Crafting Success and Serenity as a Digital Nomad

Hey Nomads, welcome to Digital Nomad Stories, the podcast. My name is Anne Claessen and, together with my co-host, Kendra Hasse, we interview digital nomads. Why? Because we want to share stories of how they did it. We talk about remote work, online business, location independency, freelancing, travel and, of course, about the digital nomad lifestyle. Do you want to know more about us and access all previous episodes? Visit digitalnomadstories. co. Alright over to Kendra for today's interview.

Welcome to Digital Nomads Stories, the podcast. My name is Kendra and I'm your host today. Today, I'm joined by Maira. She's an entrepreneur and the founder of the Wowness Club, a wellness or a platform that really offers holistic wellness and health experiences, and I'm super excited to have her here today because, on the one hand, I really like this platform because it also offers us online services that are useful for us as digital nomads, so I'm really glad that we will learn a little bit about it, and, on the other hand, Maira recently started her journey as a digital nomad, so I'm also excited to talk about her experiences as a star and to get fresh ideas from a digital nomad newbie, let me say. So welcome to have you here, Maida, nice to see you.

Thank you so much, Kendra.

Yeah, where are you currently?

I'm in Tulum, Mexico. Wow, it's so beautiful. How is the life as a?

digital nomad. There it's a beach. I've been to Tulum, I think six years ago. It was so amazing.

Yes, it's been beautiful. We came in January first and I mean, the whole Mexico is amazing. So my friend and I, and my also co-founder, fell in love with this place and decided to stay in Tulum because there is a huge holistic health awareness community here. So, for business purposes, because of the wellness club, it made sense to stay here. We can talk about it, the ins and outs, the benefits and like the advantages of being here. It has been amazing to stay here to explore the side of Mexico and, yes, we'll see where we will go next, but it was good to be here for a while.

Yeah. So maybe before we start talking about your story and everything, as you already said, we can talk about what you like about it, what not. Maybe some of our listeners are into thinking, oh, maybe I go to Tulum or not. What would you really say up for you, like the drivers and your key advantages? People should really explore Tulum and what are maybe also the inconveniences.

Exactly. So what happens is that Tulum has this magical feeling because, of course, you are in the middle of the jungle and then there are a lot of events around for this. You have awareness, you know healing and plant medicine, but what I see is that, because it has been growing so much, I think he became a bit too terrific. Or maybe people don't take us seriously. They still have the mindset of recreation, seeing some of these practices more as a recreation, and maybe they don't understand the depth or the sacredness of some of these experiences, if that makes sense. So there is this point. And then, of course, because this seat is quite new, so you will see that the infrastructure in terms of the roads is not quite there yet, but still they are developing a lot and in terms of moving around. So, for example, transportation, especially because of the sun, is super hot, so for you to really move around, for example in Serma, it's a bit hard. You know there are some. And then, of course, because of the new developments, the price is skyrocket and for digital moments, might not be a great option. We decided to stay here because for our business makes sense. But to be honest, I wouldn't stay too long if my business was not in this niche. Not to at least seem too long, I would probably base myself in other carmen or Bacala, some other cities they are cheaper, quieter, a bit more roots and then come here for specific events when they happen rather the other way around. And yeah, so for us we stay. We got a six months contract for really nice flat that I mean I was living in London and you don't get to where we got here, even for a shared room in a shared apartment in central London, so it was really nice. But I wouldn't take the six months contract again.

Yeah, yeah yeah. And thanks, I think I get it. I think it's a nice insight, like also for our listeners to do miss amazing for the soliciting health experiences. If you're really like in this modern spirituality way, if you want to do like a lot of events, also if you're working in that area, but if you feel like from time to time you want to save some money, then you may be staying closer areas. Thank you, I think it's a valuable insight. But let's talk about yourself first, your story. What, as you are like I think eight months, you said in January you started. Now we have all girls, so what was like your motivation of becoming a digital novel? Maybe you share a little bit your story with us.

