When people first hear of the lifestyle of location independence, they imagine groups of gypsies and nomads ever wandering their way around the world, with no real ties to anywhere on our beautiful globe. However, this assumption is simply not valid.
Location independence is the means to live your life according to your own terms. It means you have stripped yourself of the limiting constraints of the standard lifestyle of the Western World, and you have the freedom to live your life the way you want.
Location Independence means you have the freedom to;
- Travel WHEN you want
- Adhere to a schedule as busy or as free as YOU plan it
- Generate an income from ANYWHERE in the world
- Not have to answer to anyone but yourself when it comes to how to live YOUR LIFE
Sounds pretty good, right? Unfortunately, many reading this blog will believe that it is too good to be true. But the truth is that once you recognize what factors are limiting your freedoms and the way you think, you can begin to see how easy it is to separate yourself from these constraints.
4 Factors Keeping Us Location Dependent
Our Careers
The primary constraint keeping us from achieving the life we desire is our dependency on our careers and the security of the steady income it provides.
Unfortunately, these jobs limit not only your travel freedoms but also your time freedoms. With 40 hours a week being the standard full-time work week, a quarter of our lives are spent in the office, and the rest of our free time is spent stressing about the following day’s work.
The worst part is, we have to ask for time off. If you think about it, the whole concept of requesting permission to go on vacation is pretty ass-backward.
Our jobs should cater to support our lives, not the other way around.
We are slaves to the corporate world, and until we are comfortable leaving these constrictive career paths behind in favour of more remote-friendly sources of income, we will never truly be in control of our own lives.
The Fear of Getting Started
It is one thing to wish you were working outside of the office; in fact, most people do, but it is another thing to actually take the leap and leave all of that behind.
We may recognize the leash the corporate world retains around our necks, but it also offers the security of knowing we have that “big brother” looking over our shoulders.
The fear of seizing control of our lives back from these authoritative figures can be difficult and is the reason why many people will retain their dependencies.
However, others (such as you who have found your way to this blog posting) are actively seeking to remove themselves from their third-party dictators and are simply searching for the reassurance that it is possible.
Well, I’m here to tell you that you can.
You don’t need the validation of your superiors. You don’t need someone to tell you what your strengths are or the areas you lack. And, you don’t require anybody’s approval to take action.
Take control of your own life. Whatever that may mean to you.
Whether converting to a remote career path and travelling to the forgotten corners of the world or simply attaining the ability to set your own schedule, location independence is the freedom to take control of your own life.
And YOU can achieve that freedom too.
Social Expectations
The third factor that is a common obstacle for those seeking to attain the freedom to control their own limitations is the expectations of those around them.
It is hard enough for us to change our own way of thinking, but it is even more complicated when our new perceptions contrast those of our peers.
They just don’t understand our desire to separate ourselves as our own source of authority, and they will challenge that goal every step of the way.
But the truth is they fear that lifestyle for you because they don’t understand it, and they cannot see it as a viable option.
Like you, their way of thinking was developed within the western train of thought, but unlike you, they haven’t been revealed to the concept of living a completely independent lifestyle.
And, unfortunately, they probably won’t recognize the lifestyle’s viability until they witness it for themselves.
For this reason, you are their experiment of proof.
Let their objections encourage you to continue your journey and show them that they too can pursue the lifestyle of their dreams.
The Western Way of Thinking
For this reason, the fourth obstacle in achieving a location-independent lifestyle is the western way of thinking itself.
Not only are you battling against the perceptions of your peers, but also those same influencing factors that have morphed your own current way of thinking.
Within the western world, we are told to seek higher education and enter the workforce from a young age. We grow up believing that entering the workforce is what life is all about. That our careers are what gives meaning to our mundanity.
This is not true.
This western narrative is not a prerequisite of life but rather a dated and morphed means to support the lifestyle we desire.
In our modern age, we have alternative options.
Remove yourself from the American Dream life path, and explore what our modern world has to offer.
Alternative Career Paths For Location Independence
Now, with that being said, let’s explore some careers paths that can provide a source of income while not sacrificing your freedom to remain independent.
Teacher
Teaching has been a vital profession in educating our youths, dating back to the first private tutor, Confuscious, circa. 561 B.C.E. And, while traditionally this is an occupation that has been highly location-dependent and involved direct engagement with students, the emergence of the age of communication has changed the game.
With the introduction of video calls and near-instantaneous communications from across the world, the breadth of students a teacher can reach is limitless.
