97) Successfully Asking Her Company to Be Remote; Noemely's story

Are you ready to go remote in your current job and transform your life in 2025, but don't know how to ask your company?

Today we have on my client Noemely, who is a graphic designer who loved their current job, but also wanted her dream life of becoming remote as a digital nomad. We talk about her brave transition from a traditional office-based graphic design career to thriving as a digital nomad.  We are no recording this episode in the studio in Bali as Noemely recounts how she built the confidence to ask to be remote, the strategies she used to secure a flexible work arrangement, and the importance of community and mindset in achieving remote work 2025 success.

Key topics discussed include:

• The Transition Process: How Noemely leveraged her existing role and built trust with her employer, eventually taking the leap to work fully remotely.
  
  
• Overcoming Fears: Strategies for navigating loneliness, the language barrier, and self-doubt during solo travel and career change.
  
  
• Mindset & Motivation: How overcoming limiting beliefs and embracing a growth mindset can empower anyone to go remote.
  
  
• Community Impact: The supportive network provided by the Digital Nomad Life Academy and the role it played in fast-tracking her journey.
  
  
• Practical Tips: Real-life advice on managing remote schedules, building relationships with employers, and setting up an inspiring daily routine.

• KEYWORD: Want personalized guidance on your remote work journey? Send a DM with the keyword “apply” to @christabellatravels on instagram. 

Connect with Noemely:

• Instagram: @noem.ely
  
  

✨ Don't miss out! Sign up for this exclusive masterclass before it goes live!
🗓️ Live Only – Happening before May 28th, 2025!

 🔗 1. Go to the show notes
🌐 2. Visit: www.digitalnomadlifeacademy.com/biztraining
📩 3. DM @crystellabellatravels with the keyword “5 steps” 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Meeting Noemily, A New Digital Nomad
• 6:28 From Office Life to Remote Freedom
• 11:51 Money Mindset and Career Exploration
• 20:29 The Courage to Ask for Remote Work
• 31:14 Life as a First-Time Solo Traveler
• 45:58 Finding Your Nomadic Path Forward
• 54:18 The Power of Community and Vision

Transcript

Speaker 1: 2:43

Hey there and welcome to the Digital Nomad Life podcast. I'm your host, krista, also known as KristaBellaTravels on social media, and today I am interviewing a very special guest. She is one of my clients who has been a part of the Digital Nomad Life Academy, which is my business, where I help people go from nine to five to you decide or help people basically create the location, independent life and career of their dreams. Decide or help people basically create the location, independent life and career of their dreams. So Noemily is here and we are actually recording this in Bali.

Speaker 1: 3:13

She's been here for a couple of months now, at the very beginning of her Digital Nomad remote journey, and I just am really excited about this episode because I think we have a lot to talk about how you transitioned your graphic design career that was in an office into a totally remote situation. I know that this is your first time solo traveling, so that's super exciting. And, yeah, I'm sure there's lots of other cool little drops and wisdoms that we can include in this episode. So thanks so much for being here. Yes, thank you for having me. I'm excited to chat. Such a pleasure. It is always so fun when I actually get to meet my clients in real life.

Speaker 1: 3:56

It's crazy. Yeah, it is so cool, and there's actually been a bunch of people from the DNLA or Digital Nomad. Life Academy in Bali. So how has that?

Speaker 2: 4:05

been, by the way, awesome. I mean, I actually chose to come here first because there was like a lot of us here and I knew that it would be. Since my first solo travel, I was like a little bit nervous about like meeting people, even though they say you meet people so fast like and I have but um, but yeah, I had like connections here already. So I was like Bali is going to be my first place I go and it's been awesome.

Speaker 1: 4:27

Oh my gosh, I didn't actually know that that was one of the reasons why you chose Bali, but that literally makes me so happy. I remember at the beginning of my nomad journey oh, I talk about loneliness like quite a lot in this podcast, but, yeah, definitely struggled with that at the beginning. So I just was like this is so unnecessary, like there's so many cool nomadic people around that we can be connecting to. So they're in the DNLA yes, and so are you. Amazing people, yeah, but I want to scroll back the clock. Let's talk about the beginning of your journey. So maybe we just benchmark it here. So you are a graphic designer.

Speaker 2: 5:06

Yeah, maybe you can talk a little bit about, like what, your current way of making money remotely is now yes, so I am technically a creative services manager, so I manage projects but also do graphic design for a nonprofit in South Florida Central Florida actually and I've been working with them for three years. But this year I wanted to go nomadic and I had like the conversation with them and so they kind of went ahead and said, yes, like that, I can be nomadic, but for them I basically just manage all their creative projects.

Speaker 2: 5:43

Cool and you get to do that, even from Bali. That's right, even from Bali, on my own schedule, on my own time. As long as I meet my deadlines, then I'm good. What?

Speaker 1: 5:52

a dream scenario, okay, so we just had a little coffee like before we, or matcha, before we met up here and I was just, yeah, making sure that I was refreshed on Noamaly's full story.

Speaker 1: 6:05

And I know that, the way that you just said it, you're like oh yeah, I asked them and they said yes, but I know that there's a little bit more to the story than that Because I bet you, right now there's someone in their car driving to their office right now and they're like, oh, I don't think I could just ask, Like I feel like it wouldn't work out that way. So can we rewind back to before you asked? Okay, what was your work situation like and actually why were you motivated to ask in the first place, Like, why did you want to go remote?

Speaker 2: 6:45

Yeah, okay, I love talking about this. So, a year working into the company, I always knew that, like, at some point, I just wanted the freedom to like be able to go on vacation when I wanted or just travel whenever I wanted, and my work situation was hybrid, so I could work from home some days and then I could work in person some days. And I part of me thought like this would be enough, like I would be happy with this, but you're still tied to like asking for a vacation and like, even though I'm hybrid, I still have to stay in my apartment working and I have to make sure, like I'm logged on at a certain time. What's?

