Happy Location Independence Day

In Honor of Independence Day, take your Independence to the next level and create a lifestyle that is location independent.

We wanted to share our 4^th of July in Santa Fe with you.  It’s an Americana pancake breakfast at the historic plaza.  We hope you enjoy this little interlude.

 
 

 
 

We live in an age that is different then all others ever experienced by our ancestors, and the freedoms available to us are unique to this age.  With technological advances we have the ability to live a Location Independent life.  With internet, smart phones, satellite T.V., Skype, Online Banking, Absentee Voting, mail forwarding  etc. it is possible today to live and work a fulltime life that is 100% Location Independent.  We know, because we are doing it and have for a number of years.

Imagine winters in a rental apartment in the Caribbean, long term cruise ship travel or caretaking a farm in rural France.  The possibilities are endless.  How about running your business from the places with the best tax advantages or being able to live out of the country and make your money go further.  The really exciting part about a location independent lifestyle is you can do all of these things, over time.  You don’t have to just pick one.

We run our business and our life moving full time.  Presently we are staying in Santa Fe, New Mexico for a few months, enjoying the uniqueness of this high altitude historic art village while doing some business development work that requires us to sit still for a while.

So what’s needed to do embrace a life that is location independent?

If you have a desire for freedom from stuff and routine, and some natural curiosity, you are half way there.  Limiting your possession makes this lifestyle far easier then hauling everything you own with you.   Some money in the bank is important so you have options.  Skills are like money in the bank.  If you take a skills inventory you are likely to surprise yourself with all the different things you know how to do.

Why should you consider a Location Independent lifestyle?

There are no guarantees in life on how long you’ve got to chase your dreams.  If you seize on the tools that we are fortunate have at our disposal, there is nothing stopping you from living many lives starting right now.  Here are some, but not all of the wonderful benefits of becoming Location Independent.

Get a sense of living in different places without a long term commitment

Move with the seasons

Adjust with economic changes

Indulge your life’s Wish List

Expand your perspective and circle of friends

Can you do this life with kids or pets?

That’s the great thing about a Location Independent life you choose.  You don’t need to wait till your kids graduate.  Instead you can homeschool them, or enroll in local schools.  Want to live in another country enroll them in the local or international schools there.  What better education can they have then real life experiences.   Life can be one big field trip!

If you have pets, you still have tons of options.  RV life really lends itself to traveling with pets as most parks have dog parks and the majority of full time RVers have pets.  Pet friendly apartments and hotels are everywhere now.  Travel to another country can be possible but you have to check their quarantine laws for bringing an animal in.  Life on a boat is certainly possible, but the breed can make a difference as some animals are miserable around the water.

How much money do you need?

Living Location Independent is not a vacation, it is a lifestyle choice, so you just need to do what you normally do to budget your money.  If you need to work, then decide if you are going to get jobs along the way or create your own business that is portable.  We’ve done both, and there are benefits to both.  Picking up jobs along the way gives you a local perspective that you can’t get any other way, but having a mobile business that allows you to earn a living on your own terms anywhere really can be liberating.

Why don’t more people choose to live Location Independent?

The resistance to embracing this lifestyle really comes down to a couple of things:

1. Fear of the unknown
2. Resistance to embrace technology and change
3. Inertia

More and more younger people are recognizing that the limitations on their lifestyles that seemed locked in before have vaporized and lifestyle design is actually a real option now for people of any age or economic level.  It just takes some imagination and desire to make it work.  The rewards of living this way are hard to measure, but are irreplaceable.

What you give up?

It’s different for everyone.  We miss our families and friends but with technology stay in constant touch, and we’ve made a commitment to going back regularly.  I don’t get to garden on the scale I think I’d like or own a horse, but those are future chapters that I foresee in my future life.  John doesn’t miss yard work or commuting.  Every day is different, and the variety keeps life fresh and inspiring.  With a strong foundation of what we actually require to be healthy and secure, our lives are very portable. That is the constant that makes anyplace home.

Wishing you a life of freedom and dreams fulfilled.