The Dark Side of Digital Nomadism

In partnership with

There is a downside to everything in life, and digital nomadism is no exception.

I talked about this before in a previous edition, specifically about the loneliness issue. And its not just me saying it but also Wikipedia and many others out there. A recent study interviewed hundreds of solo travelers and concluded:

• Approximately 41% of digital nomads say their lifestyle affects their capacity to maintain romantic relationships.

• Approximately 83% of location-independent professionals feel guilty when they take time off or unplug from work.

• A significant 77% of nomads have experienced burnout at least once, with entrepreneurs (80%) being particularly affected.

• On average, 40% of location-independent workers had regular or constant feelings of loneliness.

• Nearly 77% of nomads are concerned about their financial stability, with remote workers (84%) being the most anxious, surpassing entrepreneurs (71%), and freelancers (75%).

• As much as 84% of digital nomads have faced tax issues at least once.
  Nevertheless, 94% intend to maintain their itinerant lifestyle in 2023 and beyond.

So in this episode, I'd like to share a personal story with you and a realization about a powerful remedy that can help you avoid getting caught up in a spiral of negative mental chatter and quickly recover when you do.

Let’s dive into it.

Expect nothing and be open to everything.

I woke up yesterday after a few days of depression. I do suffer from it sometimes. Self-inflicted of course and I feel shame admitting it because my mind goes,

“How could you ever inspire someone with this if you can’t even maintain a positive mindset? You are a complete failure. No one gives a f*ck… bla bla bla”

That kind of chatter.

We all experience negativity bias, and I don’t know where the line between a dose of healthy skepticism, negativity out of caution, depression or just chronic sadness is. I think this is different for everyone. What I do know is that the mind produces a lot of noise; it can be relentless and often goes completely unnoticed, meaning that you actually end up believing it because you mistake this monkey mind, as the Buddhists call it, for yourself when in reality it is clearly not.

It is just the egoic mind, which is a false sense of self based on thoughts, beliefs, and identification with external things and it is why no one has ever won this battle with logic.

It's like a mental black hole that devours every thought it can get its hands on; not even a light of hope can escape. In fact, logic is one of its preferred weapons against you.

The egotic mind loves negativity and it feeds on rationalizations.

Thinking your way out of depression or loneliness is like attempting to extinguish a fire with gasoline. Every logical step you take only fuels the flames, making the situation worse.

So I decided to quit thinking and instead take action and snap out of it by getting things going. I had to extend my visa and so i needed to go to Immigration in Phuket Town, which is about 30-minute motobike ride away from Rawai. I did my morning walk around Naiharn Lake, grabbed a coffee and hit the road.

The Phuket Immigration Office is only a few blocks away from Old Town Phuket, so I decided to do some vlogging, just walking through the streets and maybe making some new friends or just meeting people.

I decided to get something to eat when the heat and humidity got to be too much, and that's when I met a friendly restaurant owner, who ended up sitting down with me.

So here I was, sitting in a restaurant with my new friend. We struck up a genuine conversation, and I shared my story and how I ended up in Thailand. He listened intently, and by the end of our chat, he said, "I want to help you on your journey. If you manage to be creative and touch the hearts of people," his words resonated deeply with me, and they reminded me that gratitude and acceptance cannot coexist with depression.

I walked out of that place with a changed inner dialogue, and then two more remarkable things happened.

On my ride back, I was filled with so much positive energy that I didn’t notice a road sign and accidentally drove into a tunnel where I wasn’t supposed to. Seconds later, the police stopped me and told me it was a 6,000-baht fine. I ended up in a room with 20 cops.

Twenty minutes later, I walked out with just a warning and an invitation for dinner.

No, I am not kidding.

When I got back to the beach in Rawai, I was still smiling, apparently enough to attract a whole group of strangers. One guy saw me. I said hi, reached out with my handshake and asked how he was doing.

He said, “I just saw you smiling and so I came over and said hi.

Really weird, but true and proof that no amount of thinking or reflecting can substitute for real human connection.

So now its your turn. Go out there and talk to someone, strike up a conversation, or give a compliment to a stranger.

Do it today; you don’t know if you will get the chance tomorrow.

Thanks for reading

Roman

Enjoying my content? Support my journey by buying me a coffee here. It’s more than appreciated. Thank you

Fuller, thicker hair in 3-6 months*.

Hims offers award-winning hair loss treatments that truly work. Available in a serum, spray, pill, or chew — whichever fits your routine.

You can trust that all Hims products are made with doctor-trusted, clinically proven ingredients. And the process is simple and 100% online.

Ready to find out what Hims can do for you? Complete their intake form and a medical provider will determine if treatment is right for you. If prescribed, your medication ships for free!

Start your free assessment to discover your options.

*Based on separate individual studies of topical and oral finasteride and minoxidil. Hair Hybrids are compounded products and have not been approved by the FDA. The FDA does not verify the safety or effectiveness of compounded drugs. Restrictions apply, see website for full details. Prescription products require an online consultation with a healthcare provider who will determine if a prescription is appropriate.

Your story matters. Join me for a 20-minute call to discuss your plans for digital nomadism and how I can support you. Click here to book!