This episode dives into the uncomfortable truths beneath the Instagram gloss of digital nomad life...loneliness, decision fatigue, shallow connections, and the emotional cost of constant mobility. Jeff and Marisa crack open the paradox of “freedom” that often leaves people more disconnected, overstimulated, and rootless than they expected.
The “Replace, Upgrade, Move On” Trap: How consumer culture trains nomads to treat cities, friendships, and even partners like disposable products.
Perpetual First Dates: Why relationships rarely deepen when you're always leaving in four days.
Menu Anxiety, But for Life: The paradox of choice - too many destinations, too many options, too many apps - leads to chronic dissatisfaction.
Community Erosion: Every time you pack a bag, you lose a layer of belonging you didn’t realize you were building.
Lonely in Paradise: Why having “everything you want” on paper can still feel emotionally empty on the road.
Nomad Time Warp: The way constant movement stretches and distorts friendships - some intensify fast, some vanish instantly.
Emotional Velcro Problems: No city or person feels quite right, because nothing sticks long enough to matter.
The Secret Longing: The quiet craving for routine, depth, and people who actually know your history - not just your next itinerary.
Identity Whiplash: Reinventing yourself in every new city sounds freeing… until you realize you’ve slipped away from yourself.
Freedom Fatigue: The overlooked emotional weight of making every decision - where to live, how to socialize, who to trust, what comes next - alone.
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One of our all-time favorite, and most listened to episodes for folks looking to start working from wherever in the world they want.
What's the first job you think of when I ask "what's the most common digital nomad job?"
Most people would think "Instagram influencer" or "Travel blogger." Right? Turns out this this is rarely accurate.
Jeff and Marisa pulled the latest digital nomad statistics, job salaries, and first-hand data from their 1k+ digital nomad network to come up with the top seven most common jobs they see in the digital nomad community.
They also provided salary ranges you can expect and experience needed for each.
This is not the regurgitated list you will see circulating around the internet - this is what you will actually see in the wild! This is first-hand knowledge and advice on how to get out there and working and traveling ASAP.
Want help getting a fully-remote job? Our Remote Job Fast Track program was designed by digital nomad career coaching experts specifically to get you hired with a company that lets you work from anywhere in the world.
https://form.typeform.com/to/d6Vvtaa8
One of our all-time favorite, and most listened to episodes for current and digital nomads looking for their next destination.
Contrary to many people's beliefs, becoming a digital nomad often makes your cost of living more affordable rather than more expensive. The reason being is that the majority of major digital nomad destinations have a relatively low cost of living. As a matter of fact, it's one of the biggest criteria when digital nomads choose their destinations.
In this episode, Jeff, Marisa and Diego selected 9 awesome locations to live as a digital nomad. The criteria they used were:
Need help finding a remote job that lets you become a digital nomad? We help people like you find legitimate remote jobs every day! Join our email list and get remote jobs sent directly to your inbox.
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In this episode, Jeff sits down with Sasha Farley, a remote work expert and consultant, to break down what most managers, teams, and companies get totally wrong about productivity, focus, collaboration, and remote work.
There is science and biology behind the traditional 9-5 doesn't make sense for your brain or body.
In this episode you’ll learn:
What do people still misunderstand about “productivity” with knowledge work and why your brain doesn't work like a manufacturing plant.
Why many meetings are wildly inefficient and ineffective.
How remote workers actually think, process, and create
Why bosses still get concerned about employees “doing laundry” and “chores” during the workday?
The science behind burnout, context-switching, and Zoom fatigue
Why “just power through it” is terrible advice for your brain
It’s neuroscience… and wildly relevant for anyone who works online.
You can find Sasha on her website: https://www.sashafarleyconsulting.com/
And LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sashafarley/
This week Jeff and Marisa answer your most-asked questions about life as a digital nomad. From healthcare abroad to giving up your home base, they're breaking down the logistics that keep people from taking the leap. No fluff, just honest answers from people who've lived it.
