The Fantasy That Got Me Started
When I first started thinking about becoming a digital nomad, I was fueled by a powerful fantasy. I imagined swapping my tiny Brooklyn apartment for sunlit cafés in foreign cities, trading the hum of the subway for the sound of waves or bustling markets in new cultures. I pictured freedom: the kind where I could close my laptop and walk straight onto a beach. I wasn’t just chasing a new lifestyle—I thought I was escaping something.
It didn’t take long to realize that while my surroundings changed, my mind, my habits, and my responsibilities came with me. The illusion that I could simply fly away from stress, burnout, or dissatisfaction turned out to be just that—an illusion. What digital nomadism gave me wasn’t an escape from real life, but a mirror to examine it more closely.
Work Follows You, Even to Paradise
The idea of working from anywhere is incredibly appealing, and in many ways, it’s genuinely life-changing. I’ve answered emails from rooftop terraces in Barcelona and led team meetings from rice fields in Ubud. But here’s what doesn’t show up on Instagram: the pressure to stay productive, the late nights to match time zones, and the ongoing dance of finding strong Wi-Fi in places that feel worlds away from reliable infrastructure.
Even though I was traveling, the core challenges of work didn’t disappear. Deadlines still loomed. Clients still had expectations. I was still me—still figuring out balance, focus, and motivation. At first, I thought the location would solve all that. I thought that if I were just in a more beautiful place, working would feel easier. Sometimes it did. But often, I was just working from a different table.
What You Can’t Pack in a Backpack
I learned pretty quickly that while I could travel light, I couldn’t outrun the parts of myself I hadn’t made peace with. Old anxieties, perfectionism, and a tendency to overwork followed me from Brooklyn to Bangkok. The excitement of a new city could distract me for a while, but eventually those feelings surfaced again, often in unfamiliar surroundings that made them feel even more disorienting.
Living out of a suitcase forces you to confront what you really need. And I’m not just talking about material things. I’m talking about support systems, meaningful relationships, and daily rituals that make you feel grounded. When you’re constantly moving, it’s easy to feel unmoored. Some days I felt like I was floating through time zones with no real anchor. That sense of freedom I craved came with a cost: disconnection.
The Myth of Constant Happiness
There’s a narrative out there that becoming a digital nomad automatically makes life more fulfilling. And while it can bring amazing experiences, it doesn’t guarantee happiness. Some of my loneliest nights happened in the most beautiful places. Watching a sunset over the Aegean Sea doesn’t erase homesickness or the ache of being far from family. No view can replace community.
When I was in Brooklyn, I had access to close friends, favorite coffee shops, and the comfort of routine. On the road, I had to rebuild those pieces over and over again. That taught me that fulfillment isn’t tied to geography—it’s tied to connection and purpose. Sometimes, chasing the next destination made me forget to be present where I was.
Coming Home with New Eyes
One of the biggest surprises of this lifestyle was how much it made me appreciate Brooklyn in a new way. After months abroad, the pace of the city, the diversity, and even the noise felt comforting. I started noticing things I used to overlook—the rhythm of the neighborhood, the guy at the corner store who always remembers my name, the sense of belonging I didn’t know I missed until I left.
Travel didn’t replace home. It gave me contrast. It taught me what I valued, what I needed, and what I was running from. In some ways, it brought me back to myself. It stripped away distractions and revealed what truly matters. The illusion that I could escape my life was replaced with a deeper truth: I needed to learn how to live better within it, wherever I was.
Redefining Freedom
I used to think freedom meant being able to go anywhere, anytime. Now, I think it’s more about being able to live in a way that aligns with your values—whether you’re in a coworking space in Mexico City or your kitchen in Brooklyn. Digital nomadism gave me the space to explore that. It broke the routine and showed me new ways of thinking. But it didn’t fix my problems. It gave me perspective on them.
I still travel. I still work remotely. But I no longer expect a new location to change who I am. That work has to come from within. Being based in Brooklyn gives me a solid place to return to, one where I can process, recharge, and reconnect. The road will always be there, but now I move through it with intention, not escape.
Becoming a digital nomad has been one of the most rewarding, eye-opening experiences of my life. But the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that no matter how far you go, you bring yourself with you. The illusion of escape is just that—an illusion. The real journey is internal. And whether you’re in Brooklyn or Bali, you can’t run from the work of being fully alive.