Yes, of course. So right before I started this journey, I was living in London for 12 years and I think there is something about London that especially I got to London when I was 19. So my whole adulthood has been in London. And you get into this mode of hustling, you know, you always work and you always on the go, but inside, the deep inside of me, I'm a free spirit. I love the freedom, I love nature. So there was always this desire to be a digital novel and to be everywhere. Right, I've been building this because I think also, as much as I've always wanted to be a digital novel, I like to have a bit of security behind me, if that makes sense. So I had to, you know, do my citizenship, because then I know in England, because I know that if anything happens I can always go back. So I have this safety. And I also started a business there before. I've been building skills throughout this time. And then, really, when I came to Mexico two months initially was meant to be just like a trip to explore Then that was the moment where I just said, my friend and I, we said, you know what, why don't we just stay? And I think these are the moments where you follow the calling of your heart, like this is where my heart is vibrating, this is where I really feel that I should be, and then we will figure out the rest. And I think there is a beauty when you're going this journey where let's just see what happens. Of course, we had some security because we have other businesses, but it's been beautiful since.

Yeah, and it's like amazing. So you didn't really plan it, you just wanted to do like a little two months stay and then you realized, oh, how would it be to really become a digital nomad, right? So, and then still having this bravery of saying, okay, I stay here, I do it. How was it? Didn't you need to go back to to I don't know, to plan more, to to organize things back in London? How was this?

It was funny because, although it was meant to be a two months deep inside and now I look back I know there was my intuition telling me that something else was going to happen, because deep inside I knew it. So what I did? I just put all my stuff into like a storage into my friend's mother house. My things was sorted out and my place was rented and I kind of prepared myself for that possibility. So I was open to see what was going to happen, but it was not for sure yet. So then we just really started to learn and seeing what was happening and it was like a build up. You know, every experience, every place was bringing something so magical that we were just putting everything into perspective.

And this is what I would like to ask you like what was after these two months? Like how did you feel there? Like what really then was there's driver that says, okay, I will stay here, I will really become a digital magic? What was different from the beginning, when you started the traveling?

Sorry to say that again, I see. So so like how is the reality to grasp this expectation?

That's also a good question. Let's also come to this and I also wanted to know, like really like you said, like after two months you said okay, we said let's just stay here, why are we not doing it? So what happened in these two months, like what was different from the beginning?

Exactly so. It was really interesting because I can tell you one specific moment that it was like a flick, like a really a switch in my mind that I just said. That's it. My life is going to change from this day onward. And it was in Bacalar. This is my favorite city so far and we traveled quite a bit in Mexico and Bacalar is definitely it's not just a beautiful place, but it's also something about energy, and I remember that we were working during the day and finishing work around the three-four because we were trying to keep up with the UK time, and we would finish work, go for a bike ride along the lagoon, and then we would stop the bike, swim in the lagoon with the, watching the sunset, and then we would just like have a shower, have a dinner and then go back to watch the moon and the stars. And I remember just like watching and doing all these things, my body was so vibrant and I just had this energy and excitement. I just said you know, life can be simple. You know, I think I just this freedom and the simplicity of just cycling around the lagoon. And you know, we were still working. It's not that we were on holidays, we were still working during the day, but just the opportunity to have good quality of life without having to necessarily go on holiday. Of course, we were on holidays in the sense that it was those two months where we were doing both, but it was amazing to just work and then enjoy and not necessarily having to take a whole holidays. Right, and that day was when I shifted and I said I want more of this, the proportions are not right and I need to change my life and I need my need to change my style. So this was the first day, but then many other things happen and I think, with the digital nomad this is what I say it's quite interesting when you choose to live in those places, you can work a lot, but it feels like many times holidays because you can just like, we can cycle 10 minutes from our place, we have a cenote, and then people will look at my Instagram and they think like, oh, she's on holidays still. No, I'm not on holidays, I'm still working 15, 16 hours. This just happens that I leave 10 minutes away from a cenote and I can get to enjoy these ongoing basis.

