This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 25th May 2022.

Anybody can become a digital nomad, no matter whether they travel alone or in a group. For instance, during my travels, I have been both a solo and group-based nomad, while in my early days of nomading I was mainly solo or travelling with 1-2 friends or other nomads, for short periods of time. I now enjoy the benefits of travelling with my partner and child as a nomad family.

Regardless of whether I am alone or with others, I appreciate the importance of support, connection and sharing with other people or nomads during my travelling experiences. In a word, community

What is a community and why do Digital Nomads need it? 

The word “community” has a strange power to it, conveying a sense of togetherness and positivity. It involves both solidarity and homeliness. A community is a group of people who already share or decide to create an identity-forming narrative: people who live together experiences so important that they contribute to defining aspects of who they are. 

Gonçalo Hall, the founder of the successful Digital Nomad Village in Madeira said: 

“The most important factor in being a successful Digital Nomad destination is building a community” 

A world of excitement, hope for the unknown and the potential to live a life full of rich experiences and people you may never have met in a 9-5 office setting suddenly open up when you start your journey to becoming a digital nomad.  An experience that, at times, can be overwhelming has the potential to be among the most fulfilling ways of living and working. 

How can you make the most out of your nomad experience? Among other things, a huge part of being a successful digital nomad is knowing how to find and be a part of a strong community.

I can tell from my own experience over the years that there are benefits to being a solo nomad in its own right: your independence, problem-solving, quick-thinking and communication skills will improve dramatically. That being said, at a certain point I found it necessary to make connections with other workers or families that could help give me and my group support and comfort. Finding your community can give you a deeper understanding of your lifestyle, as well as potentially opening new business opportunities. You never know when you could meet a like-minded person to collaborate with!

Let's take a closer look at WHY human connection and community matters and the potential benefits. 

Reasons for community:

1/ Human Connection

As reported by the World Happiness Report, psychological wellbeing has a few factors in it, one of the most important: social connections. Building a community or joining an existing one will help you develop a sense of belonging and support, contributing to a positive nomad experience. Source - https://wmich.edu/wellness/wheel

2/ No man is an island

We can often achieve more together! Nomads often travel to experience new places, cultures and meet people. Finding people to advise, guide and share in those experiences gives us a support network but can make our endeavours more sustainable. 

3/ Core values and community

If we are already part of or associate with a distinct group, profile or community e.g. retired, LGTBQ plus, slomad etc. 

4/ Networking and Business Opportunities

Many digital nomads are entrepreneurs and business owners, always on the look for filling roles they need within a digital nomad community. It is very common to share opportunities in these communities of digital nomads - such as graphic designers, copywriters, social media managers, and more. 

Ways to find community

• Consider which/what communities you align with, make a list and keep them in mind going forward

• Check out local Digital Nomad events in your area or region, if they exist!

• Perhaps there are nomad events already in your local area or region? Find one to start to meet the community and welcome them in-person!

• What other categories could you fit in? New nomad, retired, sustainable traveller etc - extending our categories and connection to various groups can help extend our thinking and therefore opportunities

• Research various portals and sites online to find groups to connect with before you travel

• Remember, connect in real life in location with these groups to really make that strong and more valid human connection.

• Here are some examples of existing communities you can join depending on your interests: Nomad Surfers, Nomad Families, Portugal Digital Nomad Village, Female Digital Nomads, Sustainable Digital Nomads and so on…

Conclusion

The digital nomad choice is not mainstream yet, however you must remember that you are not alone. In fact, there are already great products that help nomads dealing with pressing matters such as travel and health insurance. 

You are not the first person in the world who decided to travel and work or launch a new remote business to have more flexibility. Many other people face your same challenges every day, and finding their community helps them live a fulfilling nomad experience. 

An individual's need for community can be as personal or unique as each one of us. Depending on our disposition, interest or groups we already may consider ourselves a community member, What we next need to consider is how we find that community before and during our nomadic travels.

This article was originally posted on LinkedIn on 25th May 2022.