Having an open-minded perspective that expands your horizons can shift mindsets, give different perspectives, and create vast opportunities that would of otherwise not been thought about or considered. Staying in the same geographical environment to perform the "daily grind" can be exhausting, putting us into a never-ending, vicious cycle of repetitiveness that does not fulfill or create sustainable pleasure from daily activities. However, what if you were able to take your lifestyle and become a nomad, exploring the world with vast opportunities to work from anywhere, and helping to see the world in a new perspective that challenges your beliefs and create long-lasting friendships and engagements to live, work, and play? Today's guest, Monica Mangelson, shares her digital nomad lifestyle and how it has fueled positively, scientific results, and a thirst-quenching lifestyle for freedom to work from anywhere. Through this interview, learn how to build sustaining opportunities to grow into new perspectives and lifestyles that would have otherwise been not attainable.

Guest Bio

Monica is a certified life-purpose coach, full-time world traveler, adventure junkie, and a total foodie. She is on a mission to help people live more intentionally and have more fun in the process.

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/monica.pattillo.3/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/digitalnomadstartupcircle

@austinandmonica on Instagram

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUg_xD2FtNZ7YQbaq3OV-4A

Website: https://coachingbymonica.com/

Visit Our Website: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/

Visit Our Business Website: https://www.yourspeakingvoice.biz

Support The Mission Of The Business! Donate Here: https://speaking-from-the-heart.captivate.fm/support

Intro/Outro By: Michael Dugan, Podcast Host: Voice4Chefs

Welcome to the podcast where relationships, confidence, and

2

determination all converge into

an amazing, heartfelt experience.

3

This is Speaking From The Heart.

4

Joshua: Welcome back to episode

number 170 of Speaking from the Heart.

5

Today, we have Monica Mangelson with

us, and Monica is a certified life

6

purpose coach, full time world traveler,

a venture junkie, and a total foodie.

7

She is on a mission to help people live

more intentionally and have more fun in

8

the process, and I got to say with this

foodie, it's really interesting to hear

9

so many different types of people on this

show that have spanned from traveling

10

overseas, traveling back to have so

many different types of conversations

11

with my counterparts here in the United

States, but Monica brings something to

12

the table that many people I haven't

had on the show really do: traveling as

13

a digital nomad, learning how to grow,

providing that context, that connection,

14

that comfortability, and really finding

that engagement, that connection with

15

somebody that as much as they want to

help you share that perspective that

16

you really want to dive deep into, you

will find that person, they will love

17

you for who you are, and willing to go

on that adventure, which I talk a little

18

bit with Monica, about how it is to

live a life of flexibility, and also not

19

knowing where you're going to go to next.

20

It's been something that I have been

following on their podcast, not only

21

because of the neuroscience mindset

that she talks about, but also pushing

22

that awareness, understanding that our

batteries can drain, but we got to wake

23

up to the outside world that is around

us, and by doing that, by multiplying

24

successes and opportunities together,

we can create an infinite number of

25

different types of opportunities that

are at our disposal, and for that

26

reason, I can't wait for you to hear

the very end of this podcast, because

27

there is just so much that Monica

shares that we're going to unpack.

28

Get your suitcase ready, because this is

the time in which you're going to learn

29

not just ways in which you can get more

comfortable, but how you can be packed

30

and ready to go anywhere in your life.

31

But with that, let's go to the episode.

32

All right.

33

We're here with Monica Mangelson.

34

Monica!

35

Thanks for sharing your

heart with us today.

36

Monica: Of course.

37

I'm so happy to be here.

38

Thanks for inviting me on your show.

39

Joshua: I am so happy too.

40

You were one of those people that

reached out to me like months ago, and

41

then I forgot, and then I remembered,

because you responded to a group

42

that I have been getting a lot of my

guests from, the Need a Guest Facebook

43

group, which for my listeners, it's a

great opportunity to learn a lot about

44

different people on there, and get

them for shows if you're interested,

45

or even speaking events, so thank you

for reminding me, and I'm so sorry.

46

I feel like I have to speak from the heart

right away to you for that reason, but-

47

Monica: No worries.

48

You know what?

49

I'm a big believer that things happen

when they were supposed to, and you

50

know that I've just been through a

huge business transition, and so I

51

feel like this is the perfect time.

52

Joshua: And that's what I love about

it is that there's always divine

53

timing that's involved with it, so-

54

Monica: Absolutely.

55

Joshua: Thanks for doing this with me.