Yeah, that's beautiful how you describe it. Like you said, like, okay, adding more quality to life, because for you, the quality of life is apparently like this, biking, having the water close and like good, or the cenote, and now, like after maybe six months of doing so, do you feel you're still really valuing it and it really adds quality to your life? Or you sometimes are lost in the hustle of work. Still, how is the work life balance really like? Also as a digital nomad, because, as you say, also for me it happens Everyone sees your Instagram and says, ah, but you have time, why are you not doing this and this and this? You're not working, you're just doing like nice things, because maybe we are not publishing all the time of video when we are working, because, yeah, it's like normal, so, yeah, so what is that your experience?

This is a very good question, I think, in question in terms of setting the expectations, because, first for us to allow for us to be here, for me to be here, I have one business that gives me that financial security right, and then I'm also building the wellness club, which is the passion business, and if I want to really make this nomad life a lifestyle and I want to keep it going, moving forward while also growing the business, the reality is that I have to work a lot. So, to be honest, I wake up like 6am at the day, to stretch, I start working at seven and many times I finish 9, 10. There are some days that I even finish later, depending on the day, or really I finish when I don't have any more gas, like I don't have any more on my tank. But the difference is, because I live close to nature, I can get like a one hour break outside and I feel fresh and that really gives me energy and resets myself for another shift of work. Let's say you know. So, for example, what we do, I have these long days, but then in the afternoon, around two or three, my mind is already whoa, it's a lot. So I just go outside, take a break, I go in the pool, I look at the, you know, take a bit of sun with the book, watch the trees, the birds, you know. I just do something to break the day and then I feel like, okay, I feel fine, then I'm ready for another round, but, to be honest, it's not as beautiful. As I said, if people look on my Instagram it looks like I'm on holidays, but in reality I'm working a lot more than I was back in London. But it's just that I don't feel the burnout, of course, because there is this side that I'm doing what I love and I get excited. I say I'm working 16 hours, but I get excited. I go to bed and I'm still excited. So I need to really calm myself, do breathing, breath work and so on to calm myself. But it's good, and the only reason I'm able to do so much is because I'm here, because I have this energy to feed myself, to feed my soul, and then I can put more energy, and would you also then say that your productivity is higher and your effectivity than in London? Much more. Like we always say, I wouldn't be able to create as much. But of course, I'm very disciplined already and now I'm really okay. If I want to make this happen, I need to wake up early, I need to work many hours. I am very aware of what is needed to grow this business and I know that it's something for the long run. It's not going to start giving results straight away. So, managing all these different tasks of having like one business that is, funding the passion, but then having also to invest more time and energy in this passion. So, yes, it's hard, but I can make it because of nature, this place I can create, and also nature. The quality of food is better. You eat better. Everything is better to allow you to produce more. Your thinking works in a different way.

No, I get it. I get it. So that's like also like this true beauty of being a digital nomad. Right, it's not just the beauty of being in beautiful places, but also it really, if we really make use of it, of this beautiful place, it also can really evolve and embrace our professional growth. Let me say it like this, and when we are talking about it, do you have like other ideas you would like to share, like of how it is to build a business as a digital nomad? So many, maybe any recommendations or any challenges? You see there, what is like different because you're an entrepreneur, so you've built a business before. What is now different as a digital nomad building this business?

Yes. So I think the first thing is about balancing out the temptations of enjoying things versus work, because, of course, you are in a new place, you feel tempted to explore, to go to events, to meet people, but at the same time you have to work a lot. So how you balance out the temptations, the exploration that you are in a new place and then maybe in a few months you're going to move, so you need to explore and get to know the place, but at the same time you're not a tourist, you are leaving there to build a future, to work, so you might also not have as much income or also time, because for me it's also both the time and the money to invest in all these things. So how can you balance out?

Things are bringing this up because I feel this is like really a crucial point where a lot of maybe say, okay, no, that's not working, because either you are like too much in this fear of missing out, you're getting frustrated because you're at a nice place but you cannot really enjoy it. So when it's like oh, there's frustration, and on the other hand, when you're just enjoying, you maybe feel, have those feeling of, oh, I should not really do it, I should work, and then you are also not really enjoying it. So I really it's really about this balance. So how do you get this balancing, this temptation?

