Welcome my adventurous friend!

Great to have you here for this weeks newsletter.

I’m writing this having just returned from a stunning boat trip through the emerald waters of the Andaman Sea!

I honestly think the Andaman Sea, whether around Phang Nga Bay, Phi Phi Islands or heading on down to Ko Lanta, is one of my favourite places in the world.

Turquoise warm waters, huge limestone karsts jutting up majestically, hiding little caves & secret beaches ripe for exploration. No matter how many times I go out, I just can’t get enough of it. 😮

On a side note, I always remember when we first arrived in Phuket, Rhett (my husband) saying to me ‘honey, you need to meet some people who have boats’.

Well fast forward 10 years or so and I have quite a few boat owning friends, and I’m super lucky that they’re happy to take me on some of these amazing adventures. (Feeling blessed!)

But I digress, back to today's newsletter!

Here’s what's in store for you today;

1. My 5 Favourite Road-Worthy Business Models for the Nomadic Entrepreneur

2. The art of slow travel: How to become a slomad

3. Embracing your achievements; crafting your bucket list with a twist (plus a free gift)

4. How to start earning and create a life of travel - your questions answered

5. Bucket list destination spotlight - reader recommendation

6. Your weekly challenge

5 Favourite Road-Worthy Business Models for the Nomadic Entrepreneur

Following lots of questions and emails from this post on Facebook;

I decided to write a more detailed post with steps on how to get started with each of the models I suggested on the post, plus I included links to even more detailed step by step posts for some of the business models.

You can read it on Medium here - Top 5 Road-Worthy Business Models for the Nomadic Entrepreneur

I hope it helps!

The Art of Slow Travel

I always refer to myself as a nomadic solopreneur, but if truth be told, I’m more slomadic than nomadic.

When you say the word ‘digital nomad,’ it conjures up visions of 25-year-old bikini clad beauties running through waterfalls in thongs, and as a 51 year old Mum of an almost grown up daughter the last thing anyone wants to see is me in a thong, I guarantee you! 🤣

But rather than hopping from country to country ticking off our bucket list as fast as possible, I like to stay in a place for a while, immerse myself in the culture and soak in my surroundings. That’s certainly how we’ll travel when we hit the road next May.

If like me, the thought of exploring the world at a slightly slower pace and truly connecting with some of the fabulous places you visit sounds ideal, my new article is for you!

The Art of Slow Travel; How to Become a Slomad

Slow travel is definitely on an upward trend since covid and more and more people, particularly the 40-50+ crowd are opting for this as a lifestyle choice. I couldn't be happier to be part of this movement, sharing my journey and insights to help make this dream a reality for you too. 😁

The Reverse Bucket List

And while we’re on the subject of turning dreams into reality, have you heard about the reverse bucket list?

Rather than simply looking forward with lists of everything you want to do, a reverse bucket list is about looking backwards first and celebrating what you’ve already achieved!

Rather than just constantly focusing on how far we have to go, sometimes it does the psyche good to remind ourselves how far we’ve come.

Here’s how to create a reverse bucket list;

1. Make a list of all the things you’re proud you’ve achieved in your life. It could be as simple as getting your first 100 followers on Instagram, or taking a solo trip, getting a promotion, building a website, or starting your own business. Make a big list of all your achievements no matter how big or small.

2. Now take a moment to reflect on the amazing things you've accomplished in your life. You are awesome and you should celebrate yourself a bit more often!

3. Lastly, use this information to inspire what comes next. If you’re super proud of that chicken risotto you cooked (personal reference there), why not add 'Attend a cooking workshop in Lombardy' to your list? Or, if you happened to have completed a tough mudder (yep, another personal reference, but to be honest my trainer pretty much carried me around 😉), consider 'Hawaii Ironman' as your next challenge. 🤣🤣🤣 (never gonna happen).

But you get my meaning. It’s so much better to create a shorter list of specific and passionate goals, than a massive list of ‘meh’.

I love the saying, if it’s not a ‘hell yeah’, it’s a no. Make your list a list of Hell Yeahs!

A Little Gift for You

To help you on this journey, I've created a printable Bucket List Journal, for free! It's designed to help you track your past wins and plan future adventures with joy and purpose.

Download Your Very Own Bucket List Journal for Free Here!

You can print it out or open with goodnotes/notability on your ipad.

Let's turn our bucket lists from daunting to doable and from overwhelming to overjoyed. 😁

How to Start Earning and Create a Life of Travel? - Your Questions Answered

I want to do a section every week, where I’m answering one of your questions.

From the emails and questions I received this past week a common question was how do I start to earn money and create a life of travel?

Without doubt the fastest way to start earning and have the flexibility to work from anywhere is freelancing.

According to Statista, out of some 35 million digital nomads in the world, around 35% are freelancers.

Start by making a list of your skillsets and what you can offer businesses, and sign up to a freelancing site such as Upwork or Freelancer.

Create an awesome profile, showcasing your expertise, and then master responding to job offers and getting fabulous reviews for your work.

It won’t be long before you’ll have more jobs than you know what to do with, which by the way can be done from anywhere in the world (as long as you have an internet connection).

Here’s a detailed post from my business site to help you get started - How to Start Freelancing in 2024

I hope it helps and I’d love to answer your questions, whether about business, travel, working on the go or anything else you think I can help with!

Just hit reply and send me an email with your question and if I think it’s relevant to all, I’ll feature it in an upcoming newsletter.

Bucket List Destination Spotlight - Reader Recommendation

This weeks bucket list destination was recommended by an old friend of mine Dave Smith who ran Spice, the adventure travel company, for 40 years and says this was one of his favourite trips of all!

A Grand Canyon River Rafting Trip with Grand Canyon Expeditions Co.

They offer a variety of trips, but I'm particularly excited by the 8 & 9 day trips that take you through 277 river miles, negotiating almost 200 white water rapids! That'll get the heart thumping!

It's not just about the rapids though. What really grabs me is the chance to see the Grand Canyon from a completely different perspective.

We've been lucky enough to helicopter in and see it from above;

So it will be thrilling to cruise down the river and witness the sheer scale of the canyon, with its towering walls and ever-changing scenery.

Plus, let's not forget the camping under the stars - that's an experience in itself. What an adventure, combining a bit of rough with the spectacular – exactly my kind of trip!

This is definitely going on my bucket list.

Your Weekly Challenge

You didn’t think you could get away without doing anything? We may be slow travellers, but we’re all about action!

Your challenge this week is to download the bucket list journal (or use a notebook), list at least 5 things you’ve achieved in your life that you’re super proud of, and take a moment to appreciate yourself. You rock!

Then list 5 things you’d love to achieve in the next few years.

Pin the page to your fridge, bathroom mirror, or save as a screen saver on your phone. But make your dreams front and centre, so you have a constant reminder of what you’re going for!

That’s All Folks

That’s it from me this week. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together.

I’m trying various formats so do please use the poll below to let me know what you thought of this weeks newsletter. Also feel free to leave further feedback after you click the link, with any suggestions of what else you’d like to be included.

The more feedback I get, hopefully the more valuable the newsletter becomes for you.

Have a fantastic week. I’ll see you next week and in the meantime, live your best life!

Jo 😊