In this series, I interview amazing, location independent women to find out more about their business and lives. In these interviews, I ask five questions of people who identify as location independent or "digital nomads".
These questions are:
What is your website if you have one? Talk about your brand and what work you do online while travelling.
Where are you from? How did you come to be travelling long term and what was that journey like?
What is the biggest challenge you face when travelling long term and being a digital nomad?
What advice can you give someone that wants to either quit their job and travel long term or just take an extended leave from their job and home and transition to working online?
What are your top three online resources for either finding online work or accommodating your digital lifestyle?
Today, I am happy to introduce Noa Yerushalmi, a clinical psychologist and executive and team coach. Hello, Noa!
Noa:
I was born in Israel, and raised in Tel Aviv and in Bangkok, Thailand. Three years ago, I followed my heart’s calling to go and travel to SE Asia and spend time in Thailand, where I was raised for six years. It took a year of preparation and some fear processing to be able to do it in the way I wanted it to: to be able to hear my heart’s calling and follow through.
My DM journey began in mid September 2016. I “borrowed” the term sabbatical from the academic world because I felt I needed a name for my new project. This one made sense. It served the same purpose in my life.
It was time to give myself the space and time to do more of the things I love doing: writing, photography, painting and travelling and to be a able to be in nature and return to my childhood neighbourhoods in Thailand as an adult.
I love travelling in Southeast Asia!
I downsized the volume of my work as a therapist and coach and I work online with a limited number of clients. In addition, I sell my paintings online and that is another source of income while travelling. With it I’ve enabled the inner journey which I’ve longed for.
I have the time to paint, photograph and write...and be in nature!
Living My Life's Passions
As a clinical psychologist & life and business coach, I work mostly through Skype and Messenger as I travel, providing psychotherapy, personal and business coaching and consultations.
My work is oriented in supporting and empowering people who want to make changes in their lives and those who are already in the process of doing so. Some of it is down to earth practical guidance and with it, I bring attention to your inner journey, including assistance with being within, being loyal to yourself, listening to your inner being and what is right for you now, discovering what’s stopping you from being where you want to be and allowing good relationship with the unknown.
I welcome anyone who feels called to work with me or to find out about my work to schedule a free short chat with me.
I also love to engage in creative projects, which allow me to express, discover and live through various ”languages”, like dancing, singing and painting can provide. It creates balance and joy in my life.
Painting has become another way of sharing my colours and energy movement in my life. It has also become a source of income and has evolved into a small business, as I travel. You can see some of my paintings on my Instagram. I paint with acrylic, mostly very colourful paintings, the majority of which are abstract.
Thanks to online opportunities, I am able to present my art to many audiences around the world and it’s possible for me today to live as a digital nomad, working with my clients online, providing therapy and coaching, and selling my paintings.
My Biggest Challenges While Travelling
For me, keeping a healthy diet and movement routine while travelling can be challenging.
As a food lover, I love to taste and experience. While being committed to a diet that is good for my body, I often slip into thinking I’m on vacation and therefore ‘allowed’ to taste whatever I want, whenever I want.
In terms of body movement, I get to walk a lot on a daily basis, which is a big change from how it was in my home country, where I would sit in my clinic for many hours in the day. However I miss a steady, long-term dance/movement class.
My Best Advice If You Want to Become Location Independent
Talk to people who are travellers, learn from nomads in this digital age. As a fellow traveler friend told me: "Travelling: It should be on the curriculum part of general education!"
Go out, learn the ways of different people, find out what’s truly important to you. We don’t all have to follow old and known rules and ways when they no longer work for us. Travelling allows you to detach from that part we were taught about, “how I’m supposed to live". It gives you a chance to be with yourself on a journey of discovery without and within.
Listen to Your Heart
Choose places that speak to your heart. Every place has its gifts for you. Be open to experience new things, be open to meet new and different people. Be open to spending time with yourself ! Recognize your fears about the unknown and acknowledge them. It’s human to feel this way when you are about to go on a new journey.
Work with it if you need to.
My Online Resources
In terms of accommodating my digital lifestyle, I use Booking.com, Agoda and Airbnb for finding accommodation. I mostly use Skyscanner for finding flights and I use Skype and Messenger for psychotherapy/coaching sessions.
Thanks so much Noa! You can learn more about Noa and her art and coaching through one of the links above.