Reigniting my Spark
How Becoming a Digital Nomad Helped Me Reignite My Spark as an Internet Marketer
Maybe the passion you once had for internet marketing has started to fade. I get it. I've been there. I felt the same way not too long ago—like I’d hit a wall, and my excitement when I first started my online business had not exactly disappeared but dissipated. To be fair, decades had gone by since I started.
But here’s the twist: Nearly five years ago, I made a life-changing decision that completely reignited my spark. I became a full-time digital nomad. Packing up my life, working from anywhere with a Wi-Fi connection, and truly embracing the freedom that internet marketing had always promised gave me the fresh energy and drive I desperately needed.
As many of you have read, I have always traveled. I met my husband on a bus to Tibet in 1976. Theoretically, I have a perfect life. I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. I had created a life for both of us whereby we had more money than we knew what to do with. We worked hard, often 17-hour days, but every year, we traveled for about five months. Although we never stayed in five-star hotels, that wasn't our style. We did do lots of expensive activities that would have made most people wince.
Becoming a widow turned my life upside down somewhat, even though I had over two years to prepare myself. I'm not sure, but to be fair, you can prepare for something like that. It is life-changing.
In my case, it was more life changing than it was for most people. I wasted two years because I did not want to do anything I might regret. Then, I sold up everything I owned and became a digital nomad.
Here are some of the steps I took to reignite my passion for business. It took me a while because when I first lost my husband, I had the feeling I couldn't earn a living on my own. This was ludicrous as I had always made the big business decisions myself. That was not his forte; his genius was organization and putting my wild, madcap ideas into place.
- . Setting New Goals That Align with My New Lifestyle
When I first became a digital nomad, I realized my old goals no longer matched my new lifestyle. I used to aim for things like hitting a specific income target or growing my email list by a set percentage. But now, my goals were more aligned with the life I was building: earning enough to sustain my travels while still having the time to actually enjoy them.
I started breaking my larger goals into micro-goals, focusing on tasks that would keep my business running efficiently while I moved from one place to the next. That way, I didn’t feel overwhelmed by a huge to-do list. Achieving these smaller wins, like automating my email marketing or launching a new ad campaign, helped me regain my momentum without burning out.
Action Step: Reevaluate your goals. Do they align with the lifestyle you're trying to build? Break them down into smaller, actionable steps that you can work on daily or weekly. Celebrate every small win, as those victories will build momentum.
Have the courage to let go of ideas that no longer serve you.
2. Tapping Into the Global Digital Nomad Community
In the first year, being on the move and working remotely can sometimes feel isolating. Still, it also allowed me to connect with a vibrant community of fellow digital nomads and marketers. One of the biggest shifts for me was realizing that I didn’t have to do this alone.
Sharing stories, exchanging strategies, and simply being around others who understood the highs and lows of this lifestyle recharged my enthusiasm for the work. I realized that community and connection were crucial for sustaining my passion.
I no longer need that support, and I take my sense of connection to local communities, who have been surprisingly welcoming to the mad foreigner. It's been a few years since I felt I needed that connection, but it has been an important part of my growth.
Action Step: If you're feeling isolated, find your tribe. Whether you actively connect with online communities, attend local meetups, or engage in a mastermind group, surrounding yourself with like-minded people will boost your motivation and offer fresh ideas.
3. Embracing Change and Learning New Skills Along the Way
Traveling as a digital nomad naturally introduced me to constant change, which spilled into my business. I was constantly exposed to new ways of thinking, which forced me to adapt. This, in turn, sparked my curiosity and reignited my love of learning.
I realized that I needed to keep up with the latest marketing trends to stay competitive. So, while hopping from one country to another, I dove into new learning opportunities. I took online courses during long flights, read marketing blogs during interminable bus rides, and participated in webinars as a premium plus member here. Learning to be a prompt engineer kept me on my toes and gave me fresh ideas to apply to my business.
Action Step: Keep learning, no matter where you are. If you’ve been feeling stuck, it might be time to explore a new aspect of marketing. Take an online course, read a new book, or dive into a podcast. Continual learning brings fresh energy to your business.
4. Balancing Work and Play to Avoid Burnout
Becoming a digital nomad also taught me the value of balance. It’s easy to get wrapped up in work, especially when you’re passionate about what you do. But the beauty of being location-independent is the opportunity to experience life in new and exciting ways. I realized that if I didn’t make time to explore the places I was traveling to, I was missing out on one of the main reasons I chose this lifestyle in the first place.
I learned to structure my workday around the lifestyle I wanted. I’d work in the mornings, explore in the afternoons, and dive into local experiences in the evenings. Other times, I work immersed for 5=5 days and then take two or three days off. This balance has helped to prevent burnout and made me look forward to each workday with renewed excitement.
Action Step: Create a balance between work and play. Whether you’re traveling or working from home, schedule time to do the things that bring you joy and work hard, but remember to enjoy the freedom that comes with being your own boss. Reward yourself.
5. Tracking My Progress From Exotic Destinations
When you’re always on the move, it can be easy to lose track of how far you’ve come. One thing that kept me motivated was tracking my progress, no matter where I was. I’d sit in a new café or next to a volcano, laptop open, reviewing my goals and acknowledging the milestones I had reached.
Recently, I started two new blogs and write at least 6,000 words a day, one article for each. I also have to write enough to be able to take my days off. I am driven harder and further because I know if I write enough (25,000) words in four days, I can have three days off.
Seeing those wins—even the small ones—reminded me that I was on the right path. I am passionate about a new niche and have never been involved with the prepper niche. I love my holistic wellness blog, which has 58 articles in 7 weeks.
Action Step: Start a progress journal, and make it part of your routine, whether you’re at home or abroad. Reflect on your wins, however small they may seem, and use them as fuel to keep moving forward. Mine is on Google Drive, so I don't need extra bits of paper.
Reigniting My Passion has made me come full circle
Even though I had always loved to travel and work from anywhere, I still managed to lose sight of my "why" along the way. But by reconnecting with my deeper motivations, adjusting my goals, and finding the balance between work and life, I was able to reignite my passion for internet marketing. If you’re feeling stuck, remember that it’s okay to hit a rough patch, and you can always get back on track by taking small, intentional steps.
It's fun starting all over again but with two decades worth of experience. I was further motivated by taking on extra financial burdens when I decided to give away a third of my income. That is a personal thing, but it did help me find ways to increase my income.
It's a good job. I reignited my passion because, over the last twelve months, I have realized I will die traveling. My one brother supports my decision even though he thinks I am bonkers. He has had nearly 70 years to get used to that fact. Everyone else thinks I am insane from the world I left behind. What is really interesting is that every traveler and local I meet doesn't find anything odd in my quest.
Only you can make your life happen, and life is too short. If you don't live your life then someone else will