Speaker 1: 7:25

up with that. I know why do they care if you're in your office, I mean in your home.

Speaker 2: 7:31

Like you know, I could go to a cafe, but still, like we use Slack and so you know, like they want to make sure you're available and all these things, yeah, and thankfully they weren't, like you know, breathing down my back all the time so like maybe I could have gotten away with some things, but I just always wanted to keep a good relationship with them because I knew it was a good situation and I knew, I think, deep down, I knew what I was going to ask for at some point, which is coming up, but, um, so yeah, so I would go into the office, um, probably like two or three days a week, and then I would work from home two days a week and I loved what I do, I liked working for the company, but I knew that I could do it remotely.

Speaker 2: 8:21

So there was a moment where I was feeling like a little bit uninspired, kind of, and I thought that maybe, like I wanted to switch careers, like maybe I didn't like my career, like I was just not feeling inspired to create. And this is like eight't like my career, like I was just not feeling inspired to create, and this is like eight years into my career Eight years, eight years into my career.

Speaker 2: 8:33

Yes, yes. So then there was a moment in my life where I was like very much into nutrition, wellness. I mean, I still am, but I thought that maybe I wanted to switch to that because I felt more passionate about that than like my situation and my career. And so I gave it a chance. Like I went to get my nutrition certification with a company and that was probably like a four month process. I like coached two clients and then realized that I missed creating Okay, so just to pause real quick.

Speaker 1: 9:04

So this is like how many years ago are we talking here? This is like a year ago.

Speaker 2: 9:10

This is like in this process, I joined the DNLA and then, once I was like in the DNLA, I gave the nutrition coaching a chance because, like, I had the support and I was like, why not give this a chance now? Like I have all these people who are supporting me, who are trying new things, who are learning new skills like this is a good opportunity to try it.

Speaker 1: 9:29

Oh, interesting. Okay, that's actually so cool because we didn't end up doing a career assessment, so which is fine. That's why it's optional in the D&LA and if anybody actually doesn't know what the career assessment process is. Basically, I work with a lot of people who come into the Digital Law and my Life Academy and they know they want to be a remote entrepreneur. But they're like but I don't know what I would do to make money online, like, I don't know what business I would create, I don't know what services I would offer. So I take this huge personality assessment and I basically suggest different remote businesses to the person.

Speaker 1: 10:02

But if you're someone like you know Emily, who already had a lot of graphic design skills I'm assuming maybe this is true or not true, but you probably came into the DNLI being like oh, I will pursue graphic design. But then you were around all these people that were pursuing new interests and things and you were like, oh wait, maybe I could do something new and different too. Yeah, cool, exactly, this is like so the power of community Just being around other people that are in an inspired energy is actually life changing.

Speaker 2: 10:30

It really is. It really is. I feel like it switched like the course. Actually it accelerated, like me becoming a digital nomad because I had been wanting to do it for so long, but having the community being constantly surrounded by people that you're meeting with every week, kind of pursuing the same thing, you're constantly reminded okay, this is my dream, this is what I want, this is possible. And when you're not surrounded by that, like I had been wanting to do this for like four years Four years and one year joining the DNLA I did it Like it's a huge difference.

Speaker 1: 11:04

Wow, it's not even been a year.

Speaker 2: 11:06

No, Right. I mean it's going to be a year in April.

Speaker 1: 11:08

Okay, almost. Oh yeah, happy, one year in Indiana, love that, okay. So basically you were like around all these other people and they were like, yeah, we're trying this thing. You're like, okay, maybe my lack of inspiration at my job is coming from the fact that I don't like the work that I'm doing. So then you decided to try out nutrition coaching. And then what happened after your four-month certification with nutrition coaching?

Speaker 2: 11:37

So after that I kind of had like some self-reflection. I missed in the process of like coaching those beta clients, I missed being like visually creative and when I'm designing I get into this zone that like I truly love. Like I'm like organizing information, I'm choosing colors, I'm getting to create something from scratch and like be creative and I love how I feel when I'm doing that. I didn't get that feeling like with nutrition and so I knew that it wasn't it for me, like it wouldn't be like a full-time thing, it wouldn't be something I could pursue passionately. And throughout that whole time I was meeting with my mastermind, which was huge for me.

Speaker 2: 12:18

In the DNLA Early on, we did like a mastermind the Nexus event yes, event, yeah, and Krista and her team kind of connected our mastermind together, which was amazing, like the group is amazing. And so I met with them every week throughout that process and kind of just like talk through the challenges I was going through what I liked, what I didn't like, and so at the end of my certification I came through this crossroads Do I continue to pursue nutrition or do I go back to graphic design?

Speaker 1: 12:57

And that's when I decided to ask my job if I could go remote. Ooh, okay, all right, I'm going to pause right there, just in case somebody doesn't know what a mastermind is, and specifically in the context of the Digital Nomad Life Academy. So this is an optional part of the DLNA. Not everybody does it and I'm like I don't know why you wouldn't do this. But whatever, okay, to each their own. Basically, we host this event where you can meet, like I don't know, dozens of other people in the community really quickly with like a speed networking event. And then we take a big inventory of your time zone, your age, your location, how far along you are in the business, what kind of business you're creating. We ask a couple of like personality questions, what your schedule is like. We take all this inventory and then we match you with three other people and then the expectation is that, yeah, you're coming to the coaching calls of the DNLA, like the ones with me, but you're also meeting with that mastermind group, like do you guys?

Speaker 2: 13:52

meet every week, or yeah? So right now we're not meeting because we're all in such different locations that, like we haven't found like a time to meet. But we met. I mean almost a year, because we probably stopped our meetings like two months ago. Oh my gosh.

Speaker 1: 14:06

I have goosebumps. I almost a year, because we probably stopped our meetings like two months ago. Oh my gosh, I know that's so cool. Actually, to keep that going every week for eight months is impressive.