Here's what they covered:
🌍 Digital immigrants vs. digital nomads — Are remote workers settling down abroad for good? The shift is happening.
🏠 The home base dilemma — Keep paying rent back home or cut ties completely? There's no right answer, but there are patterns.
💰 Is the American Dream actually dead? — The numbers are brutal. We talk about what's replacing it and why people are looking elsewhere.
🏥 Healthcare abroad — The fear that stops most people. What it's really like, what it costs, and the stories you need to hear.
😨 "What if something goes wrong?" — Real talk about the risks, the unknowns, and how to think about them differently.
🛂 The post-national generation? — Tax residency, passport games, and whether digital nomads are creating a whole new identity.
Want daily remote job alerts sent to your inbox? Sign up here: www.beachcommute.com/email
Want our support that can help you land a fully remote job faster?
⚡️ Apply to Remote Job Fast Track here: www.beachcommute.com/apply
Your brain is designed to keep you safe, comfortable, and efficient. But what if "safe" is actually keeping you stuck?
In this episode, Jeff and Marisa dive into the neuroscience of why we get trapped in routines (even good ones), and how travel literally rewires your brain. Spoiler: it's not about escaping your problems, it's about building new neural pathways that make you more resilient, creative, and alive.
Here's what we cover:
🧠 Why your brain fights change: The biological reasons you stay in ruts, even when you want something different (hint: dopamine, efficiency, and survival mode).
⚡️ Neuroplasticity 101: How new experiences create new brain pathways, keep you young, and build emotional resilience.
🏃♂️ From running to rucking: Jeff's accidental discovery in Costa Rica that changed his entire exercise routine (and why he never would've tried it at home).
🌍 All travel is not created equal: Why an all-inclusive resort won't rewire anything, and what kind of travel actually creates transformation.
💃 Real examples from the road: How paddle, mezcal, zouk dancing, boxing, and pickleball became part of their identities simply because they were in the right place at the right time.
🪜 Start small: You don't have to sell everything and move abroad tomorrow. Even turning right instead of left on your daily walk can start the rewiring process.
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Want our support that can help you land a fully remote job faster? ⚡️Apply to Remote Job Fast Track here: www.beachcommute.com/apply
This week Jeff and Marisa talked about the five big regrets of the dying. Morbid sounding? It's not...
This is all about learning from people who had wished they had lived life another way. You can take these lessons and apply them to your life right now, before it's too late. Here are the things they talked about:
💫 “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself.”
Too many of us follow blueprints built by others. Here’s how to start listening to your own voice instead of the world’s.
💼 “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.”
The grind feels like a flex, until it’s not. We dig into what “enough” really looks like and how to create a life where you don't need to feel like you have to distract yourself with work accomplishments.
💬 “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.”
Unspoken feelings turn into resentment towards yourself and others. How honesty, even when it hurts you and others, leads to deeper connection and peace.
🤝 “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
Life gets busy, but relationships are what it's all about. Simple ways to rekindle old bonds and keep your people close no matter where you are.
😊 “I wish I had let myself be happier.”
We talk about permission to feel okay with yourself, being present, and the little choices that build a lighter life.
Want daily remote job alerts sent to your inbox?
Sign up here: www.beachcommute.com/email
Want our support that can help you land a fully remote job faster? ⚡️
Apply to Remote Job Fast Track here: www.beachcommute.com/apply
Have you ever lived/traveled to a place where you got the feels that something wasn't quite right? Have you ever landed somewhere and felt "Oh my god, this feels like a home I've never lived in before!"
That's because your nervous system has a geography! It's not woo-woo, it's fact.
There's some science to this! And it's based on your personality traits. Literally, there are aspects to your personality that can/do determine where you should be traveling. In this episode we talk about:
🌎 Where you thrive vs. where you wilt: the Big Five traits, what they are and where they're mapped across the world.
