Some Unexpected Benefits Of Location Independent Living (As If You Needed More!)
Photo by Fort Photo.
Freedom to fly, blogging from under a palm tree, minimalist living, freedom to choose, total flexibility, never-ending variety, working from wherever you choose…lifestyle design at its finest!
Those were the things that drew me to design a life of permanent travel and location independent living. What about you?
Over the past year, we’ve experienced all the above and more.
Despite some of my more ‘realistic’ descriptions of the life of a modern nomad, this lifestyle has brought all kinds of unexpected benefits; some of which I doubt we’d have been fortunate to get otherwise.
As if some of you need any more encouragement or motivation to go for it 
these are some of the bonuses we’ve experienced as location independent professionals over the past 15 months…
#1 Business Opportunities
Whilst it has never been our intention to pick up business wherever we’re staying (typically because going in on a tourist visa means you can’t work in that country), more often than not we’ve done so.
I have to admit, we’re not always the most sociable couple you’ll find (we love each other’s company and would far rather spend time on our own, than spend time with people we don’t click with or don’t like) - but even with our limited networking and socialising, we’ve met contacts and prospects who’ve all been interested in what we offer and generally sent business our way.
At the same time, travelling to and living in multiple countries gives us a unique and global perspective on business; we see opportunities that we otherwise wouldn’t have seen and we see threats, risks and challenges in a different light too.
As a business person and entrepreneur, travel gives you unique insights into running and growing a business in a global environment.
#2 A global network of friends
It’s common sense I guess given this type of lifestyle and our reliance on the internet, but connecting with a group of people and making ‘virtual’ friends all over the world was not something I’d given much thought to before we left.
What’s actually happened is that via this blog & the book, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, A Small World and my other blogs, I now feel part of a great online community of friends and contacts who I’m quite sure I’d never have met otherwise. I’ve had the good fortune to ‘meet’ & connect personally with people like:
- Chuck Hester (US) - PR Director at iContact, power networker on Linked In, subscriber of our ezine and big proponent of the ‘Pay It Forward’ principle of living.
- Collis & Cyan Ta’eed (Australia, currently in HK) - creators of Freelance Switch and all-round lovely people who we’ll hopefully meet ‘properly’ in HK soon - which would be very cool!
- Emma Bird (Sardinia) - creator of How To Italy, blog buddy, journalist and resident of Sardinia.
- Joanna Young (Scotland) - blog buddy and a writing coach who’ll be running an Absorbing Writing workshop with Emma in Sardinia later this year - and holding a writing competition which they’ve bravely asked me to judge!!
- Keris Stainton (UK) - blog buddy and a writer who is ‘almost as sweet as a regular-sized’ person.
- Lena West (US) - blog buddy, technology expert and all-round great gal who’s been very supportive over the past year.
- Pamela Slim (US) - blog buddy from Escape From Cubicle Nation who’s just fab.
- Rolf Potts (US) - the original Vagabond who is kind enough to let me write on his blog.
- Shah Husain (UK currently in India) - lovely Oscar-nominated screenwriter who interviewed me about writing my book and has just launched a great new online community resource for writers.
- Suzy Greaves (UK) - top UK life coach who also interviewed me about the LIP lifestyle and helps others make their own big leap.
And then of course, there’s all of you!
#3 Personal opportunities & benefits
I had never planned to write a book - never been one of those people who thought I had one in me. Yet here I am with a self-published book that’s sold quite well already, a New York publisher who wants to publish it ‘properly’ and a second one currently in progress.
Similarly, Jonathan has made more progress in launching his illustration career as a business over the last 15 months since we left the UK, than he did in the 15 years we lived there.
For me, there’s also something beneficial about being further away from the expectations and pressures that family and friends can exert on you; it gives me a feeling of immense freedom and makes it a whole lot easier to live our lives the way we choose, not the way others around us expect or want us to.