Speaker 2: 14:15

That's some serious commitment and serious accountability, absolutely, and I think what was so special about our group is like we kept each other accountable. We created a safe space, but we also like created a friendship. So it wasn't always like the whole time we're talking about business that was a major aspect of it but there was little moments in there where we were just like connecting as humans, and I think that also made it really special, because it's like you're excited to talk about your business and like whatever you're going through, but you're also like excited to catch up with your friends, you know. So I think like creating that friendship in your mastermind is, yeah, key.

Speaker 1: 14:49

And to have friends who are also wanting to become digital nomads, also entrepreneurial.

Speaker 2: 14:54

Yes, Like are you kidding, it's sweet sweet setup.

Speaker 1: 14:57

So so, so good. Okay, so you're meeting with your mastermind every single week. You were like trying out the nutrition thing. And then you were like you know what? Wait, I think actually I do like graphic design, or I miss graphic design, where it's worth it to continue pursuing graphic design. And then you had this amazing idea to try to basically transmute your current situation into your dream situation. So, like I said, I bet there are a lot of people listening to this right now that are like my company would never go for that. So do you have any advice? Or like, can you break down the way that you pursued this? Because I know you were like I don't want to mess this up. Yeah, oh, my gosh.

Speaker 2: 15:37

Yeah, actually, from the beginning, I feel like I manifested it from the moment, like I took the job Number one, like I think I looked for the right opportunity. So I would say, like you know, I it was a hybrid position, so I knew to some extent I could do my job remotely and so I took on this position. I like the company Number one, like liking the company that you work at is is great, but looking for the right opportunity and then developing a relationship with the company where I knew that they would trust me. So this is me from the beginning, hoping that one day I would be able to, you know, transition and waiting for the right time. But I was like I need them to trust me, which means I'm going to show up on time to everything. I'm not going to take my job lightly. I'm going to do a good job, I'm going to bring new ideas to the table, I'm going to make sure that I'm really good with communication, so creating like a really good relationship with your boss and with your peers where, if you were to leave, they're like, oh, she's got it, like I trust her, like that's like really big, because I feel like sometimes people don't take their job seriously, and when you don't, your employees know it, they know it. And sometimes employees don't necessarily want to switch because they don't want to pay or like they don't want to like go through the interview process or anything like that. So sometimes employees stay with employers, stay with employees that they're not necessarily happy with.

Speaker 2: 17:02

So I had to make sure that in this transition that wasn't the case, that it wasn't that I was going to ask and they were going to be like, oh well, she's like replaceable, so we don't need to say yes to this. I wanted it to be the situation where, like no, we want to keep her, so let's like make this work, and so creating that trust with your businesses, with your company, is so important, and then showing them in little bits, like throughout building this relationship, that you can be fully remote. So throughout those two years, there was twice where I asked if I could be fully remote for two weeks, and they were both long trips. Both of them I was out of the country and throughout this time again, I kept communication, I met my deadlines, I didn't play around with my work, and so they knew throughout these two weeks that I could do it, and so when I came to ask.

Speaker 2: 17:51

You know, I kind of was able to present them with you. Trust me, I trust you. I feel like my job can be done remotely. I've proven that to you and I still want to continue this partnership that we have going on. You know like I want to travel and that's kind of how I proposed it to them. I really enjoy working for this company. I love the work that I do, but I also have my personal goals and I know that if I am in a different location, if I'm traveling, if I'm fulfilling these personal goals, I'm going to be even more refreshed and charged to create even better work. So that was a process for me.

Speaker 1: 18:29

Wow, okay, I actually would love to ask some more questions about this. I don't know what your answers are going to be. So I feel like if I were, first of all, I just want to say, like love, how thoughtful you were about the whole thing and the commitment to integrity and your work ethic. I think that's also the most critical piece of the whole thing. So did you have a plan B, like what were you going to do if they had said no?

Speaker 2: 18:57

I was just going to go full throttle with my business. I mean, I was going to stay with them for a little bit longer and I even communicated that to them because they were like, well, if we say no like, does that mean that you're gone? And and I kind of was honest. I was like, probably not right now, um, but eventually like yes, because this is what I want. Um, so I probably would have went full throttle with, like my, with freelancing and creating like my own graphic design. Yeah, um, business similar to what I do with them, probably the same model, because I kind of created like a process for them to submit creative requests and all this, and I probably just would have like replicated that process with new clients, yeah, yeah, and eventually done the same thing that I'm doing now.

Speaker 1: 19:42

Smart. I think that's actually such a helpful piece of information, or like a piece of advice. So, essentially, if you are and I'm just summarizing what you said to the listener so if you are wanting to ask your employer, first of all show the hell up as being a really, really good employee, test the waters a little bit and get them to be like, oh okay, they'll still meet all their deadlines and you know, like do a good job. And then, when you ask, make sure that you don't just like back down, like actually be prepared to start looking for something else. Yeah, I love the way that you said that. Yeah, great. So were they just like okay?

Speaker 2: 20:27

No, definitely not. This was like a month process. So my boss we have a really good relationship and she was like I mean, I feel like this could work, I don't see why not. But she had to run it up the flagpole, of course. And so she said, you know, give me a few weeks to like have some conversations. She said, you know, give me a few weeks to like have some conversations. And initially, when she came back and kind of like gave me my final offer for the situation, she told me that like she kind of did have to be an advocate for me to like the CEO, because the CEO wasn't totally keen on the idea of having someone overseas you know, he's like why do we need to do that? But because I had built this relationship with her and she trusted me and I had done good work, she like really showed up for me and, like you know, defended the idea. And so probably a month after she came back with the final offer, oh, okay, okay.

