Nomad-ing as a life coach 👀

Together with

Howdy friends,

When I first started nomad-ing in early 2020, I couldn't help but notice something: 

Pretty much everyone in my travel group was either working in tech (marketing, sales, customer success), or they were developers. I hardly ever came across anyone from different fields.

But over the last couple of years, the nomad scene has really diversified, with more and more people from different backgrounds embracing the on-the-road lifestyle.

So the next time you roll up to a digital nomad meet-up, you’re likely to see more than just the usual suspects. I’m talking teachers, consultants, and—believe it or not—even realtors. (It seems everyone’s getting in on the nomad action now!)

That’s why I’m so excited to introduce you to my friend, Georgie.

Georgie’s a digital nomad who built a career as a virtual somatic and life coach. In today’s story, she shares The ABCDEF Method and how she used it on herself to reprogram the limiting beliefs that were holding her back from living her dream life as a nomad.

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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✍️

Sometimes I have to remember to pinch myself. I’m literally living the life that—just six years ago—I could only dream of.

Now, I live in Cape Town. I’m working remotely. And I’m building the virtual life coaching business of my dreams. 

Who would have thought …

Let’s rewind six years back when I was 25 years old. 

Back then, I was desperately trying to fit into the London lifestyle, establish a “successful” career path, and still keep pace with the many social, cultural, and familial pressures and expectations that we all inevitably face while trying to figure out who we really are and what’s truly important to us. 

It was a lot. 

It’s safe to say that, during that time, I was deeply out of alignment with my true self. 

The way I was living, operating, and behaving didn’t align with my soul’s mission, purpose, or desires. And as a result, I felt lost, unfulfilled, and completely disconnected from myself.

Worse—I was so exhausted and burnt out from constantly trying to please people and manage the stresses of a demanding and thankless job. Cue:

• Anxiety

• Regular panic attacks

• Unregulated emotional outbursts

• Low self-esteem

• Clinical depression

Eventually, I even ended up with written permission to sign off from work.

I realized that something needed to change—and that only I had the power to do it.

Since I’m never one to take things lying down, I decided to throw myself into the work required to reconnect, rediscover, and realign my life.

Along the way, I remembered my thirst for wanderlust—how every cell of my being feels deeply nourished when I’m experiencing new places, people, and perspectives. 

You see, I’ve always had a curious, adventurous spirit that thrives off variation. This is why growth and evolution are two of my core values—I get a serious kick from stretching my own personal edges, as well as the collective parameters of what’s perceived as “normal” or “possible”... 

But throughout all those years trying to hustle and fit in in London, I had lost my way. I struggled to fully step into the true version of myself.

Why?

Because I didn’t believe I could.

• I didn’t believe I could craft a “nomadic” life with the job I had at the time.

• I didn’t believe I was experienced enough to go freelance and work remotely.

• I didn’t believe I was financially stable enough to feel safe and settled in a new place.

• I didn’t believe it was the “right” or “responsible” thing to do.

Back then, my belief system was totally skewed. More concerningly, it was keeping me stuck. 

My beliefs were stopping me from stepping into the life I truly desired. 

I found excuses everywhere—but they were always external things like money, accommodation, flights, timing … 

The reality? My obstacles were 100% internal. 

That’s when I realized that I needed to challenge my beliefs and adopt new, more empowering ways of thinking that matched the life I desired to create for myself.

How did I do this?

I spent time, attention, and energy (with the support of an amazing coach) to identify my fears and the subconscious limiting beliefs that were keeping me stuck. 

Next, I challenged and reframed these internal obstacles into new, empowering beliefs that gave me the strength to FINALLY start taking bold and courageous action toward the nomadic life I desired.

Are you feeling swayed by disempowering beliefs? Are they stopping you from: 

• Booking that plane ticket?

• Having that conversation with your boss? 

• Quitting your job?

• Moving out of your flat? 

• Starting that online business?

Then it’s time to reprogram your belief system. And one of my favorite ways to do this is with The ABCDEF Method. 

The ABCDEF Model comes from cognitive behavioral therapy. It’s designed to help people recognize and reframe their irrational thoughts or limiting beliefs. 

The goal of The ABCDEF Method is to help you learn to use rational thinking to respond to these stifling thoughts, beliefs, or situations in a healthier, more empowering way that supports—rather than hinders—the life you want to create for yourself.