Yes, very good question. To be honest, I have to really be selective in places like what is really going, what I feel that is going to add more value, because of course, for example, here there are many events happening all the time. I think it's about like really choosing, especially if you also have tight budget, because of course I'm also just starting out, it's not that I already super established times, a lot of extra income. So really choosing well, carefully and understanding that sometimes you are going to miss out, but understanding that you know where you're going to leave all these things if you are in your country or, for example, for me, in London. So I said, okay, I'm here, it's not just to enjoy, to travel, to go to events, I'm here to build the business and to keep my costs as low, so I cannot go to all possible events and making peace with that Right. But there are also two other points that I have in mind in this topic. Here in Tulum we very often have problems with electricity and with internet, internet connection. So there were many times where we had important meetings and like podcasts or interviews arranged or things that we missed because just all of a sudden the whole building, the whole electricity went off or the internet just stopped, and I think this is one of the things that, now that we are a bit more experienced, I would definitely be more picky. Like, okay, this place has good internet? Does it have a good infrastructure? Even though we are in a nice building, I think it's just the city. It happens all the time everywhere in Tulum and I think, of course, if you go to places where there is the jungle, then this is the risk, right. So, for me, what I see is this challenge of finding the right spot where you have amenities, you have the supermarkets, but then you have the nature. Everything has to go. You have to compromise on something. You're either going to be in the jungle, in nature, in a beautiful place, but then you're going to be maybe far away from some amenities, from the supermarkets, from the gym and other things that you have in a big city, or you're going to be in a big city, like, for example, if you were to stay in Playa Del Carmen, which is a bigger city, but then you don't have so much the nature. So, I think, finding that balance and priorities while you're still keeping these normal lives, yes, yes, I think these are the three things Great Important to keep in mind.

Yeah, thank you for sharing this. So and we were like already mentioning a little bit your new business, the Wellness Club Do you want to share a little bit about it, because I had a look on it and I really feel it could add also value to our listeners. Or, in general, like this, online platforms, they are like increasing and I feel that sometimes also helping me the sphere of missing out as a digital nomad, because then, as you said, there are like so many events but maybe you need to work, so it's okay, you cannot go there, and then you maybe have a slurred where you don't need to work. At exactly in this moment, nothing is happening, like with some terms it happens right, and then I always love to help, like as a backup, some, yeah, some online things I can do. Just this helps me to keep this peace of mind while I'm working in a super beautiful location.

Yes, absolutely so. The wellness club is a marketplace platform for all holistic health awareness services and experiences, right, and the whole idea is that the practitioners can promote a range of services on that one platform in a centralized way and free, individual sessions, group sessions, online or offline. So, for the digital nomad community, this is a very good solution because sometimes, as you said, you are in a different place, different location, and you want to still have this experience. Also, because most of times, people that are in this journey, like you know, traveling around the world, we have this desire, you know, this openness is more likely that we will have this openness to learn about the cultures, about all the methods or the practices you know, and I think this is an opportunity to learn about different techniques out there. We want to keep healthy, we want to grow ourselves as a mind-body spirit, right, and this is the whole objective of the wellness club to bring all these different practices under one roof and then you can see what fits for you. Each person can see. Okay, my priority is more about the mind, or maybe more about the body, the physical aspect, so that this is the whole point. You can find yoga classes or maybe some sort of therapies, depending on what you're looking for. The idea is to offer something for everybody in terms of health and wellness.

That's nice, and I'm also just thinking this is also a possibility for digital nomads to gain money, so, for example, like being a practitioner on your platform, right? So, because this are also many time questions we have, as like hearing from all listeners like, okay, I want to be a digital nomad, but how can I do it? You know I need this income and I feel this is also a really a really nice way. And did you have the idea to create this business when you started your traveling or already before?