Speaker 1: 21:23

So you were very patient as well. Yeah, and I'm sure she advocated for you, not because you were just like this is what I want, please. You were like this is what I want, and if I don't get it, then you might not be seeing me very much longer.

Speaker 1: 21:38

She had something pretty big to lose, like obviously one of her best employees. Okay, so a month later they came back to you with a counter offer or with an offer, yeah, okay, so what month later they came back to you with a counteroffer or with a counteroffer. Yeah, okay. So what was that like?

Speaker 2: 21:51

So I had offered to them to be like a full-time independent contractor. At the time they were kind of reorganizing our team, so we lost like one person on our team and she they counter offered to be like a part-time employee, so working 20 hours a week, really good pay. The hourly rate was more than what I was making at the time currently, so it made sense for me. It was like enough money for me to travel and, you know, live pretty comfortably, and so I was like hell yeah, like I'm not going to counter offer that. So it was. It was a really good situation.

Speaker 1: 22:31

Wow, great. Okay, so you eventually got what you were looking for, and what month was this that they?

Speaker 2: 22:38

got you. This was so I asked in September and in October they gave me like yeah.

Speaker 1: 22:43

Okay. So what did that feel like when you accepted?

Speaker 2: 22:49

Oh my gosh, I was like I cannot believe that this is happening. I was so, so happy and also just so, so proud of myself because I knew I was taking a chance, you know, and it was such a big change it was something I wanted for so long that I was just like I texted all my friends, I texted my mom and my dad. Everyone was so supportive, like, and they've always been very supportive so it just felt like, wow, like my dreams are actually coming true.

Speaker 1: 23:19

Yes, so cool, that is so amazing.

Speaker 1: 23:22

I feel like I have a few memories like that where I just it's like the moment when things change, it's like you know that you can't really see everything that's in front of you, but you just know it's. You know that you can't really see everything that's in front of you, but you just know it's going to be amazing. So that's so nice that everybody was supportive. I don't know if everybody has that experience. Did you have any low-key haters? Was there anybody that was like, why are you doing this? Or did they know?

Speaker 2: 23:55

Were they so supportive and knew that you were trying to like get out of the country. I think everyone that I know kind of like knows me, you know, like my close circle, so thankfully I didn't have anybody like question like why are you doing that Like? Or that doesn't seem like a good idea, like I didn't get anything like that because I had talked about wanting to travel and like I'm someone who likes to try new things. So like when I brought it up to them it was like wow, you're doing that, like that's so cool, like I'm so happy for you. Obviously a lot of people are like I wish I could do that. You're living my dream.

Speaker 2: 24:27

Because a lot of people do want to do it. They, they just don't feel like it's possible. Yeah, why do you think they don't think it's possible? Because everyone around them is not doing it, you know, and it feels like a big leap. It feels scary and people don't always want to be scared, you know, yeah, yeah, why do you think they're scared? The unknowns, I mean maybe the unknown of, like, of what, where their income is going to come from, or will they feel safe in another place, or I think those are probably the biggest things like the lack of security. They think they're not going to feel you know.

Speaker 1: 25:07

So did you experience any of that fear at any point, or was it just always exciting?

Speaker 2: 25:13

I did.

Speaker 2: 25:13

I think it like it was because I wanted to do this for, like probably the past five years, like be a digital nomad.

Speaker 2: 25:20

Since I heard of the term, I was like, oh, I want that. So there were definitely times where I felt like am I going to feel insecure in another country or with the process? But then I got to a point where I proved to myself like the good work that I can do, that I can put effort into things and that it's not the end of the world if something goes wrong, like you can figure things out, like you can problem solve. But once I like joined the DNLA out like you can problem solve. But once I like joined the DNLA and like did a lot of like that mindset work of believing in yourself and like really pointing out your limiting beliefs and like figuring that out and then being constantly surrounded by people, like doing the same you know and then being open to a network of people who are actually doing it and they're secure and they feel safe. And you're like wait, what am I so scared of?

Speaker 1: 26:13

Yeah, I know we are so influenced by the people around us. I think that it's one of the most underrated I don't know hacks to life basically is just be in the same energy of other people that are doing what you want to be doing. So you just mentioned mindset and how that was a part of the DNLA. So could you actually just explain what you mean by that? I think that sometimes when people hear the word mindset and I was like this too. Actually, before I got really into personal development and before I ever started working with a coach, I had heard the term mindset, but I don't think I even knew what it meant and I definitely didn't understand how it would have applied to me pursuing my dreams and goals. So can you explain what you mean by that?

Speaker 2: 26:58

Yeah, so I mean the way that I look at it is like, literally, what are you setting your mind to and like, what are the repeating thoughts in your head? What are you telling yourself when you're confronted with challenges, and how are you like processing the things that are going on in your life? So some of the mindset work that I did was around money. So like, what is my mindset to like when it comes to money and was raised in which I feel like is very common, like in the US and maybe other states, but like just believing like money is evil and that if you make a lot of money or if you're like working to make a lot of money, then you're like a bad person or you're greedy or you're gonna become all these things.

Speaker 2: 27:49

So that was what my mind was set to without even knowing it, and so there were a lot of situations where I probably could have made more money but I didn't like in my past, or where I would always put like shy of what I actually want to make, just because I'm like, oh, I don't want to be that greedy or whatever you know. So working through that like that's an example of like some of the mindset work I did and like knowing that, hey, like, what I'm providing is value. And you know, money is like an energy thing, it's an exchange. So if I'm giving my energy, my effort, my creative talents, you know, then someone is an exchange, you know, giving the energy of money and the money that they've made to accomplish something that they want. So I think that that's definitely one of the biggest, like mindset shifts.

Speaker 1: 28:36

Yeah, money, money. Mindset, I agree, is one of the most important things, in fact, like if anybody listening eventually will join the DNLA. You will see that in your welcome email. I give you a bunch of books to read, and do you remember what the first?

Speaker 2: 28:50

book was.

