One Step Closer: Talk to Someone Who’s Already Living Your Dream
Narrowing down your ideal destinations? Blogs and YouTube videos are great, but you can't beat real conversations with people who are already where you want to be.
Welcome to One Step Closer, a no-fluff series to help you take small, intentional steps toward a location-independent life—without burning out or starting over.
In this series, we’re exploring small steps you can take right now to support a fully location-independent lifestyle down the road. At some point in your journey, you’re bound to stop thinking, “I could live anywhere!” and start wondering, “Okay, but where do I actually want to spend my time?”
Maybe you have a list of ten potential destinations, or maybe you’re torn between two very different options. A vibrant city with a buzzing expat scene? A quiet coastal town with a lower cost of living? Somewhere with perfect weather year-round?
Or perhaps you fell in love with a place you vacationed and have convinced yourself it’s the perfect place to start an expat life.
You can spend hours scrolling through cost-of-living breakdowns and “Pros & Cons” videos (I’ve lost an awful lot of hours this way 😁). But nothing beats hearing directly from people already living in the places you’re considering, whether it’s for a month or a longer term stay.
Put on your journalist hat; we’re going snooping
Even if you’re years away from making a move, these conversations can help you refine your list, avoid common mistakes, and discover unexpected opportunities.
There are plenty of ways to explore destinations vicariously through expats and nomads:
