Throughout Covid, I got more and more questions about my lifestyle from people who also wanted more freedom (fun fact: my Digital Nomads book is more popular than ever!). The war in Ukraine makes everyone realize that you should always have a 'plan B' for unforeseen circumstances. Suppose you had to flee: where would you go? Where are fewer rules? Where do you find like-minded souls? Where is life still meaningful/affordable? What do you bring with you and what do you leave behind? Digital Nomads like me already live very light and flexible. What can we learn from the location-independent lifestyle?

For years we've practiced 'global thinking': the further away and the larger the scale, the better. Nowadays we tend to focus more on local products, local initiatives, on a smaller scale, which feels more 'real'. What does it really mean to be 'local'? For me it is staying longer in one place and not acting like a tourist, but rather immersing myself in local life. I like to return to the same restaurants and I feel successful when the locals recognize me after a while and remember me the next time I visit. This month I offer some 'food for thought' on this theme.

Sometimes things happen that threaten to turn your whole life upside down. At such moments you have the choice: do you let yourself be placed in the victim role or do you take control and make the best of it? Nelson Mandela once said, “You are the captain of your soul”. In this inspiration shot, I’ll share some of the situations that I found myself in and how you can react.

Safe adventure does not exist. There is no reward without risk. Fear is part of our life. Sometimes it has a function (to prevent you from harm), sometimes it holds you back, just because this new experience feels uncomfortable.