Speaker 1: 28:55

It's the one I read um Be a Badass at Making Money. Yeah, it's called you Are a Badass at Making Money by Jen Sincero. It's got a bright green cover and read this book whether you're going to join the DNLA or not, it's so good.

Speaker 2: 29:06

It's so so good Like read that book, the first one.

Speaker 1: 29:09

That was the first one I read I think I've read it like three or four times.

Speaker 2: 29:12

I need to read it again.

Speaker 1: 29:14

I also need to read it again. I always need to read it. It's like money is, yeah, this thing that it really is such a big element of our lives, and what's so crazy about it is it's not a tangible thing, like we don't even live in a cash economy. Even in Bali, I literally never use cash.

Speaker 2: 29:32

Like I'm always just tapping my phone.

Speaker 1: 29:34

So it actually is literally just this like digital thing, like it's like something in the atmosphere, it's like I don't even know like numbers on a screen.

Speaker 2: 29:43

I was going to say represented by numbers on a screen that tick up or tick down.

Speaker 1: 29:47

Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. So, yeah, I think we just put so much weight and pressure and we assign so much meaning to money and then we make the digital numbers on a screen mean something about us, about our personalities, about are we a good person. We assign our personal values to it and the amazing thing about it is that, because it's energy, it can change. Yes, like in our energy, in our mindset. We can set our mind to a different thing, absolutely.

Speaker 2: 30:16

Yes.

Speaker 1: 30:16

Thanks for describing that to the audience.

Speaker 2: 30:18

I couldn't have said it better myself, okay.

Speaker 1: 30:21

So you did some money mindset and joined the DNLA shortly after you booked your one-way plane ticket.

Speaker 2: 30:29

So November, that was like my birthday gift to myself, because my birthday is November 7th.

Speaker 1: 30:33

Are you a?

Speaker 2: 30:33

Sagittarius no, I'm a Scorpio. Oh, okay, rising Sagittarius.

Speaker 1: 30:40

Oh, of course, so it's in me.

Speaker 2: 30:43

So, yeah, that was like my little birthday present to myself and I was like I'm going to buy a one-way ticket. And I set that goal like January of that year, I think. At this point I was like listening to your podcast a lot. I just hadn't joined the DNLA and I was like I'm going to book a one-way ticket somewhere at the end of this year and it happened. Oh my God, I couldn't believe it. I was like I'm giving up my apartment, which I loved, you know, and like I had lived in Florida for the past 12, 13 years. So I was like this is like a big change, but it's one that I've been wanting for so long that, regardless of the fear, like this is amazing.

Speaker 1: 31:27

Yeah, something that I want to point out about your story is that it's not like your life was bad you know, like you. You were like yeah, my, my work is actually at least 50% remote anyway.

Speaker 2: 31:40

So like.

Speaker 1: 31:41

I you know you like had flexibility. Um, sounds like you had a really amazing supportive community of people around you. Um, just things, things were good. You loved your apartment. You loved where you lived.

Speaker 1: 31:53

Florida is a beautiful place to live Nice weather, so it's like I don't know what would you say to someone who's like, yeah, but my life is pretty good. Now, though, do I really want to risk messing it up or throwing it all away, because what if my dreams are actually too outlandish? Or like not possible or like yeah, what would you say to somebody like that?

Speaker 2: 32:16

Honestly, the most practical thing I could say is you can just recreate that life. You already have it Like. You can go back to it. You hate this one, you can go back to that life. It's going to be there waiting for you, like I promised you is probably not going anywhere, um, so that's like the most practical thing I could say. But on another level it's like, yeah, but why do you like? Why do you have another dream, you know? Like, why is it that, even though your life is, you know, good for the most part? Because I, like my life was great, but like still I'm yearning for, like this other part of me that I want to explore and I know that there's something there for me to learn. It's calling me. It's been calling me for years so I could stay in this comfortable life that I built for myself or like step out of my comfort zone to like reach this dream. Like there's something there for me to learn that keeps calling me.

Speaker 1: 33:14

Yeah, that's so beautiful. It's like what is life anyway?

Speaker 2: 33:18

Are we?

Speaker 1: 33:18

really here to just keep doing the same?

Speaker 2: 33:20

damn thing over and over and over again.

Speaker 1: 33:22

For me that was a thing that made me so unhappy was the repetition of my life, like back when I was living and working in New York City. I just was like it's just this rinse and repeat situation and like it's good, like I asked for it, like I asked to move to New York. I asked for the specific career, I asked for the specific location that I was living in, and then I got it and it was great for a little while and then you kind of I don't know like plateau.

Speaker 2: 33:52

Yes, you, while and then and then, and then you kind of I don't know like plateau or yes you like find yourself in this, like, like you know, as much as I love my life, like I often would find myself, like probably like once a month, in this deep thought and I'm like, is this really what I'm going to be doing for the rest of my life? Not because I hated it, but because I'm like it's literally the same thing every week. I'm like is this really my life? Like you know, and we only get one that we know of.

Speaker 1: 34:15

So, like you know exactly.

Speaker 2: 34:18

Yeah, and that moment, every time that I'm like, oh, this is too repetitive. I was like this is driving me crazy. That those were the moments where I was like, no, like I need to really pursue this digital nomad life. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 34:32

Okay. So if we compare what your life and quote routine if you even have a routine now is compared to what it was before you asked your employer for permission to change everything up. Tell me about your life now.

Speaker 2: 34:49

What's it like?

Speaker 1: 34:50

Is it repetitive in any way?

Speaker 2: 34:51

Yeah, Tell me about your life now. What's it like? Is it repetitive in any way? Or In small ways that it's repetitive in the ways that I need it to be? Because I think I need to have like some kind of like wellness routine to make sure that, like my mental and my physical health are in good standing. So for that I do need a routine.

