Last year I turned 40 years old, and I left the higher education industry forever. I worked in the higher education industry for almost 20 years. In a way, I’m semi-retired now: I’m currently a freelance writer, a digital nomad.
- This is a new dream come true.
When I was young, I always wanted to be an educator, a professor. I worked in the higher education industry for almost 20 years – yes, eventually I became a professor. My dream came true, and I thoroughly enjoyed working in the higher education industry for pretty much two decades.
“Your dream doesn’t really need to last forever in order to make it meaningful,” says American author and entrepreneur Rachel Rodgers, “In fact, it’s okay to let your dream be done.”
When I heard that on Rachel Rodger’s podcast, suddenly I had an epiphany: My vocal cords were really tired after teaching at university for so many years, so I needed to do something refreshing for a change. On my 40th birthday, I made a wish: I want to become a digital nomad in 2025.
Speaking of making money while traveling the world, people tend to think about younger individuals who are digital natives, i.e., those who were born in the modern digital era – young people who grew up with the Internet. I’m in my 40s, so I’m actually a digital immigrant – I didn’t grow up with the Internet; I still clearly remember what life was like before we had the Internet: Before 1998, I was reading books and watching TV at home because I didn’t even have a computer.
I resigned from the university that I was working for in January 2025. After that, I actually received several job offers from other universities because many people in the higher education industry know me very well. But I didn’t accept any of those job offers because I knew I want the freedom to travel the world while making a living via my laptop.
Right now, I’m writing this article in Europe. It’s indeed a new dream come true.
- If you also want to change your career in your 40s….
Changing your career in your 40s can be slightly scary because you might wonder whether you will be able to achieve success in a totally different industry. What’s more, leaving something that you are extremely familiar with can be quite uncomfortable, too.
Now if you are thinking about changing your career in your 40s, please try this technique: Ask yourself, “When I think of this new career, does my body feel expansive? Or does my body only feel contraction?”
If your body feels expansive, that means you truly love this new career. In contrast, if your body feels contraction, that means it’s probably not the right career choice for you.
Trust your body wisdom because that’s your intuition. Remember, your intuition is always right.
“If you are also interested in becoming a digital nomad, please be sure to come back to this blog often because I will keep sharing my experience with you on this blog.”