56

I actually want to set the scene for

my listeners, which heard a little bit

57

about you already, but I was really drawn

to your story because of your partner,

58

and what you also do in terms of your

lifestyle, so I'm wondering if you could

59

tell us a little bit about that at a high

level, and why that is such an appealing

60

process for you, because I'll be honest.

61

There aren't many people I know

personally that live the lifestyle

62

that you do, so why don't you

share that with our listeners?

63

Monica: Yeah, of course, so my partner

and I are full time digital nomads, so

64

basically what that means is we both work

online, and we travel anywhere we can

65

get a Wi-Fi signal, so we've lived in

the States, out of the States, in Asia,

66

South America; all over the place, and

it's just been such a fun experience for

67

us to really dive into other cultures,

to learn more about ourselves, to become

68

stronger together as a relationship.

69

We've had to rely on each other a lot,

but I have to say the thing that I

70

love the most about the digital nomad

lifestyle is that you are constantly

71

reinventing yourself, and so you don't

really ever have the chance to live

72

on autopilot, because you're always

somewhere new, with new stimulus, and

73

new challenges, and trying to figure

out where the grocery store is, or how

74

do you get toilet paper in this place?

75

You don't even have toilet paper, and

so it's such a cool way to always be

76

reinventing yourself, but always to be

taking life one minute at a time, and so

77

every time we go somewhere new, we get

to stop and say, "What do we need right

78

now in this phase of our life?", and

just move forward with that decision, and

79

we just live really intentionally since

we have started living this lifestyle.

80

Joshua: I felt that when I was

reading a little bit about this,

81

which for my listeners, I'll have

Monica's website on the episode notes.

82

I found it really interesting something

that I wanted to do right out of college,

83

which is to go to the Peace Corps, so

Austin, your significant other, and

84

you, both decided to do that, so what

ultimately led the decision that you

85

wanted to serve in the Peace Corps?

86

Monica: Yeah, I mean, I think

it was a combination of things.

87

I think one was we really didn't want

to go do more schooling, and we really

88

didn't want to go work in an office yet.

89

We needed more of an adventure.

90

We had both lived abroad separately

before we met each other, and so we kind

91

of had that taste for it, and originally

what our plan was to teach English, and

92

at first, we were going to teach English

in China for a semester, and then we

93

got jobs actually in Thailand teaching

English, and then that fell through last

94

minute, and so talk about divine timing.

95

When we found out that the

Thailand jobs were falling through,

96

we were in the library of our

school and I was devastated.

97

I was so excited to live in Thailand

for a year to teach English.

98

I don't know why I thought I could

teach if I can't even speak it, but,

99

this guy next to us was like, "Hey!

100

You should go check out the Peace Corps.

101

Actually, they're here at a career fair

right now, and you have about half an

102

hour left before it closes.", so we booked

it over there, and instantly just got

103

hooked, and fell in love with the program.

104

We went through the whole

application process.

105

We got assigned to Mozambique to work

in HIV and malaria prevention and

106

awareness; working with the youth, so we

are really, really excited about that.

107

Joshua: But then the dreaded five

letter word, COVID, changed everything.

108

I think that might have been, speaking of

divine timing, which we're talking about

109

earlier, I found that maybe that happened

for a reason because of what you said.

110

You're doing what you're doing now;

being digital nomads, and you're

111

able to live a lifestyle that is

not tethered, so for you, I'm really

112

curious about this, because I think

for some people, when they hear

113

digital nomads, they're thinking, "Oh!

114

So you're just living, you know, in an RV?

115

You're traveling around.", or,

you might be hopping on a plane.

116

You're in hostels, or you're in

some sort of living arrangement.

117

Tell us how that sort of works

for you on the day to day basis.

118

Do you like make this decision that

you're going to go to another country?

119

Is there planning involved?

120

Tell us a little bit about how that

all comes to be, if you don't mind.

121

Monica: Yeah, it's definitely changed

a lot, but Austin and I both really

122

like nice things, and so I think that's

surprising for a lot of people when it

123

comes to thinking about digital nomads.

124

You do think of like the RVers, or

like the super minimalist kind of

125

people, and we are pretty minimalist,

but we do really like nice things, and

126

we like to live in nice places, and

our journey has evolved quite a bit.

127

If you had asked me this question

a year, or even two years ago, I

128

probably would have been like, "Yeah.

129

We plan everything out.

130

We book everything in advance.

131

We book our flights.