Speaker 2: 35:07

Like I like to wake up, meditate. I've been meditating a little less now, but you know what, the other day I was like I meditated so much back home because I feel like more days than I've had here I would wake up with some anxiety and maybe it's just because I wasn't aligned with the life that I was living and because I had to be at work at the same time every day. I just would sometimes wake up with anxiety and like that would help me like deal with that. But here I'm not waking up with anxiety. You know, like I'm living a life that I feel very aligned by. So like I meditate as a practice, but I've noticed maybe I don't need it as much. Um, and then so I wake up, I do some meditation sometimes and that's probably the most routine.

Speaker 2: 35:55

I have to be honest, like even my workouts are a little bit more. I'll set like the amount of days I want to work out, but I don't need it to be like at an exact time, because I can choose when I want to work. So some days I want to start working at 8 am and some days I want to start working at 3 and some days at 12. And literally every time I sit down to work because I can choose when I want to work I'm excited to do my work, like I'm excited to create, to design, answer my emails. I'm not like like some days I would get to work and I honestly wouldn't start working until like two hours in because my mind was like checked out, I used to do the same thing?

Speaker 2: 36:33

Exactly. Yeah, because I had to be there. I had to show up at a certain time, but like I wasn't ready to start work, yeah, it's just a waste of time.

Speaker 1: 36:40

I just feel like it's so unrealistically unfair actually for anyone to expect your brain to be online for a certain number of hours at the same schedule every single day, every day. I mean, I don't know, it's kind of crazy. Maybe that works for men, actually, and I don't know. They say that we work on different rhythms and cycles.

Speaker 2: 36:59

Yes, I saw your post today and I totally agree with that. Yeah, 100%.

Speaker 1: 37:03

Yeah, something that I want to pull out of your story, too, is I got a little quote that dropped into my head. It's create a life that you don't need to calm your nervous system around.

Speaker 2: 37:13

Yes, no, seriously it's. My nervous system has been great and like I sleep really well, like I'm a good sleeper, I don't have issues sleeping, but like here, waking up without an alarm and sleeping through I have never experienced anything like this. Like I just feel so good every time I wake up because I am fully rested. I'm not getting woken up in the middle of, like, my circadian rhythm or whatever. However, with some abrasive as fuck, alarm clock.

Speaker 1: 37:44

Exactly.

Speaker 2: 37:45

Oh, cannot, no, so I'm literally waking up when my body tells me to wake up, you know, and it feels so good yeah.

Speaker 1: 37:54

And that just sets you up for such a better work day as well. Absolutely, actually, I really appreciate you making the point about how, like you sometimes wouldn't actually get to work until a couple of hours later. Towards the end of my time in corporate, I was really really insecure about how I would do that, and sometimes it would be longer than two hours. Like, sometimes there would be days that I'd be like I just it's, I don't have it in me today, like I don't have any creative juice, I don't have any, I don't have the willpower, and I would just like my boss would walk by and be like, oh, I'm working, you know, but like I wasn't, I wasn't at all and I just want to. If you're someone out there who's like dealing with that and you are feeling insecure about the fact that, like, maybe you're not super, quote on it all day every day.

Speaker 1: 38:40

That is so normal. So normal that's not. It's just like. Like it's a completely unrealistic, unfair expectation. And I think it's just like. For businesses to scale, they need to have systems in order for them to grow. So it doesn't make sense for an employer to like tell someone oh yeah, come in whenever you want. Well maybe if they're really progressive, then maybe they would, but probably they're not.

Speaker 1: 39:05

Din dinosaurs, because that's the corporate structure and they probably just tell you be here at this time yeah, I know, it's just better. And you get to now work smarter, not longer Not longer.

Speaker 2: 39:19

Yeah, no, seriously. And even like talking, I was on the phone with my mom and she's a boomer and so she's been working like nine to five most of her life, and even her she's like 10 or 11 o'clock, she goes in like at 8.30 and she still hadn't started work because that day she just wasn't feeling inspired. It's like such a common thing Like you just can't be on every single time, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 39:44

Yeah, it's just not really a way to live. So I want to make sure that we talk a little bit about your solo travels, because I know you mentioned this was your first time solo traveling. I bet there are some people out there too that maybe they actually are in a similar situation to what you were, where they have super transferable skills, like you had in graphic design, and maybe they're already remote, but they're actually just working from home where they could just go, they could book a plane ticket to anywhere if they wanted to, you know, say, escape the winter or go visit a friend or whatever. But they're well, I guess, not visit a friend because you're talking about solo travel. Right, like, tell me about what your experience has been as a first time solo traveler on the other side of the planet.

Speaker 2: 40:30

Yes, so actually before probably like a week before I left, I was nervous about the aspect of meeting new people. I'm good at spending time on my own. I would consider myself like an ambivert, but I'm like really good with going to dinner alone or just doing activities alone, but I like to be around people. So I was really nervous. Am I going to meet people that I like, that I will have fun with, that I'm going to connect with? And, honestly, I have not dealt with any type of loneliness yet.

Speaker 2: 41:01

I've gotten homesick because I love my community at home and I'll just always get a little homesick, but I've met so many great people that are just willing to share adventures and willing to have conversations. I've been able to figure hiccups out even on my own Because, remember, guys, you have internet. You're not going to be stranded like on your own God forbid. But like you have so many resources Like just having your phone and a laptop like opens you up to a whole world of resources, like I've met so many people through Facebook groups, WhatsApp groups. The DNLA has been a huge, huge for me. Yeah, just joining different groups, like I was preparing myself for that, because that was like my one fear is just not meeting enough people. And it's been wonderful.

Speaker 2: 41:52

I went on like a solo 18 day backpacking trip. So my style of traveling was going to be like slow traveling, has been slow traveling because I'm not one to like hop around a lot. So my first destination was Ubud in Bali and I stayed there for a month. I loved it. I had, you know, different places, I got to explore and meet, and then I was like, well, I'm going to challenge myself and move around a little bit more. So I did like a solo 18 day backpacking trip just me, my backpack. I was a little nervous at first but again, I met great people. I have so many good memories that came from that and so, honestly, it's been a dream.