Before. Before it was through a breath work session that I had the idea, and it was my own journey of going to different events and my own journey of healing that really started uncovering. I just started having downloads of everything that, that what was going to be the business before I was working in the fitness industry. I was a personal trainer, then working with nutrition, coaching, breath work sessions like a guiding breath work sessions. So really it was my understanding about the industry, but also this divine connection and divine downloads that I was getting that I just had the clarity of like this is what I think the industry would benefit from my own pain. That's why do we need to use different platforms for different things? Why can't we just not have one platform where we can promote everything but also the public can find everything in one?

place.

So this is where we are growing now. And then, of course, the practitioners any, any, any party offering services in this industry. This niche can benefit by promoting the sessions there and, you know, having more exposure, yeah.

I feel that this is like really great, because I feel this is something I always think about also, like because, as we also have this topic, everyone thinks, oh, I said you know you are traveling and you need to be happy. No, but as you, as we just said, you are also working 60 hours and that is causing stress also for your mind. So really also having, like this, opportunities to balancing out, and just I love this brutal honesty you you are just sharing about your lifestyle Exactly.

No, it's funny. Just one thing you said about stress and I really want to mention that because, again, people don't see what's behind the scenes, right, and many times I go to bed and I feel the station in my back and the whole with stress big up sometimes, right. So in the future as well, one of the things with the wellness club hopefully we can for the digital nomads communities that they will also be able to find, hopefully local services like massage or yoga classes that are also to connect to people, but then having the show possibilities. But this will be more as we grow, because at the moment we are not worldwide yet but we are growing to be so together.

That sounds exciting and I'm just wondering because do you have any other idea in mind you feel you would like to share? Like normally, people are not thinking about other. Digital nomads should know they need to know. Like anything you discovered, like the last eight months.

Yes, I think definitely one of the mistakes I made was I mean it was. I don't see it as a mistake as such, but definitely I would do it differently in the future as I go to more places. It's definitely don't don't get like a longer sometimes if you're tempted to get a bit longer contract because they give you a better price, but it's better to get a shorter contract to see if you like the place, just you know, rather than than taking the commitment up front because you might decide to move before you know the contract but then you are locked in. Like I said, we stay. We got this place. It's been amazing because we immersed ourselves in in this place beautiful, for six months. But I wouldn't do it again. I would definitely maybe pay a little bit more to have this flexibility, to be able to live earlier. Of course, be mindful of the time zone, for example, for us. I was living in the UK and the business is in the UK, so sometimes there are some meetings that we have to book, for example, in the middle of the night and this is just part of the business, and I wake up at 3am, for example, for some meetings, and just be mindful that this can happen, and especially if you are in the other side. So just be mindful of the time zone. Yeah.

And then also thinking about one thing I also realized like it's great to have this flexibility you're just talking about, but on the other hand, it's also understanding that this also can cause stress, because sometimes I spend so much time on planning, on thinking where do I go, searching new places to stay, and prices are just increasing in every city, and then I will say you know what? That is also something we need to face as digital nomads. It's all the beauty of the flexibility, but being realistic, sometimes also the planning stress and okay, where do I go what? So I for myself decided now like I really would like to have the next stop. I would go back, like currently I'm in Amsterdam and for the winter I will escape Europe again and we'll go to Columbia. I'm like quite often in. Columbia. It's like one of my favorite places to be in the winter and I just would stay like four or five months to really also once calmed down. Yeah.

Yeah, I think this is a good point. These are different perspective than what I just said, right, because at the end of the day, if you also get to somewhere for a bit longer like I said, five months then you have that security. You know I have this place, that I have to worry about what I'm going next, my staff is here, safe, and then this is also good on that sense.

Yeah, exactly, and then it changes again and then, knowing myself, it will be okay. Now I'm too long in one place and then the next will be a little bit shorter again, and that's also like the beauty of the flexibility we have, right, and I left also, like today, that we were talking a little bit about behind the scenes.