132

We know where we're going to be; how

long we're going to be there.", and

133

it's changed quite a bit as we've

kind of eased into the lifestyle,

134

so now it's a lot more spontaneous,

and that drives our parents crazy.

135

That drives our families crazy.

136

It's because they can't ever keep

track of us, because we don't know

137

where we're going to be next, so we

really kind of take it as it goes.

138

The biggest thing we look for

is visas; how long we can stay

139

in a country will determine.

140

We always like to stay in a place

longer, if possible, so like one to

141

three months is kind of our sweet spot,

because we really like to integrate

142

into the culture, into the place

we're in, know all the local spots.

143

We're not tourists.

144

We are living in these different places,

although we do touristy things, and

145

enjoy that, and so then we'll book an

apartment and typically we use Airbnb,

146

just cause we know it's reliable.

147

We can find really good housing.

148

We can find really comfortable housing,

and kind of vet it, because it's really

149

important that we have Wi-Fi wherever

we're going, since we are working online.

150

That's kind of our lifeline,

and then, from there, we

151

just kind of will hop around.

152

We'll talk to lots of people and

they'll be like, you know, we'll be in

153

Peru and they'll be like, "Oh my gosh!

154

You have to go to Chile.",

so we're like, "Okay.

155

Let's go to Chile.

156

That'd be so fun.", you know, and we just

kind of fly by the seat of our pants.

157

Joshua: Do you feel that it creates

some tension sometimes working

158

with clients then, because you

are traveling all over the place?

159

I imagine like, first off, the time zone

differences every time that you go to a

160

different country can be impactful, but,

I'm wondering too, like how do you balance

161

that from a work perspective, because,

obviously, I imagine that you're trying to

162

help them out with what they're trying to

do, which, if you don't mind even sharing

163

in general what that is that you usually

provide as a level of service, I'm sure

164

listeners would love to hear that too,

but how does that impact your ability

165

to be able to stay focused with that?

166

Monica: Mm-Hmm.

167

Yeah, so it has been a

learning curve for sure.

168

All of our clients have been super great.

169

None of them have cared if we're in

the country, or out of the country.

170

Time zones has been the biggest pain

in the butt, because we think we have

171

it right, and then our Google calendar,

like a firm's up for us, and then we're

172

wrong, and then, you know, we have

missed meetings before, or different

173

things like that, but everyone we work

with is super understanding, and I think

174

a big reason for that is because we

are very open and honest about, "Hey!

175

We just traveled across the world,

and we're 14 hours behind, and I'm

176

so sorry.", and so all of our clients

have been very, very gracious with us.

177

They've been super good about being open

and honest with us, and just letting

178

it be okay being flexible, and I really

think a big part of that is because

179

it's the culture that we've worked

to create within our business, within

180

our clients, and things like that,

so I guess, high level, of what I do.

181

I am a life purpose coach which has

shifted a little bit, but that's

182

currently like where I'm at, so I love

helping clients with one on one calls.

183

We jump on a call, and we talk about

their goals, and what kind of life they

184

want to live, and how to set themselves

up for success within that life.

185

Austin has recently pivoted.

186

He is actually going to school right

now, so that's a little bit of an unknown

187

factor right now is cause he's working

to become a data analyst, and so he'll

188

probably be working for a company, and

so we're hoping his goal is to be fully

189

remote, but he might have more specific

hours that he has to clock in, and

190

clock out, whereas me with my clients,

I have specific call days, and so the

191

time zones are a little bit easier,

because I can stay up really late that

192

one day on my call day if I need to,

or wake up early on the specific call

193

days, not every day of the week, where

he might not have that kind of time

194

flexibility, so that's a little bit

of a question mark for us right now.

195

Joshua: As somebody that has been

in the data analytics field, because

196

I've continued to work a full time

job, and one of my past jobs was

197

doing data analytics, let me tell you.

198

There is some flexibility.

199

Data does not go away, or scurry around

in a corner, so I think Austin will

200

have a lot of flexibility, so I'm really

super excited to hear that, even though

201

that's quite a transition even as of

the time of this recording for you, I

202

know that down the road, it's going to

all work out, and I think it might even

203

give you some benefits too, for sure.

204

Monica: Yeah.

205

Thank you.

206

I needed to hear that, because there

are moments where I get really nervous.

207

Joshua: Well, this is my moment

where I get the coach, and I get

208

to tell you, it's going to be okay.

209

Monica: Thank you.

210

Joshua: Speaking of coaching, one of

the things that why we have this sort

211

of connection, full disclosure for

my listeners, and I even said this to

212

Monica, I've been following a little

bit of their own podcast, because

213

you both have a couple's podcast.

214

It's called The Profitable Nomad Couple

podcast, so I was wondering how you got

215

started with that, and I'm scratching

my head, because I've always stayed

216

where I'm at, stationary with recording.

217

This I haven't taken it on the road,

or even done this remotely with other

218

people, other than using technology

kind of like I use now to help record

219

these, so how do you go about recording

episodes, because I know most of them in

220

the beginning for you were just Austin and

you, but you've also incorporated guests.

221

I'm kind of curious how

you make that all happen.

222

Let us know a little bit of

the magic that happens in the

223

background, if you don't mind.

224

Monica: The magic in the background?

225

Yeah, we're really good packers, and

so you'd be amazed what we can fit in a

226

carry on, especially cause we normally

travel with just backpacking backpacks.

227

You would be amazed what we could fit in

there, so we are set up as super light,

228

which is really helpful, and then the

biggest issue, again, has been time zones,

229

and so we'll have stints that were in the

States, like for right now, at the time

230

of this recording, and actually probably

the time of this release, we are going to

231

be house sitting in Colorado, and so while

we've been in the States, we booked a ton

232

of guest interviews, and so we actually

have our guest interviews scheduled

233

out till like March of next year.

234

Joshua: Wow.

235

Monica: We just take advantage

of the time that we have.

236

Joshua: Wow.

237

I sort of do something similar,

and a little bit of the curtain

238

behind too, for my listeners.

239

I do this in groupings too, where I

might have six, seven weeks that I'm just

240

completely booked with podcast interviews,

but that will extend throughout

241

several months at a time, but wow.

242

To have that many, I'm impressed.

243

That just shows the power

that you're projecting and the

244

messaging, which I highly encourage.

245

I mean, do you want to talk a

little bit about what you share on

246

the podcast too in case any of my

listeners like to check you out too?

247

Monica: Oh, of course.

248

Podcasting is my favorite part

of the business, to be honest.

249

I'm such a talker.

250

I love meeting new people.

251

I love sharing my story.

252

I love doing it with Austin.

253

It is so much fun, so like you said, we

are the Profitable Nomad Couple podcast,

254

and the first kind of season, the first

chapter of our podcast, was very much

255

about the digital nomad lifestyle.

256

It was about how to market yourself

online, how to start an online business,

257

and about that mindset piece, but as

we kind of were going about and doing

258

our podcast, and figuring out our next

step, our big pivot, the big thing

259

that I realized, going forward, is that

anybody can teach you business, but the

260

thing I kept working with my clients

on was their mindset, to believe in

261

themselves, to feel like they had a

purpose in life, and so now, chapter two

262

of the Profitable Nomad Couple podcast,

is specifically on mindset things.

263

I am a big neuroscience nerd, and so it's

all like neuroscience based, and so, yeah.

264

We have a lot of that.

265

Travel is just such a big part of

who we are, and so is business,

266

and so that'll come up as well.

267

Joshua: I love the science aspect.

268

I had somebody recently that was on the

show that talked about not just from

269

the coaching perspective, but also how

to take the science behind it to help

270

somebody: the biology, the chemistry,

to really shift that mindset, so I'm

271

kind of curious because when we hear

people say, even for us coaches, we say,

272

"We're going to change your mindset.

273

We're going to help you do that,

and we're going to walk you through

274

that.", they're like, "Oh, brother!

275

I don't really want to do that whatsoever.

276

There's just another person

saying that they can do that."

277

What makes you different from, say,

somebody else that is saying the

278

same thing that they're able to do?

279

What do you think you bring to the

table that maybe somebody else doesn't

280

that would help them with changing

that mindset, and I'm really anxious

281

to hear this answer because of what

you've shared so far, because I feel

282

like there's some power behind this.

283

Monica: Yeah.

284

I mean, there's a couple of things.

285

I feel like the biggest one is

that I am very neuroscience based,

286

and so I really lean into like

the research of neuroplasticity.

287

How can we actually affect

change in your life?

288

How can we change just the smallest

things to change habits, which have

289

the biggest impact in your life?

290

The other thing is I am very

focused on helping people lean

291

back into their intuition.

292

I don't have the answers for everybody,

but I know that everybody has their

293

own answers, and I am very good at

helping you figure out what that is.

294

I'm very good into helping you tune

back into your own intuition, into your

295

own gut feeling, and then be able to

use that to make the decisions that

296

will be best for you in this moment.