🧠 City brain vs. mountain mind: how your stress circuits change depending on your environment.
☀️ The sunlight effect: how latitude, daylight, and climate quietly steer your mood.
🏖️ Introverts love mountains, extroverts love beaches: Where you should live if you're an extrovert, introvert, a bit neurotic, open to new experiences, etc.
💡 Oxygen vs. poison: the difference between feeling alive somewhere and just surviving there.
Want daily remote job alerts sent to your inbox?
Sign up here: www.beachcommute.com/email
Want our support that can help you land a fully remote job faster? ⚡️
Apply to Remote Job Fast Track here: www.beachcommute.com/apply”
Legalese and logistics shouldn’t stop you from living and working anywhere. In this episode, we unpack the confusing stuff: work-from-anywhere policies vs. hire-from-anywhere roles, W-2 vs. 1099, employer-of-record (EOR), visas, and taxes.
So you know what job listings actually mean and how to navigate them. No promises, no legal advice, just clear explanations and what to consider next.
Highlights:
🧭 Why this feels overwhelming — The “legal stuff” that keeps people from even applying.
🏷️ WFA vs. HFA (the #1 confusion) — Policy (where employees may work) vs. hiring scope (who they can legally employ).
🌍 Time zones & trade-offs — Yes, Bali is dreamy… but 2 a.m. meetings are real, and a fair ask.
🧾 W-2 vs. 1099, explained — Security, benefits, flexibility, and real positives on both sides.
🧩 What is an Employer of Record (EOR)? — The third-party workaround that lets companies hire globally (and pay you locally).
📬 Where to find legit WFA jobs — The email list shout-out and why curated roles matter.
🛂 Visas, simplified — Tourist stays vs. digital-nomad visas (and why you shouldn’t solve visas before you have the job).
💰 Taxes, simplified — The high-level view, why it depends on you and the country, and when to speak to a pro.
Want daily remote job alerts sent to your inbox?
Sign up here: www.beachcommute.com/email
Want our support that can help you land a fully remote job faster? ⚡️
Apply to Remote Job Fast Track here: www.beachcommute.com/apply”
***Not legal/tax advice. Your situation is unique—consult a qualified professional for specifics.
Jeff and Marisa dive deep into hustle culture, the infamous “996” work schedule, and why overwork isn’t just toxic, it’s literally taking years off our lives.
From Silicon Valley badge-of-honor busyness to nomads redefining success, this episode is a reality check on what really matters: health, freedom, and time.
🔑 Episode Highlights:
⏰ The 996 Schedule — What working 9am–9pm, 6 days a week does to your life.
🚗 Stage, Car, Laptop, Repeat — Why glorifying nonstop grind is a dangerous illusion.
🐴 “From the Horse’s Mouth” — A live job listing requiring 70+ hour weeks (and why that’s insane).
🧳 Nomad Life as a Wake-Up Call — How travel revealed there’s another way to live.
🏆 Titles vs. Time — Why chasing job titles is an identity trap.
🧠 Overwork = Smoking? — The shocking stats showing how workaholism slashes your lifespan.
❤️ Redefining Success — Building a life you love without burning out.
🏖️ A New Badge of Honor — Why “I’m well-rested and fulfilled” should replace “I’m busy.”
Perfect for anyone questioning hustle culture, corporate conditioning, or craving a healthier definition of success.
Want daily remote job alerts sent to your inbox?
Sign up here: www.beachcommute.com/email
Want our support that can help you land a fully remote job faster? ⚡️
Apply to Remote Job Fast Track here: www.beachcommute.com/apply”
Every few months, another article comes out declaring that “digital nomad life is over.” Usually written by someone who hated it, moved back home, and now insists everyone else should too.
In this episode, we’re calling B.S. and breaking down the 10 most common reasons people actually give up on nomad life—from loneliness to burnout to money stress. Some are valid. Some are myths. All of them are worth talking about.