So to allow us this flexibility to really be this free space where we're doing what we want, it might also require some working time and, yes, and then also just this piece that maybe your things will not be completely organized all the time, maybe how you wanted, or I think also getting these packing, moving all the time also requires a lot of energy right Every time you move. And also being light. For me was a big shift, and I'm still in this journey of minimalism. You know of getting rid of stuff and becoming more simple, but as a woman, sometimes it's hard because you want to. Oh, what if I needed this clothes? What if I? How can I be light so I can move around more freely? But at the same time, you know, feel good, because this is the thing when you have a house, when you have your stuff there organized, you have options. When you are on the go, you might not be able to have as many options as before, and I think this is still something that I'm working on. To be honest, I want to be lighter on my trips, on my back, my language. It's my dream, you know, to just be on one small, sweet case.

Yeah, but I feel this is also something I like because I like to learn to get more and more to it. I'm still having the situation where I feel, okay, half of the sweet case would have been enough, and still like, okay, minimalizing, minimalizing. But with every travel I use less and I feel less like, oh, at the airport, where do I put what, what you know? Where it's like easier to work with all the things. It's also like beautiful to realize that it's possible, you know.

Maybe this would be a good tip is like, when you are going to I mean, this may be obvious, but when we came to Mexico, we had this plan of traveling to Mexico for two months different places. We were going for beach and mountain, and then maybe we were going somewhere else. So we brought some clothes. We brought, like cold, not winter clothes but autumn clothes, because then we would go to the mountains and then that was what made the heavier sweet case, heavier luggage. So the more you can choose one style, if it's only beach, then you know that you just need to bring this. But if you're trying to fit in many trips, I think that must be a challenge. I'm not there yet in the sense that you know people that travel their world completely. They just go completely different places from one country to another. But yeah, the more you can choose one style, the better and the lighter will be right. Yeah.

Perfect. Oh, who knows, maybe someone in some point develops like a service who brings you your clothes when you need it Exactly, who knows?

Maybe, another business idea.

Exactly so, before it's finished, anything else on your mind? Anything I should have asked you. You want to share with our listeners.

No, I think we covered pretty much everything.

Cool, so amazing. Thanks for your time for sharing it, and if someone wants to contact you, we'll hear a little bit more about you. If any questions, we will put your links in the show notes. What's like your preferred way that people contact you?

Yes, people can contact me on my Instagram @mairafmiranda F for Freddie Miranda @mairafmiranda or @wownessclub the Instagram as well, and also, if they feel like finding services or becoming a practitioner, they can do it as well for the main website, www. wownessclub. com.

Amazing. So thank you so much. Enjoy the nice beach also you have. Now we talk all the time about what is difficult, the danger of this beauty we have Enjoy the beauty and the freedom.

I think just one final message actually is give yourself this opportunity. If someone is listening to us and is just listening to get some inspirations and that they are not yet fully in this journey, I would definitely say that it's worth it and you can always go back to your old life, but everything that you experience and the way how your mind expands, you will very. You will unlikely go back in the same way. Even if you do decide to go back to your old life. You will go back completely different, with new ideas, new inspirations, just a completely different mindset. So I think it's amazing to give yourself this opportunity, even if it's a short time. Also, I think a lot of times people have limitations, that what is possible, that this is crazy, but there are so many possibilities that you can do to make it happen if that makes sense, and I think allowing yourself to experience this is a gift that everyone should give themselves, at least for a short time and see.

I love this message at the end. Thank you. Exactly as you say, with the first step, the path will open Right.

So it's amazing how the doors open and you find the solutions where you didn't see before and people willing to collaborate and to help. You know the community normally is very collaborative. People are always people that in this journey they want to help each other. I feel at least this is at least my energy and what I attract in this journey. But it's amazing how, when you put yourself out there and you make yourself available and you trust that things will work out, they do and you find beauty in this process.

Thank you so much for this motivation.

Thank you so much, Kendra, for having me.

Yeah, let's keep creating Amazing. Have a nice day Bye, thank you.

And that's it for today. Thank you so much for listening. I appreciate it very, very much. I would appreciate it even more if you could leave a review on Apple podcasts for me. That way, more people can find this podcast, more people can hear the inspiring stories that we're sharing, and the more people we can impact for the better. So, thank you so much if you are going to leave a review. I really appreciate you and I will see you in the next episode.