I’ve been living and working in Lisbon, Portugal for the last month. And the subheadline here is that I’ve basically written nothing in that time. I struggled this month to achieve any kind of moderation in work/life balance… I was either posted up in my favorite chair in the WIP for 10-12 hour days or I was living on vacation with my sister. Essentially — It didn’t leave a lot of time for blogging or video posting or anything else really. I walked the (ankle-busting) streets of Lisbon (carefully) back and forth to work, and I got to know a few great little spots for coffee, but I don’t feel like I did as much or saw as much as I was able to that first month in Split.
We make the life of a digital nomad look really amazing from a distance. We post pretty photos and videos on social media on the good days. Blue and green views over the ocean. Winding cobblestone streets and seas of red tile rooftops. Drinks and dinners more like art than food. Group photos with dozens of people where we all look happy and delighted by our surroundings — and we’re getting along perfectly. In the photos, we make this look easy and beautiful. In the photos, we are all the #squadgoals.
But I am still carrying exactly the same anxieties and stressors and personality flaws that I was in Michigan… Almost constantly concerned about my clients and wondering if I’m working fast enough. Putting in extra time to make sure those clients are happy — often to the point of exhausting myself and missing out on the city I’m in and the people I’m with. Thinking abut my family, and how they’re doing, knowing I am not there right now (and feeling like I maybe should be). Trying to work on myself. Trying to go to the gym. Trying to write. Trying to learn a new language. And occasionally — just feeling totally disconnected as I try to build not-so-awkward relationships with people that I still only kind-of know.
Most of the people I am traveling with are on a pretty similar mission – To live a life that’s full and intentional and overflowing with experiences. A life that gives us real connection to others. A life where we see and do more everyday. Sometimes it works, and we connect to each other in all the fulfilling ways we’re looking for. A moment in a small room echoing with music. A bike ride together along the ocean. A really delicious dinner in a tiny restaurant chock full of local people chit-chatting and laughing.
And sometimes it’s completely and utterly lonely and isolating. You get up in the morning. You go to the gym. You work. You go back to your apartment tired. You get up the next day and do it again. There are days that are exactly the same as they were at home, except none of my people are here to cushion those days with me. And at the same time, I’m sad that I am maybe missing a lot of what’s unique and inspiring about being in a new country in the first place.
But I get to try again next month. One of the really special things about the Remote Year lifestyle is that every month, we move to a new city. We get new roommates and a new view. We get a new apartment and a whole list of new activities to try. We get to start all over. The beginning of every month in a new city is like New Year’s Day. What do I want to do this month? What do I want to be different? How can I do this better? How can I *be* better?
I’m sorry I wasn’t a better citizen in November, Lisbon. I’ll be back to try again someday.
Hello, Valencia. Let’s get to know each other.