🕒 Episode Highlights:
🏢 The Latest “Nomad Life is Dead” Article
Why the media keeps pushing people back to the office.
👯 Loneliness & Shallow Friendships
Why some nomads can’t find real connection, and how to avoid it.
📶 Internet & Work Challenges
The practical hurdles of trying to stay productive anywhere.
🧠 Mental Health & Burnout
Why nomad life won’t “fix” deeper issues, and what helps instead.
🌞 Heat & Humidity
Yeah, some places are hot, and some are humid...it's not a reason to give up on the digital nomad lifestyle
🤯 Distractions happen
You wouldn't believe the "reason" this person gave as a hardship of traveling as a digital nomad...
🎧 Tune in for laughs, honesty, and practical tips to avoid the pitfalls that send nomads packing.
If you want expert career coaching help getting hired for a fully-remote role, write "Get Hired" to hello@beachcommute.com
Not all “remote jobs" mean the same thing. Some let you log in from anywhere in the world, others tie you to a city or region, and many have hidden expectations around hours, objectives, or even eligibility.
In this episode, we break down what remote really means, how to read between the lines in job postings, and which setups actually give you the freedom you’re looking for.
🔎 11 different kinds of remote jobs
What each model really implies for your day-to-day life.
📑 The fine print in job postings
Which details are negotiable—and which can lock you in.
🏢 Company examples we like
Real-world cases of remote done right.
🌍 Work from anywhere vs. Hire from anywhere
Why the difference matters more than you think.
🎧 Tune in to make sure your next “remote job” truly fits the lifestyle you want.
We’re back with Part Two of the Digital Nomad Location Awards...and this time we’re giving shoutouts to the places that stood out for food, vibes, community, and more.
If you’ve ever wondered where nomads go for the best meals, the most inspiring environments, or the strongest sense of belonging, this episode has you covered.
Grab a drink (we did 🍻) and get ready to add a few new spots to your must-visit list.
🍜 Best Food Scene
Which country stole our hearts (and stomachs) with its eats.
🎨 Most Inspiring Vibes
The cities that make you feel creative the second you land.
🤝 Strongest Community Feel
Where nomads actually connect beyond surface-level.
💸 [00:35] Best Bang for Your Buck
Top picks for affordable living without cutting corners.
🌿 [00:44] Chillest Places to Recharge
The locations where slowing down just feels right.
🤣 [00:52] Funniest Stories Along the Way
Unexpected moments that could only happen as a nomad.
🎧 Tune in for laughs, surprises, and maybe your next destination.
What happens when someone who’s been listening to the show for years finally takes the leap into digital nomad life?
In this episode, we talk with Jeremy, a longtime podcast listener and now a full-time nomad, about his path from discovering Beach Commute to working remotely in Italy. He shares his story of searching for the right resources, making bold moves, and finding his way into a lifestyle many only dream about.
If you’ve ever thought, “Could I actually do this?” Jeremy’s story is proof that the answer might just be yes.
🕒 Episode Highlights:
👋 Meet Jeremy
A longtime listener calling in from Italy shares how he first found the podcast.
🔎 Discovering Beach Commute
How searching for “digital nomad podcasts” changed his direction.
✈️ The Spark That Made Him Take ActionWhy hearing other people’s stories helped him believe this lifestyle was possible.
🇮🇹 Life in Italy
What day-to-day remote work looks like when your backyard is Europe.
💡 Biggest Lessons Learned
From fears to freedom—Jeremy shares what surprised him most about becoming a nomad.
❤️ Advice for Future Nomads
What he wishes more people knew before starting out.
You can find Jeremy on Instagram at @journeywithjeremy
🎧 Tune in for an inspiring conversation that shows how the nomad dream goes from podcast episodes… to real life.
Have you ever Googled tips on how to ace an interview? Some recommendations are dead-on, and some are absolutely insane. Jeff and Marisa break down the biggest "hacks" on the web.