So the next time you hear that ol’ niggling negative limiting belief taking hold, follow these steps:  

A - Activating Event

What’s the activating event that triggers your limiting belief?

• When or where did you notice this belief popping up? What was the date? Time? 

• Where were you when this thought came into your mind? What environment, situation, or scenario were you in? 

• Who were you with when this belief popped up? Were you interacting with a friend? Family member? Colleague? Partner? Were you on your own?

B - Belief 

What’s the belief (the cognitive component) that’s attached to the reaction to the event? 

This is often where limiting beliefs or negative “self-talk” come in. Often, we don’t take the necessary time to challenge the source of the belief. 

• What is the belief, specifically? Does it have something to do with your skill(s) and/or your capabilities? Your value or your worth? Your identity? 

• Is this belief familiar? When did you first believe this to be true? What was happening at the time? How old were you?

• Is it an individual belief or a collective/universal belief? Is it even YOUR belief?

C - Consequences 

What are the practical and emotional consequences of having this belief?

• What are the consequences of having this belief? How is it impacting you emotionally and/or practically?

• How is it hindering you? What’s the payoff? 

• How might this belief benefit you? What might it be protecting you from?

• What would need to change for this belief to no longer have relevance?

D - Dispute

How can you dispute or challenge the limiting belief? 

• Where is the proof or basis for this belief? Is this belief actually true? 

• Is it true for everyone or just you?

• How have you discounted the evidence of this belief?

• Is the belief supporting some other, potentially unconscious goal(s)?

• Does the belief system make common sense? Is there any generalization or other thought pattern influencing these beliefs?

• Is this belief still relevant to you now? Or is it habitual?

E - Exchange 

It’s time to exchange the belief for something more positive, empowering, and believable. 

This is where cognitive restructuring takes place and new mental habits are created. As you create a new belief and neural pathway, your RAS (reticular activating system) will look for evidence to back up your new belief in the real world, proving it is POSSIBLE, which creates more confidence and self-belief to take action towards the life you desire.

• What would need to change for this belief to no longer have relevance?

• If you could choose, what belief would be more useful and more relevant to your current reality?

F - Future Planning

When and how will you test this new belief in the future? 

• What action will you take to help you practice and integrate your new belief? Write it on a sticky note and place it on your mirror so you can see it daily. Repeat it out loud to yourself morning, noon, and night to strengthen those new neural pathways. Journal about it daily to remind yourself of what’s possible.

It was only after taking the time and effort to reprogram my belief system (which, by the way, is something I will have to do regularly throughout my life) that I realized:  

• I could craft the nomadic life I wanted with my old job. I requested permission to decrease my working days and to work abroad so I could build my life coaching business on the side. (I also asked for—and secured—a pay raise.) SUCCESS.

• I was experienced enough to go freelance and work remotely. I expressed my interest in going freelance and became my company’s go-to online consultant. SUCCESS.

• I was financially stable enough to feel safe and settled in a new place. Since I successfully secured a pay raise, decreasing my working days had no impact on my income. It also gave me the space and time to build my life coaching business and client base. SUCCESS.

• It was the “right” and “responsible” thing to do. Doing all this fuelled my happiness, which not only fuelled my relationship with myself but my relationships with those around me. SUCCESS.

Most importantly, I learned that what you believe becomes your reality.

So, what beliefs do you need to alter to support the remote working life of your dreams?

To connect with Georgie, you can follow her on Instagram here, or head to her website.

Gear Check🧳

I'm preparing for my 16-hour flight back to Cape Town next week. And really, no matter where I travel, there's one essential item I always bring with me: noise-canceling headphones. 

While my partner highly recommends these earbuds from Beats, I remain loyal to my trusty AirPods. Nevertheless, whether you prefer Beats or Apple, you don’t want to board your flight without them. Trust me. Noise-canceling headphones will be your saving grace to drown out crying babies, snoring passengers, and all other disturbances on your flight. 

Airport Reads🗞️

• I’ve been loving the Travelonist Newsletter. Each edition contains 1 travel recommendation, 1 reflection, and several interesting reads you can scan while waiting for your flight. Perfect for any travel junkie, like us. 😉

• Last week, I played pickleball for the first time in years with my parents—and now I now the hype. No wonder it’s the fastest-growing sport in America.

• TikTok definitely targeted me with this one … and they were right.  I’m obsessed with this map of dive sites around the world. You can even get it printed on a canvas or a beach towel.

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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