wide range of adventures, his parents’ lack of stamina limited their experience. Some dreams may not be physically possible past a certain point (ie a week-long rock climbing trip is typically more feasible when you’re in your 30s vs your 70s).
3. Living dreams sooner pays long-term dividends
Having more years to savor happy memories increases the overall benefit those experiences provide.
His points struck home. They gave Lisa and I the courage and motivation to make the leap. We sold both rental houses, the condo we lived in, and most of our possessions. For the past four months we’ve stayed in hotels, AirBnbs, and with friends and family in various parts of the US (doing a surprising amount of pet and house sitting—if you need those services, we come highly recommended!). While there have been challenges and frustrations, we love the freedom, lightness, adventure, and low cost of living that our nomadic life provides.
We’re currently living internationally. After a stop in Paris, we’re now in Athens and leave tomorrow for a twenty-four night cruise throughout Europe, hitting twelve cities in seven countries before docking in Miami. A trip like this would not have been possible if we hadn’t faced our fears and stopped delaying our dream.
What are your dreams? For your career, your relationships, your hobbies, your passions? What practical steps would it take to make them a reality? What’s stopping you from taking those steps now? Dream big. Create a “make-it-happen” list. Start on #1 today. If you do, you’ll be on your way to living your dream, and you’ll take another giant step toward Becoming Yourself.
