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A rundown on being a digital nomad in Bali. Yea bro, it’s possible for you too.

Making Decisions & Finding Passion

Golly gumdrops, look at the view from my house this month! I had to cut half my face off to fit in the amazingness of it! Probs should have avoided the face altogether, but you guys, you never click on stuff unless I’m in it.

So here is the more wrinkly half of my face.

This place I’m staying which is completely private apart from the papaya thieving toothless lady and my pet gecko who watches me cook from above and the dudes who try to clean my room while I’m still in it and the lady that sweeps my deck at 7am while I’m still sleeping. It’s self contained, and it’s a 10 minute scooter ride into the centre of Ubud where you can get an hour long massage for $10 AUD.

My house costs me $500 AUD per month. My scooter is $50 per month. Petrol $1 every few days. Meals $2 a meal at local Indonesian places or if you’re a coeliac like me, $5-15 for Melbourney style western deliciousness. Yoga classes are the most expensive thing you’ll do, around $10-$14 per class. Flights here are $500 on Air Asia from Aus. A full day 6 hour spa experience: $120 AUD. A 6 course degustation at a fancy pants restaurant: $80 AUD. Admission to a crazy infinity pool and beach chairs: $10.

I’m telling you all this because the reason I’m here is because I followed my now-business coach Natalie Sisson and her posts about Ubud inspired me to come here and work for two months a year ago. It was life changing for me to realise that you really can travel and live so cheaply overseas.

In case it’s in your realm of possibilities to work remotely for a week or more, I just wanted you to know what’s possible.

I save money by living in Bali, while living the dream and being far warmer than poor Bloody Good Chap who Facetimes me in his new hooded puffer jacket to emphasize what I’m missing out on.

I’m aware most people don’t have location independent jobs… but what if you could? Could you make it happen? Could you do what you do as a freelancer? Could you turn your skills into something you outsource while working for yourself?

I bet there’s a huge percentage of you who could work out a way how if you really put your mind to it.

It’s the way of the future, working remotely, for multiple people.

If your boss won’t allow it, find one who will. Or be your own boss. Being over here among hundreds of digital nomads working with nothing but their laptops and their flip flops from beautiful coconut-palm and monkey surrounded coworking spaces like Hubud and Outpost makes it seem a million times more real than being at home in the midst of the daily grind.

If your boss won’t allow it, find one who will. Or be your own boss. Being over here among hundreds of digital nomads working with nothing but their laptops and their flip flops from beautiful coconut-palm and monkey surrounded coworking spaces like Hubud and Outpost makes it seem a million times more real than being at home in the midst of the daily grind.

Sometimes it takes stepping out of your comfort zone and into a new perspective to realise what’s really possible. And the best way to do it is to be around people who are doing what you want to be doing. If only while exploring for a week.

No doubt some people will grumble at me writing this, I’ve had it in the past “not everyone is as privileged as you Andrea to be able to save up and start their own business.” And while yes I absolutely understand that there are kids and mortgages and jobs and things standing in many a way, this post is for anyone who is wondering, could I do that?

(And side note, there are a lot of expats over here that sold their houses and moved to Bali, kids and all, it is possible if you’re willing to find a way.)

Where there’s a will there’s a way.

Don’t let them haters tell you you’re being a sausage. I’d rather be a risk taking sausage than a glum donut.

I’m not saying it’s easy or instant. But it’s 100% possible if you’re determined to get what you want out of life.

Ask yourself, what would your 96 year old self wished you’d done?

Then work your way towards that with all you’ve got.

Ps — To learn more about regulating your emotions like the kind of legend that doesn’t throw coke at me, head over here to check out Bloody Good Life, an unconventional mind-taming program for overthinkers.

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