Speaker 1: 42:33

Like it's been so good, Love it Okay. So on this backpacking trip you went to a few different islands, right, and before this episode you were telling me you stayed in the hostel like one time and you weren't really into it. So where have these people come from that you've met and you said you have some great memories, so could you share with us maybe a happy memory, of course, yeah.

Speaker 2: 42:56

So one of the places I went to was Kuta, lombok, and there that trip was like really turned around for me, because when I got there at first it's very much like a surf town and like I'm not a surfer but I've surfed once and it was like fun and I went there because people had recommended it to me. But the first day, like I was a little bit homesick, feeling a little bit lonely, and I was like, oh no, like here it comes like my fear, literally. The next day I joined a surfing class. Like booking activities is a huge thing because you will always be with a group of people. So smart, yes, always book activities if you feel lonely, like you will meet people, um, and just smile like people are nice, people are not gonna.

Speaker 2: 43:39

But then I met like this group of uh, there was was three Germans that was like that were consistently I did like three lessons and we were consistently doing like the same lessons on the same days and so we would get lunch after and we would chat and they were just so sweet. I also got to hang out with like the local surfers. They invited us to like a local bar that they owned, and so the whole time I mean it was amazing. A trip that kind of started a little bit you know off for me like turned into like one of the most memorable trips.

Speaker 1: 44:12

Oh, that's so beautiful. What I meant to ask you before was like, what about the language barrier? And I'm doing air quotes when I say the language barrier, because I think a lot of people are very scared of a language barrier. But you were hanging out with some locals. So how did that work?

Speaker 2: 44:28

um, you, just you know you find different things to connect with. Like, specifically in kuta, obviously we connected through surf, so we were surfing and maybe we weren't having these deep conversations, but, like you would be surprised, like what you can share with someone other than like words, that's so beautiful, like honesty is really beautiful, like exchanging energy and exchanging company, exchanging laughs, like so sharing activities. Also, this bar that we went to, they knew like a lot of songs in English and they would play the guitar, so like we would sing together and connected by music, you know. So, even though you might not always be able to like share this deep conversation or whatnot, there's other things that you can connect through, okay.

Speaker 1: 45:14

I just had a little idea. I want this to be a time capsule moment for you. So a time capsule moment, if anybody doesn't know. Basically you just get you like, paint the details of a memory that you have really, really, really clearly, and now it's here in this podcast. So when you come back to listen to this episode, like, let's say, 40 years from now or something, you're going to come back to this part and you're going to remember your most favorite like beautiful moment from these early days.

Speaker 1: 45:44

So, can you give us a time capsule?

Speaker 2: 45:47

Like a very descriptive story.

Speaker 1: 45:49

Yeah, like give us like an in-first person, like I am sitting on the beach or something like that, and just go through the five senses.

Speaker 2: 45:56

Ooh, okay, okay. So we pull up to the beach to do a sunrise surf with the group of the Germans that I met and the locals to the two local surf instructors. And the wind is blowing and I hear the waves coming and going and the sun hasn't risen yet, but it's almost going to rise. So, like the sky is lit, smells like salt, of course, and the ocean Everybody's like super excited to surf. So we're like pulling out our surfboards and just like looking at the water together, prepping everything. And just like looking at the water together, prepping everything, looking at the current and like what the water looks like. And we all we decided to like paddle out instead of take a boat because we weren't going too far. So, yeah, we're sharing like sunscreen and just like chatting, and then we all grab our surfboards and we start paddling out into the ocean and, yeah, we have like a good surf day.

Speaker 1: 47:11

So beautiful, oh my gosh, I'm there. I'm right there with you. And so nice with the Germans. Sun is about to rise, so nice. I think, I want to start doing that with every single guest. I'm that's.

Speaker 2: 47:24

I can't wait to come back to it, yeah.

Speaker 1: 47:26

It's so good. So if anybody just like really got a super descriptive experience from Noemaly just explaining this beautiful moment in her memories, you can also do this the other way around and it actually helps you manifest experiences in your life. And it actually helps you manifest experiences in your life. So I know that you normally joined the DNLA, I think, after I did like a free live training, correct?

Speaker 2: 47:52

Is that?

Speaker 1: 47:52

right? Yes, I can't remember. Did I do a meditation at the end of that?

Speaker 2: 47:55

one I think you did. It was like a visualization meditation and like visualizing what your future life would look like. Do you remember what you visualized? I would always imagine myself in a home that was partially inside, partially outside, so I could always feel like the elements outside and just feeling very fulfilled and like happy with my life and feeling motivated to sit down and work. Wow, now that I'm saying it, I'm like this is it work? Wow.

Speaker 1: 48:23

Now that I'm saying it, I'm like this is it Okay yeah?

Speaker 1: 48:27

The reason why I was asking, if you remember, is because I have had so, so, like, like a bizarre number of people be like Krista that meditation that you did when we first started working together. Like it came true, like I was in the cafe, I saw myself in the country, and now I actually am here and the details are uncannily similar. So whoever you are listening to this, I want you to experience this because this is what's going to help you literally manifest your dream life, and it's so important because you need to have a vision to work towards and you kind of use that as a benchmark, like, okay, am I getting closer or further away from that vision? Yes, and it really helps you make split-second, like intentional, intuitive decisions.

Speaker 1: 49:16

So I do have a meditation that is free if you want to experience it, and it is at the end of a training that I have that you can go into the description of this podcast. So the training is called how to Get Started as a Digital Nomad. It is my OG most popular training that I've ever done. I've probably done this live for like I don't know, like 2000 people total, and that's why I have so many people telling me that this meditation at the end makes them cry tears of joy, and then, ultimately, they end up being like Krista it came true like that one thing.

