First of all: Happy New Year! I hope you will have a wonderful 2023. It might be full of amazing but also challenging moments – keep the amazingness inside you!

My new year starts with a new life chapter. A few months ago I decided to quit my remote job and said yes to a life filled with adventures and experiences I’ll never forget. An Instagram post would’ve been way too short to share the reasons of my decision and where the journey goes. So ladys and gents, it’s story time!

Find my personal updates about this journey down below

• April 2023: Thoughts after 3 months of full-time travelling
• August 2023: Thoughts after 6 months of full-time travelling

As some of you might already know: I was working remotely in a full time role for over three years, living the nomad dream. Working from tropical islands and big buzzing cities. On my blog I shared reasons why I love and don’t love being a digital nomad. Me and my mobile office became a really good team and I also became fond of spending my time in colivings. All in all I really enjoyed this lifestyle. From January 2023 I won’t be employed anymore and start a new chapter.

The path from Kindergarden to today

In 2022 a wish deep inside me became stronger and stronger which has been present since I finished my studies. Let’s turn back time to when I was younger.

I loved my childhood and was blessed with good education until I left university. This also meant though that every step of growing up was kind of set in stone already. From Kindergarden to school, from school to uni, from bachelor’s to master’s, from master’s to a fulltime job. And then…? Don’t get me wrong, having the chance to receive this kind of education is a blessing! But somehow there was never really time to go inside myself and figure out what I actually want to do and how I want to spend my lifetime.

The let’s say well known ‘typical path’ of buying a house and settling down somewhere in Germany just never really appealed to me. Over the years I had the chance to travel around the world and engage in different volunteer activities. I got inspired by the life story of people I met and realized that life is more than what I’ve seen so far. At that point I knew that I wanted to explore more. I didn’t dare the step to take a gap year or took some extra time off though. The pressure to succeed and function was too high.

By the time I finished my master’s I was working for a German company. Due or thanks to the pandemic, I could do my role remotely and therefore temporarily worked from other countries and various colivings around Europe. This is how I, totally unplanned, became a digital nomad and the world opened up in a way I never thought was possible. The best thing that could’ve ever happened to me for sure.

How I became a digital nomad? Click here to find out.

My inner wish became bigger

What most saw on Instagram and my blog was me getting to see other countries while working in a full time role. Which is an experience I loved and never want to miss. If you have the chance do it! It’s worth it. In 2022 though, I realized that this remote role wasn’t the right fit anymore.

Since I started my studies I’ve always wondered how would it would feel if there weren’t all those obligations and expectations I had to meet. If I could stay in a place as long as I want to instead of being restricted by holidays. If I didn’t have to log on Monday mornings and be available all day. I remember when school summer holidays were about to start, which felt like pure freedom and so much free time, until school started again. I remember the most beautiful travels during my study holidays which had to be shortened to start a summer job and go back to Uni. These days I book in my holiday and am restricted to the days and weeks given. I wondered what it would feel like if there was no limiting factor. Or even to find out whether I myself am the limiting factor?

The reason why I decided to quit is because I want to answer these questions for myself. I want to explore myself in different ways, find out more about my true motivation and get more insight into how I can make my existence more valuable.

A remote job doesn’t give the same freedom

Some might wonder why I wouldn’t explore more of the world while working remotely. Would be the right thing to do you might think. I was actually wondering the same. But talking about limiting factors is the reason why it wouldn’t work out. Just because the location I was working from didn’t really matter, the job still came with the same responsibilities. Being available every day, having deadlines and a tight schedule.

Read more about my coliving experiences.

Another thing I barely mention is that I sometimes don’t know if I even want to continue working remotely for an employer anymore. I miss not having colleagues sitting around me whom I could share my success and failures with or could go for an after work drink with. Switching off after a day of work was not always easy either. Working from ‘paradise’ doesn’t meant that you live a paradise life every day. With a totally different lifestyle and scenery around you, it’s sometimes even harder to be in the ‘work headspace’.

Furthermore I met many freelancers and started to wonder if I could set up my own business for some time. Just to see how I like this style of working. My head was full on my main role and sometimes I just didn’t have any time or brain capacity for something else. Weekends and holidays therefore were for relaxation (or placesoflinda).

I want to forget what day it is

As you can tell, there are a lot of different areas where I want to explore myself. And to be completely honest: I just want to enjoy the first free time in my life since being a working adult. Without a given time limit like a holiday or sabbatical comes with. Without a job or education waiting to be completed. I want to forget what day it is, not live by a daily schedule, rediscover my creativity and jump for opportunities that are opening up.

It’s actually less the ‘traveling around part’ that I’m looking for, because I know that this is rather exhausting than fulfilling for me. Instead, I want to learn more about things I like, try out different activities and jobs, help out in local projects and create value for this world.

So here I am, clicking the ‘next chapter’ button, going back to a very simple life and redesigning my days. For me this is not a step back, it’s a huge step forward. Because I’m dedicating so much time and love to my inner wish.

Leaving a job and securities behind is very scary – but isn’t it even scarier to die one day and not having experienced & dared the adventures waiting out there?

What’s the plan?

I actually love the answer to this question because it is one big reason why I am longing for my next chapter. There is NO plan. What is set so far is a flight to Bangkok and to spend some time on Koh Tao. This is basically where the plan ends – and I love it.

If I plan too far ahead I don’t even get to ask myself anymore what I actually want to do. Therefore I neither planned which countries to visit, nor did I make any bucket lists. The year 2023 is completely dedicated to my gut feeling which will bring me to the best and right places. I do have full trust in that. Of course there are some ideas but the real planning will only happen shortly before.

The aim is to travel slowly and low-cost and to only focus on the really important needs. I’ve been putting money on the side since I had my first job with 18 years. Not really for any specific reason, just because I grew up like this (thanks mum & dad) and try to spend my money wisely. This is why I’m now able to live without a job for a while.

I’m excited to take you along this journey with my blog and Instagram account. I’m going to share how my viewings change, about my experiences and useful travel advice.