Why I Became a Digital Nomad and how it Changed My Life
From a normal day job to business owner and Dutch digital nomad
If you would have told me a few years ago that I would start my own blogging and copywriting business one day, I wouldn’t have believed you. Being an entrepreneur and starting my own business? Not for me, no.
My father has always worked for himself as an intermediary in Insurances and to be honest, I only saw the disadvantages of it. Working full time, hardly ever really at home, answering calls in the evenings: no way. Believe it or not, today my opinion of starting my own business has changed 180 degrees and the timing couldn’t be worse.
What are the reasons that changed my opinion about starting a business of my own so much and becoming a Dutch digital nomad?
I’ll tell you in this post!
Reason 1: Being able to travel a lot
In September 2020, I took the plunge and started my own travel blog. I was recovering from a burnout, had a low-paying job in the hospitality industry, and the travel industry was in ruins. Nevertheless, I knew that this was what I really wanted: to write about traveling and to become a Dutch digital nomad.
Because traveling is my passion and my life. It’s the one thing that gives me so much energy. Combining that with my skills and experience in the area of communications turned out to be the ultimate combination of what I like to do and what I’m skilled at.
Traveling is – as I see it – the most enjoyable thing there is and I think it’s such a waste when people don’t do it because they’re afraid, because it’s too expensive or because it’s too difficult.
JASMIJN – REISPOWER.NL
It took me a while to come up with the right name, though. I wanted to be original (not something with travel or tours), preferably a name in English (should I ever want to make the switch to an international business) and it had to be a name that was easy to remember.
However, when I wrote down ‘reispower’ (travel power in English), I knew this was the name I was looking for. I want to inspire, excite and give other people the power to travel as well. Traveling is – as I see it – the most enjoyable thing there is and I think it’s such a waste when people don’t do it because they’re afraid, because it’s too expensive or because it’s too difficult. It doesn’t have to be that way! Often it’s just a matter of doing a little research, comparing prices, and simply just hopping on that airplane and go!
Reason 2: No more office jobs
Setting up a profitable travel blog takes time. Not only is it a matter of creating your website, but you also need to invest quite some time in content writing, maintaining your social media channels, and improving your SEO skills. It takes time to earn a good living out of a travel blog. That’s why many beginning travel bloggers give up after some time. Because the time, passion, and effort you put into it, does not immediately pay off. On the contrary. I was well aware of this fact and decided to continue working part-time as an employee on the side. My job in the catering industry kept on paying the bills, but it certainly didn’t make me happy.
So I decided to apply for a job in Communications to give myself a year to set up my travel blog, save money and gain some additional experience. After going through several job interviews, I decided to take the challenge at one Communications agency. I was very excited to take on a ‘real office job’ again after my burnout. However, on the second day of work, I already noticed that a ‘normal’ job was out of the question for me. It was suffocating for me and I felt trapped. Why?
- Because I felt like I was working on someone else’s dream rather than working on my own;
- Because I wanted to work when I had inspiration and when I felt like it. Not on set days between 9 and 5;
- I wanted to travel. And with only 25 days vacation days from work, I felt incredibly limited.
Determined, yet with my tail between my legs, I informed my new employer about my decision. Fortunately, he was very understanding. In the meantime, I had also quit my job in the catering industry. However, I needed to bring some money to the table, so I asked for my old job back. Ideal? No. Did I still feel like it? Not really. But it was the best option for me and it was what was needed at the time. Finally, I got to the point where I was able to quit this job again as well and I can now proudly call myself a travel blogger, freelance copywriter, and Dutch digital nomad.
“In addition to the freedom to work when I want, I now also have the freedom to work where I want.”
JASMIJN – REISPOWER
Reason 3: freedom
It is my ultimate goal to make a living out of my travel blog. This way I can discover the world as a Dutch digital nomad and at the same time share the most beautiful places with others. After my burnout, I noticed that I had to start listening to my feelings better. If I sense that I am a bit over-stimulated in the morning, I can now start the day with a quiet walk, take a moment to meditate or I may even decide that I don’t feel like working at all during that day. In addition to the freedom to work when I want, I now also have the freedom to work where I want.
How to start your own digital nomad journey
If you also want to make an income as a blogger to be able to become a digital nomad as well, you can start your blog here!
When you’re ready to start traveling as a digital nomad, it’s important to do your research and educate yourself on the digital nomad visa requirements of each country you plan to visit. While some countries are more welcoming to digital nomads than others, all countries have their own rules and regulations that you’ll need to be aware of before you travel.
To make things a bit easier for you, I’ve found a complete list of resources where you can learn more about the digital nomad visa requirements for various countries. So before you pack your bags and head off on your next adventure, be sure to do your research and educate yourself on the rules and regulations for digital nomads in each country you plan to visit.