Speaker 1: 49:55

So yeah, go into the show notes if you have time. It is connected to a timer because I reserve the right to take it down at any time. But if you go get that today, you will have five days to watch it, and you actually have to watch it within five days, just FYI, otherwise it will expire on your laptop. So go grab that, watch the whole thing, because it is the last 10 minutes, and make sure you watch it in a place where you actually can really drop in, where you can be. Oh well, normally you have a meditation practice. Do you have any little meditation tips for people? I think this might be a new practice for a lot of people listening.

Speaker 2: 50:32

Yeah, I think when people first start meditating they get very frustrated with themselves because they feel like they're supposed to do it a certain way or that they should be good at it right away. But it truly is a practice. You do have to practice and consistency helps. Just even five minutes, even choosing five minutes to sit and focus on your breath and having compassion with yourself, even when your mind is all over the place or you're not doing what you think you're supposed to do.

Speaker 2: 51:06

And the meditation has been big for me. So I noticed if, like, my mind is racing and then I'm like hard on myself because my mind is racing and I'm not meditating, then my mind races even more. So, like just have compassion, acknowledge what's going on. You're alive, your brain is on, like it's gonna have thoughts like sorry, and the more you do it, the better you get. And one thing that's very helpful when you're starting to is like using a guided meditation. So guided meditation to start off is so good because you have somebody's voice kind of helping you, you know, block out your own thoughts.

Speaker 1: 51:41

You stay on track. I also do a little bit of like breathing at the beginning. That kind of like sets you up to feel safe, and like allow your subconscious to really open up and let the visions come through.

Speaker 2: 51:52

Yes, deep breaths, that's the key. Just breathe, it's like really, it's pretty simple.

Speaker 1: 51:58

I feel like in our chaotic world we are needing to calm our nervous system so much it's like our nervous systems in the regular matrix rat race world is just like they're going haywire. So I think that is also why meditation can be really challenging if you do have like a nine to five situation. But that's why you need it?

Speaker 2: 52:17

Yes, you do, because then when you sit with yourself for long enough, then you will things that you actually want will start to come to the surface, like what's actually important to you will start to come to the surface, and that is so helpful for you to, like you know, reach your goals.

Speaker 1: 52:34

And you are such an amazing example of someone who set your mind. You chose the mindset that you wanted to have. You looked at your non-useful mindset in the past. You changed it with a lot of intention. You took action, inspired action. You sought help from a mentor, from a community. You kept showing up for yourself and you did the brave thing. You made the requests. You asked, you received. And now here you are, a couple months into your Nomad journey, with so many beautiful adventures ahead of you, so many behind. And yeah, I just want to say I'm so proud of you and I'm so honored to have you in the program and it's just amazing to have you here.

Speaker 2: 53:18

Like, wow, so cool. Thank you so much and honestly thank you for following your dream and creating the community, because after five years of doing it and like one year of being in the digital nomad, like really accelerated the process for me, like made me believe in myself and like overcome so many things, so it's been huge.

Speaker 1: 53:38

I'm going to cry Best thing ever.

Speaker 1: 53:40

Like oh my gosh just for people to believe in themselves is the biggest ROI I think you can ever get. So if you are listening to this and you're curious about the Digital Nomad Life Academy, well, actually I highly recommend watching that training that I just mentioned how to Get Started as a Digital Nomad in the show notes, but if you've already watched that, then just slide into my DMs. At Christabella travels, send me the keyword apply and when you send that keyword, I will ask you a series of questions just for me to get to know you a little bit better. It will be an automated message because time zones and whatever I want to get back to you right away. So send the keyword apply at Christabella travels answer the questions.

Speaker 1: 54:25

If you don't answer all the questions, I will not be notified that.

Speaker 1: 54:28

You even like. Sent me the message, so answer the questions, then I will get back to you when I'm awake and available and then we can send some voice messages back and forth and we can actually talk about if the program is right for you. And I promise you, if it's not right for you, I will tell you I am very protective over the community because the community matters so much and if there's someone that's not the right fit, or they're not as motivated, or they just are even pursuing a different business model. It just doesn't make sense to have them in the program. So I will tell you. So just slide into my DMs again, send the keyword apply and we can talk about if the DNLA is right for you and Noamaly. Thank you so much for being here. If there is anyone out there who would love to get in touch with you, whether it's for graphic design work or for maybe to talk about your story, I don't know what would be the best way for someone to get in touch with you.

Speaker 2: 55:25

Yeah, to talk about your story. I don't know what would be the best way for someone to get in touch with you. Yeah, so to keep it simple, you can follow me on Instagram at noemely so? N-o-e-m dot E-L-Y. On there I'll also have my graphic design Instagram linked and my portfolio website. I am open for freelance work. I love to work with companies who want to make a social impact or an environmental impact. I do a lot of marketing, graphic design as well as brand identity, so if you are interested, reach out. I'm open to chat about anything Amazing.

Speaker 1: 56:00

Well, thank you for being such an articulate guest with so many great stories and wisdom to share. Yeah, this has been such an awesome episode. I know I had so much fun.

Speaker 2: 56:03

Thank you for being such an articulate guest with so many great stories and wisdom to share.

Speaker 1: 56:05

And, yeah, this has been such an awesome episode.

Speaker 2: 56:07

I know I had so much fun.

Speaker 1: 56:08

Thank you for having me. You're so welcome. I think we should do another episode, like one year from now and just benchmark exactly what has happened, because I'm sure so much is going to happen in the next year.

Speaker 2: 56:19

Yes, I'll have more stories.

Speaker 1: 56:20

Yeah, oh, for sure You're going to have an infinite All right. Well, thank you everyone for listening to the Digital Nomad Life podcast and I will see you in the next episode. Thanks, bye.