With online educations services such as Skooli, VIPKids, and QKids, teachers can attain location-independent freedoms by offering their services to students anywhere in the world, from anywhere they may be.
Freelancer
The second common career path for location independent workers is to convert their current skills and experiences into a freelancing business.
This can be anything from web design to consultation services and everywhere in between.
I am a freelance copywriter and content marketer, and I can work with my clients from anywhere in the world.
So, think about what you do best and decide the best way to leverage those skills to benefit others.
The secret to building a solid freelancing career is to develop strong business relationships to create a diverse client base. From there, don’t take a single client for granted. Deliver quality content that will have those you work with coming back for return business.
Entrepreneur
You don’t have to be the CEO of a Fortune 500 company to afford to travel the world. In fact, I would think the CEO of such a large company wouldn’t have the time.
Starting up a small business not only provides you with a source of income but also the freedom to decide to close up shop for a couple of weeks and take off on a trip.
The best part is, it’s not hard to start a business, nor does it cost a fortune to get started.
In fact, you can get started today for free.
You can simply go to a free website hosting service, such as wordpress.com, and create an eCommerce site at which you can begin selling just about anything.
And I mean anything.
The internet has such a broad reach that there is literally a market for everything online.
Find your niche and begin selling.
Other Digital Nomad Options
The term digital nomad has gained traction in the last few years and likely hardly needs an explanation. But, for those who may not be as familiar with the term, it refers to the lifestyle of travelling the world while generating an income with nothing but your computer.
And, while the three sources of income above are typical examples of digital nomadic careers, there are literally dozens of directions you can go with it.
Other examples of digital nomad career paths include;
-Virtual Assistant
-Day/Swing Trading (Stocks, Forex, Cryptocurrency etc.)
-Affiliate Marketing
-Social Media Manager
-Programming
-website design
–And much more.
There are many different options you can go with. Find the one that speaks to you, and discover what unique angle you can offer your clients.
What Does Location Independence Mean For Your Family Life
Earlier I spoke about the concept of the American Dream, and we are going to go back to that here.
With all of this talk of location independence providing you with the freedom to travel, people wonder what effect this would have on their family life.
Would this lifestyle mean that you would have too much time to travel that you won’t be able to create a family or maintain your parental ties?
Absolutely not.
In fact, a location-independent lifestyle would have the opposite effect. After all, location independence simply means you have the freedom to travel, not that you have to.
Instead of the term location independence, you can think of the lifestyle as independence of time.
How often do you hear people say they do not have the time to see their children or parents because of their workload. Hell, maybe that’s even you.
Now I’m not blaming you. You work hard to provide for your family. It is a noble sacrifice you are making.
But when the time comes when you can no longer take care of those you love, will you be thinking of the things you provided them, or will you be thinking of the time you could have spent with them.
Well, with location independence, you don’t have to decide between time with your family and providing for them.
Instead, you would be able to plan your work week around your family life.
Want a long weekend to go on vacation with the family, well let’s ask your boss.
Oh, wait. You just did. Take Monday off. It’s not going to affect your candidacy for that upcoming raise.
Whether your dream lifestyle is to travel the world, have a large family, or a combination of the two, being location-independent gives you the freedom to develop your own American Dream.
Is Location Independence Right For You
If you have read this far, then chances are you are strongly considering or would like to begin a journey to a lifestyle of location independence.
That’s good. Take back the reins of your own life.
However, for those undecided about whether the lifestyle of location independence is right for them, don’t worry. The lifestyle change is a serious commitment and should not be decided on overnight.
This Lifestyle Is Right For You If You…
- Crave the ability to make your own life decisions
- Would like the freedom to work from anywhere in the world
- Would like the freedom to work on your own schedule
- Want to run your own business
- Would like more time to do the things you want
This Lifestyle Is NOT For You If You…
- Are afraid of risk
- Don’t want to build your income from the ground up
- Crave the security that comes with a 9-5 office job
- Like to delegate life decisions to others
Take some time to weigh the benefits of location independence against the things you would give up, and think what it is you would want to achieve, not only for immediate results, but for 5, 10, and even 30 years down the line.
Location independence is rewarding, but it is not for everyone.
However, if you are still with me here, take your time, collect more information, and make the leap when you feel ready.
And don’t worry, I am here to help whenever that may be the case.
You can contact me via email or social media with any questions you may have along your journey.
The greatest resource you can tap is the community of people pursuing the same dreams as you.
The dream of freedom.
