How I decided to become a digital nomad
On February 7, 2018 I was living in Los Angeles with an apartment, a car, good friends and all the comforts of home. That morning I received unexpected news that the company I work for would sell their assets in LA. We were soon briefed on the sale, but it would be weeks until everyone knew the full details. I was mostly concerned about where I’d live.
I had worked for the same company in Chicago and I didn’t know if this meant I needed to move back. I wanted to stay in Los Angeles, and since I primarily worked from home I didn’t see a point in moving. I started preparing my case for fully working remotely and staying in LA. Then I wondered if I needed to stay anywhere.
I was familiar with people who have digital jobs and travel freely, but I never quite considered doing it myself. Sure, I'd had stock fantasies of living in [foreign country] with millions from whatever important work I’ve yet to do, but that was for later. I wasn’t even sure if going mobile now was a good idea, much less if I could pull it off. I had a lot to consider.
I couldn’t decide between staying in Los Angeles or trying my crazy new idea. The best option may seem obvious, but this was a highly personal and complicated debate that kept evolving. I liked both options and the pro/con arguments became incessantly long. Frankly, I was miserable and didn’t know what to do with my life.
After two weeks I chose to stay in Los Angeles. I wanted to rededicate myself to working there and keep little things like friends and a home. I was relieved and happy with my decision.
Two more weeks pass. The debate resurfaces one afternoon while I’m taking out the trash. Then I realize that for the rest of my life, whenever I’m bored or doing mundane chores, I would randomly think about how I had the opportunity to explore the world and didn’t take it. I couldn’t live with that regret.
I made my case for working remotely and got it approved. In the next few weeks I sold my car and extra possessions, stored important items, said my goodbyes and moved out. My lease ended on May 5th and I flew to Tokyo on May 6th to begin the new lifestyle.
So far I haven’t stayed anywhere for more than a month. I miss the comforts of having my own place and actually living somewhere, but I’m satisfied. I don’t know when I’ll stop roaming, but I need to take advantage of this opportunity in the meantime. The rest is to be determined.