I’m sure there are plenty more that I’ve forgotten or that some of you have experienced that you didn’t expect to - or that you hope you might when you do leave - do share them in the comments…
For those of you considering this lifestyle and trying to weigh up the pros and cons - there are plenty more pros (and cons for that matter - but unless you hate it, they’re rarely showstoppers) that you’ll never think of until you try it!
A Quick Personal Update…
This week we’re leaving South Africa after a fantastic 3 months here. After a weekend stop in Dubai, we’ll then be winging our way to Thailand for at least a month - with a side trip to Hong Kong to sort out my ID card and bank account.
And then it’s off to….erm, not sure yet - for business reasons, we may have to change our existing plans completely and wing our way back to South Africa rather sooner than we thought.
I’ll be sharing updates and more on this on my personal blog if you want to find out!
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Comments
Thanks Joanna…we’re at the stage right now of feeling unsettled and edgy just because we know we’re moving on! It’s that “wish we were just there” feeling again…but it will soon pass when we’re baking in the tropical heat of Thailand!
What’s interesting from the social/networking perspective is the difference between Jonathan and I…he’s not really a big online networker so he’s had quite a different experience of working on the net & being location independent than I have - he’s felt more isolated and less like he has friends anymore. Suffice to say, my way’s better so he’s going to make more of an effort from now on
The benefits go both ways Lea! As a home-bound writer and Mom of two small kiddos here in AZ, I get to live vicariously through you and Jonathan. I love what you are doing, and how you are helping others by sharing your experiences.
When travels bring you to Arizona, you know where to stay!
All the best,
-Pam
Thanks Pam! We’ll def look you up if we ever pass through your way - Jonathan would love to do a trip through the US at some point so it’s on the cards 
We’re hoping to start meeting some of the people we’ve met ‘virtually’ - would be silly not to do so and take advantage of our freedom to travel…
Guys your blog and your thoughts are a great inspiration to me. I have dreamt of being more independent for a long time. The thought of just a backpack is truely uplifting.
I have three children aged 8, 11 and 13 (this year) and my partner has two aged 11 and 15 but we both dream of a time when we can become more independent and create our own adventures.
Best wishes
Guy (Cornwall, UK)
Wow Lea, how cool you guys really live. I envy you right now and for the next 7 months at least. LOL. I’m trying to convince my hubby to pack up and travel Oz indefinitely with our baby birds when his current work gig runs out at the end of this year.
It’s great you met Joanna as she is also a blogging buddy I know. Isn’t the world a small place? If you are ever back in Oz, Queensland, you are welcome to shack up with us in our small but comfortable home.
Just from reading your blog I already feel I know you guys well and thanks to you you lit my belly again with my eternal wish to travel the world as life has gotten in the way of that for a while.
Thanks
Monika
Yes…go, go, go!!! I’m sure you’d have a blast with the kiddos!
Thanks so much for the offer of a bed in Queensland…we’re going to have to start taking some of these offers up soon, methinks We’d love to come back to Oz - we had a blast there and as we got married in Sydney it’s a special place for us…
Look forward to hearing of your travels
@Guy - thanks Guy, really glad you enjoy the blog. At least your kiddos aren’t toddlers any more - not too long to go before you can go off on some travel adventures
Yes, in the great scheme of things it wont be long but i do feel claustrophobic most of the time. I am itching to get moving.
However, an interesting thought I feel is that many successful people in life, it seems to me, had influential experiences with their parents as they grew up.
Im wondering at what age I may actually start to travel more with my children. Of course taking them out of school the old they get is more disruptive but Im thinking of the school holidays for longer adventures, particularly the summer holidays.
Get to show them some of the world, get them to understand some of what the world is like so that their minds are less blinkered by the local environment and culture.
I think that giving one’s child that sort of introduction to life will be significant and life changing for them.
best wishes
Guy
Thanks for sharing those unexpected benefits. Although I’m more fixed in my location I enjoy *some* of these by working at home through the net, not least making connections with people like your good self.
Have fun in the next stage of your travels!
Joanna