🕒 Episode Highlights:
😂 [00:08] The Weirdest Job Interview Tips on the Internet
From chewing gum before you walk in, to “power stances” straight out of a superhero movie.
🤔 [00:27] Sorting the Ridiculous from the Useful
Believe it or not, a couple of these actually might help.
🙈 [00:37] Tips That Could Cost You the Job
Why some advice will leave the hiring manager more confused than impressed.
💡 [00:49] Our Take: What Really Matters in Interviews
Forget gimmicks—here’s what you should actually focus on if you want to stand out.
🎭 [01:10] Humor, Humanity & Being Yourself
Why authenticity (and a little personality) beats all the hacks every single time.
🎧 Listen for equal parts comedy and clarity—you’ll laugh at the wild hacks and leave knowing exactly what not to do.
What does it really look like to build a digital nomad lifestyle that lasts years, not just months?
In this episode, Marisa sat down with Blythe, a longtime listener of the show who’s been living the remote work dream across the globe.
She shares what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what she wishes every new digital nomad knew before getting started.
Whether you’re dreaming of your first trip or wondering how to make this lifestyle sustainable, you’ll find honest advice, funny stories, and surprising takeaways from someone who’s truly been there.
🕒 Episode Highlights:
👋 Meet Blythe: From podcast listener to full-time digital nomad guest and why she calls herself the “grandmother of digital nomads” 👵🌍
🦘The first big leap: how she decided to leave home and start traveling
🐢 Travel speed: The unexpected benefits of slow travel vs. fast travel
🤗 Community: Building friendships and community as a long-term nomad
She also talks about: How remote work has shaped her day-to-day freedom, dealing with fear, uncertainty, and burnout on the road, and lessons only years of nomad life can teach you and what she’d do differently if she started today
Get work-from-anywhere job alerts sent to your inbox today to land a job that will let you work from anywhere.
beachcommute.com/email
If you’ve been applying to remote jobs and hearing crickets, or don’t even know where to start, this episode is for you.
Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on why most people struggle to land a fully remote job, what’s actually working right now in the market, and how our Remote Job FastTrack program is designed to guide you through the process.
We also share real stories from our team, the behind-the-scenes mistakes that keep applicants stuck, and the strategies that have helped people land interviews for jobs they didn’t even think were possible.
Episode Highlights:
🎙 [00:00] Why This Episode Is Different
We set aside our normal storytelling to talk about something that could change your career path.
💡 [00:08] Why Finding a Remote Job Is So Hard Right Now
The market realities no one is talking about—and why it’s not just “apply more.”
🛑 [00:14] The Top 3 Mistakes Remote Job Seekers Make
From resume traps to missed networking opportunities.
🧭 [00:22] How the Remote Job FastTrack Works
Our step-by-step approach to getting you clear, visible, and competitive in the remote job market.
📖 [00:27] Ian’s Story
How he went from struggling to landing a role that lets him work from anywhere.
🔍 [00:34] Decoding the Hidden Job Market
Where the best remote jobs are hiding, and how to find them.
🎧 Whether you’re ready to join the Remote Job FastTrack or just want insider strategies for your job search, this episode will give you clarity and next steps.
If you'd like to apply to Remote Job Fast Track, you can submit your info here:
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This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. Your actual results—including job offers, salaries, and how long it takes to get hired—will vary depending on your experience, skills, effort, and the job market. We do not guarantee job placement, specific salaries, or timelines. Any success stories or examples mentioned are not typical and are shared to illustrate what's possible—not what’s promised.
In this episode, Jeff and Marisa dive deep into what it really takes to build meaningful friendships while traveling, and the biggest reasons people end up lonely while chasing the dream.
Episode Highlights:
🏡 Coliving Spaces: The Good, the Boutique, and the IsolatedNot all coliving is created equal. How to find the ones that actually build community (and which ones feel like glorified hostels).
