Letting Go as a Nomad

Nomad Profile

Kat is planning to embark on her nomad life soon, and she is about as enthusiastic as they come, which I love! How fun to be on the cusp of a global adventure, with all your hopes and dreams bubbling up. Check out Kat’s musings as she prepares to launch on her Substack Fifty & Free.

p.s. Congratulations on putting your launch date on the calendar, Kat! 🎉

9 Fun Facts

• First Name: Kat

• Age Range: 50s

• Nationality: American

• Nomadic Stance: Full-time (planning to launch by Spring 2027)

• Last Corporate Job: Biotech Lab

• Current Job: Mom & Educator & CEO of our household for 18+ years

• Favorite Country: TBD

• Next Stop: Florida (short-term stay—no more winter!), then likely a one-way cruise to Iceland (yes, it’ll be winter, but…it’s Iceland!)

• What do you like best about the nomadic life? TBD, but I imagine it will be: Freedom

2 Questions

1a) You’re currently preparing to launch your nomad life next year. What is your biggest hesitancy?

My biggest hesitancy keeps changing. At first it was: Can we afford it? Then it was: Is this the right thing for our family? Recently, it’s been: Should we really get rid of everything we own? And right now, it’s: What about safety?

I’ll be traveling with two young adults, so I’m learning everything I can to keep us safe. But there are no guarantees. I want to be smart and aware without letting it turn into fear or hypervigilance.

Also, ask me again in a month or two, and my biggest hesitancy will probably have changed again!

1b) What are you looking forward to the most?

Freedom. Freedom from a mortgage, cars, and a house full of stuff that is always yelling at me to clean it, fix it, use it, move it, organize it, maintain it. Freedom to spend my time doing what I want, when I want, where I want, with whom I want.

Tied with freedom are connection and culture. I want to learn new languages, meet people around the world, eat delicious food, look for beauty, follow the music, appreciate nature, and see what kind of memories my kids and I will make together.

I don’t want a vacation; I want a completely different way of living. I want to challenge my beliefs, assumptions, and prejudices. I want to keep growing a more open and compassionate mind and heart. I want to build badass strength, resilience, patience, and better decision-making skills. I’m excited to live the second half of my life!

2) What is the hardest part of your current life to let go of?

The hardest part may be letting go of the comfort and safety of my curated life. At the beginning of this journey, I thought I had zero attachment to my things. I thought getting rid of them would be the easiest part.

But now everywhere I look, I see dollar signs and the hard work it took to accumulate everything we have. I’ve spent my entire life working toward the “American Dream,” and now I’m turning that upside down and sideways.

On the surface, it’s about the things. But on a deeper level, it’s about identities and dreams.

All this stuff represents the person I thought I wanted to be (or should be) and the life I thought I wanted to live (or should live): the home, the neighborhood, the garden, the piano, the home gym, the hobby supplies, the clothes and shoes and toys for every season, the kitchen full of gadgets and spices.

It’s a good life. It’s comfortable, safe, secure. I have everything I need and more. But it’s not everything I want. And that realization came later in life. The American Dream is not for me. I want to design and live a life I love and don’t need a vacation from—a life aligned with my vision and my values.

The price of that freedom is letting go of what I’ve built and being willing to feel uncomfortable. And if I really think about it, that’s worth more to me than the sum of all my material things.

My plans aren’t changing. I’m still getting rid of everything that doesn’t fit into a backpack. These feelings of guilt and regret and grief and uncertainty are all part of the process.

I’m letting go of a comfortable life so I can take hold of freedom and adventure. I can always buy more things. I can always curate a new life.

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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson has traveled to 140 countries & all 7 continents. She is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of curated trips and travel guides, including the #1-ranked Explore the World with Nomads.

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