From Fear to Freedom: How I’m Overcoming Doubt and Taking the Leap into Digital Nomad Living

Feb 18

Ever since I was in high school, I've dreamed of living abroad. I spent hours researching the ways one could move abroad at the time, most of them were teaching English. I believed that I had finally found job that could take me abroad! I had a short stint as a flight attendant, which ended under a year later when my mother became ill. Nothing really happened. It seemed every time I would try to save money to get a TELF certification or take a sabbatical, life would, well, happen.

I’ve moved around the south west a few times. But I’ve always had the urge to leave the US, at least for a little while.

That’s when 2020 hit and Covid happened. As I started working from home, I go, why can’t I do this while traveling. I thought, maybe I can just use a VPN to pretend I’m still in the US. Luckily I decided against this route because they do track your location at most companies.

Then I found a few videos on YouTube, which let me to Liberia Jones, interviewing Hannah Dixon about becoming a Virtual Assistant.

Freelancing like this seemed too good to be true. Here I am, no degree or certification to speak of, can I really have location freedom?!

I did the 5 Day Challenge, really gave it my all! It was my new hyper fixation and I was determined. I got a client within a week and a referral a few weeks later! I also joined the Virtual Excellence Academy on Facebook, which has a fantastic community of VAs.

I decided, it was time to tell my current employer that I was resigning. Well, what do you know, they offered to change my position from a W2 employee to an independent contractor! This made my decision even easier. As a W2 employee, taxes are taken from each paycheck and you are typically unable to live abroad due to tax reasons. As an independent contractor, I file my own taxes.

So, now I am slow traveling through South America and I plan to be in Bangkok for my 40th birthday this winter.

It all happened so quickly in the end but, I’m actually glad I am traveling in my late 30’s, after being late diagnosed AuDHD and knowing what I need to really make this happen.