🌍 WiFi Tribe: Built-In Friends or Emotional Crutch?Reflections on how structured nomad groups like WiFi Tribe help or hinder your ability to build your own community.
💻 Coworking Spaces: Connection Hub or Just a Desk?We unpack the myth of coworking as a social space—and what actually happens when you're head-down behind a laptop.
🏐 Sports Groups: The Friend-Making Hack You’re Probably IgnoringWhy pickup volleyball, spikeball, pickleball and casual leagues might be the most natural way to meet real friends without trying.
🕵️ [00:50] Debunking the Big Lies of Nomad FriendshipsWe challenge common advice we’ve seen online, from meetups to Facebook groups to coworking-based assumptions.
🎧 Tune in if you’ve ever felt lonely while living the dream, or just want to build deeper friendships wherever you are in the world.
To get a fully remote job so that you can start traveling the world, make sure to subscribe to our daily job alerts: beachcommute.com/email
Ever been somewhere and thought, “Why don’t we do this back home?”
That’s what this episode is all about.
From fika breaks in Sweden to barefoot freedom in Costa Rica, we’re sharing the cultural customs we fell in love with while traveling—and the ones we seriously wish we could steal.
Also: no llama fetus sacrifices this time. (Yes, that’s a real thing in Bolivia.)
🎉 [00:00] Why Cultural Customs Matter
A quick intro—and the surprising things we’re not bringing home.
☕ [00:05] A Coffee Break with Soul How slowing down and making space for conversation totally changed how we work.
🥾 [00:10] Barefoot Living in Costa Rica No shoes, no stress—how this simple lifestyle shift impacted our nervous systems.
🥟 [00:18] The Power of Shared Meals How food rituals—from Georgia to Guatemala—bond people better than meetings ever could.
🎒 [00:23] Outdoor Everything in Europe Parks, picnics, plaza culture—why being outside is treated so differently abroad.
🫶 [00:28] Hospitality Traditions That Stunned Us From tea in Morocco to open-door homes in South Africa—how generosity showed up around the world.
👣 [00:32] Grounding in Nature as a Daily Norm What cultures get right about walking barefoot, forest bathing, and reconnecting.
💡 [00:37] The One Custom We Each Wish Was Global Our personal top picks—and how they’ve shaped our values.
Get a remote job and live anywhere in the world: beachcommute.com/email
This week, we’re diving into the hot takes, hard truths, and hilariously uncomfortable questions that digital nomads are asking online, from Reddit rabbit holes to unfiltered social threads. No prep, no script, just real talk.
Some answers might surprise you. Some might offend you. All of them? Raw and real.
🔥 [00:00] The Rules: No Scripts, Just Spitfire Takes
Why we didn’t prep for this episode—and why that might be a mistake.
🤔 [00:06] “Are You Just Running Away from Life?”We tackle the most common (and annoying) criticism nomads face.
🏝️ [00:11] “Are Digital Nomads Even Contributing to Society?”This one gets heated. Spoiler: We have thoughts.
❤️ [00:18] “Can You Actually Have a Real Relationship While Traveling?”Long-distance. Short flings. Love in motion. Let’s talk about it.
💻 [00:24] “Is Anyone Actually Working on These Beaches?”A brutal (and honest) breakdown of work vs. vibes.
🌍 [00:29] “Where’s the Line Between Travel and Cultural Disrespect?”We dive into cultural sensitivity, cringe-worthy moments, and how to do better.
🧳 [00:35] “What If You’re Just... Lost?”The existential question no one wants to admit—but most nomads have asked.
👀 [00:42] “What’s the Most Unexpected Thing No One Told You?”Our biggest shocks, regrets, and unexpected wins from years on the road.
🎤 This one’s loose, loud, and very real. Tune in for laughs, cringe, and truth bombs—straight from the digital nomad frontlines.