From lonely remote worker to community builder 🙌

Howdy friends,

Having lived a nomadic lifestyle, I've observed that loneliness is a widespread experience shared by many. 

That’s why I’m thrilled to give the floor to Sianne from Momentum Monday. 

In her story, she shares her journey from being a lonely remote worker to building a vibrant community of over 600 individuals who not only work together but also find enjoyment in their collaborative efforts.

Let’s dive in.

Hey, this is Kelsey, and you’re reading the SiteSee newsletter. Think of me as your Big Sis when it comes to travel, inspiring you to keep going places. You can expect an email from me every Friday filled with nomad stories, tips for living a location-independent lifestyle, and the gear to get you there.

Travel Story✍️

Starting a business in the middle of the pandemic was admittedly a half-baked idea. 

I was new to working remotely, new to working behind a screen in general, and relatively new to my industry. But as any seasoned nomad knows, a random spark of inspiration often leads to something life-changing. 

This is the (ongoing) story of how my biggest failure became my biggest accomplishment. Brace yourself, we’re going back to 2020.

Yes, the year the world shut down. It was the year I decided I hated corporate - I felt disengaged, underappreciated, and isolated in my remote work bubble. 

By this point, I was already spending ¾ of my workday doing cartwheels at the park, so I wasn’t super tapped into my work ethic anyway. When the opportunity to do freelance marketing for twice the pay arose, I jumped the shark. 

It wasn’t long before I realized I had no idea what I was doing. 

Trying to pretend like I did wasn’t helping, and my main coping mechanism became avoidance – which doesn’t bode well for a start-up. 

I never had a backup plan or a savings account. I never bothered to research how to build a marketing agency. Favors from my landlord were running out and my optimism was wearing thin. What made me think I could build a business from scratch with no one to show me the ropes? Did I really think I could manage my time effectively and stay motivated working from home with no one to relate to? 

After losing client after client, I started to feel immense anxiety about work, which peaked on Sundays. Another week of feeling like a failure? I was at a total loss for how to proceed. But going back to corporate was never an option.

At about the six-month mark of total agony, I ended up taking a camping trip. It turns out a weekend spent staking tents, hiking mountains, and lugging gear like rent was due (it was) was exactly what I needed to remind myself of how capable I am. 

Beyond the physical proof that I was in fact, not a total loser, I learned how immensely powerful it is to be around people who share similar values. Seeing other campers challenge themselves, get vulnerable, and support each other so unconditionally made me realize that doing hard things is a lot easier when it’s with other people. 

By the time I got home that Sunday evening, I decided that I was no longer going to face my  career anxiety alone. I texted a few friends and asked them to meet me at a coffee shop the next morning to start the workweek together. For fun, I gave our gathering a name: Momentum Monday. 

That was over two years ago and I’ve never missed a single Monday since. Word about our remote coworking crew spread like wildfire. 

Within weeks there were 20, 30, 40 people showing up to face Mondays together. Today, our group has over 600 members, three sessions a week, and international retreats twice a year. 

We witness people quitting their corporate jobs and starting successful companies of their own on the regular. This group has seen countless business partnerships forged, life-changing contracts landed, and even holy matrimony! 

The thing we all have in common at Momentum Monday is remote work. But what really bonds us is the desire to enjoy the time we spend working. 

Nobody wants to feel isolated for eight hours a day, feeling unappreciated and understimulated. 

Being surrounded by people who champion your humanity, inspire you to think bigger, and lend a hand where they can, creates sustainable momentum and ultimately, a more meaningful existence.

Without this group, I don’t know that I ever would’ve been able to overcome the trials of working in isolation. It wasn’t just that being alone sucked the life out of me; it’s that I didn’t have anyone to affirm my skill or guide me through inevitable work-related challenges. Every time our group gathers is an opportunity to declare new goals and be held accountable to them. The people I’ve met at Momentum Monday have given me invaluable resources and support at every turn. Now I get to enjoy a profitable business that allows me to work when I want, where I want, and how I want. 

That spark of inspiration and reckless abandon that came over me in 2020 was simultaneously the worst and best thing that ever happened to me. 

Moral of the story: working remotely in the company of others can be all you need to rediscover your momentum in life.

If you’re getting bored of working alone, join us three days a week in Austin, Texas, twice a year in Central and South America, or schedule a call to bring Momentum Mondays to your city. 

You can connect with Sianne on Instagram here, or through her website.

Gear Check🧳

I can't recommend this bag enough – it's my go-to for short 1-3 day trips. I recently took it to San Diego, and it was absolutely perfect. The best part? It collapses down into its detachable pocket for easy packing. And being a BAGGU bag, you know they offer it in the coolest colors and prints.

Airport Reads🗞️

• I did a quick 2-day trip to San Diego to see some friends, and there's something about harrowing tales of murder that helps the hours fly by. Here are my top picks: Crime Junkies, Sword & Scale, and Serialously.

• I've got something new coming up in May! I can't spill all the details yet, but if you're looking to get into the habit of journaling every day, sign up for early access to Pocketbook Prompts.

Last Thing✨

As always, thanks so much for being here. Have a wonderful weekend, and I’ll see you here next week! 💫

Onwards,

Kelsey

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