297

Joshua: Based on that, and based on the

world that you've seen thus far, what do

298

you say is something that we're lacking

here as people that live in the United

299

States, or say, another country for that

matter, because I know you obviously

300

meet other people with your travels.

301

What do you think is the key

ingredient that we're missing outside

302

of just the neuroscience component?

303

Meaning, is there something that

you've seen common amongst your

304

clients that maybe you have seen that

maybe even if you said today to me,

305

even for that matter, "Hey, Josh!

306

I don't know you at all, but maybe this

is one thing that you could look at."

307

What would that one thing be, and

I know I'm kind of pigeonholing

308

you in just one, so if there's more

than one, please, share the wealth.

309

Monica: Yeah, I mean, as you were

talking, I instantly had two things pop

310

into my head, so I'll share those two.

311

The first, and the most important one,

is just a level of self awareness, of

312

mindfulness, of taking the time during the

day to pause and notice your surroundings.

313

Americans are so busy.

314

It's ridiculous, but anywhere else that

I have gone outside the country, I mean,

315

I've done meditations with Buddhist

monks in the temples in Thailand.

316

I have gone out to small villages

and been with families, and it's

317

just so interesting how everyone

has this level of awareness.

318

They see what's going on around them.

319

They see the flowers that are blooming.

320

They see the people next to them

struggling, and then they also take

321

more time to reflect on themselves,

and what's going on, and how they

322

can be better help, and of course,

that's a big generalization.

323

There are obviously people who don't have

that same level of mindfulness, but the

324

people that do are the people who make

a difference, so the ones where you're

325

sitting on the bus, and they notice that

you look lost, and they're like, "Hey.

326

How are you?", and they want to start a

conversation, and they want to help you,

327

versus the people who are on their phones,

and the people who have that level of

328

mindfulness, and awareness, are by far so

much happier, because they are noticing.

329

They're stopping and smelling

the roses, as cliche as that is.

330

They are noticing the people around them.

331

They are noticing the things around them,

and then they are taking time to reflect

332

on that, and to kind of internalize the

things that they're seeing, and learning,

333

every single day, so if I could just like

blanket spread across the United States

334

like one thing that I wish everybody had

was that same level of intentionality and

335

mindfulness as they go about their day.

336

Joshua: Let's turn that question

around and apply it to you, so with

337

intentionality and mindfulness, has

there been a point in your life that

338

maybe you didn't have that, but then

all of a sudden, the switch came on,

339

which led you into this adventure

that you have been on with Austin?

340

Monica: Oh, yes.

341

Oh, yes, so after the Peace

Corps kind of shut down.

342

I mean, at that point, we had

sold our housing contract.

343

We'd sold most of our stuff.

344

Everything was in suitcases.

345

We were ready to go.

346

We were two weeks out from leaving when

COVID shut everything down, and so we

347

packed everything in our little Mazda,

and we drove to California, and we moved

348

in with Austin's parents, who were so

kind and gracious to take us in for what

349

ended up being a really long time, and

while we were there, we were waiting

350

for the Peace Corps to come back and

tell us that we could go again, that we

351

could live our lives again, and so we

got dead end jobs, and I worked in senior

352

healthcare, which, it's a really hard job.

353

Joshua: It is a hard job.

354

My mom has done even long term

care when she was working,

355

so I understand completely.

356

Yeah.

357

Monica: Yeah.

358

It was extremely hard.

359

I was extremely overworked.

360

I thought this was going to be short term,

so I did not set very good boundaries, and

361

I was working 15 hour days a lot of times.

362

I was not getting home until one or two

in the morning, and then Austin would get

363

up for his shift at six in the morning,

and so we would never see each other.

364

I was literally just surviving, just

trying to make it through the day, and

365

then the weekends would come, and I'd be

really excited for the weekends, except

366

I'd have no energy to enjoy it, and

so I spent a lot of time on the couch.

367

A lot of time watching Netflix, and I

lived like that, in this state of just

368

surviving, just trying to get through the

day, just trying to get to the weekend,

369

which I didn't even have energy to enjoy,

and I just felt like I was a battery that

370

was charging less and less and less every

night, and I was just slowly draining, and

371

I put on a ton of weight during that time.

372

I just felt so empty, and I was

so angry, and I'm not an angry

373

person, and I'm like generally a

very happy person and I just wasn't.

374

I was a shell of who I was, and there came

a time when the Peace Corps was like, "Oh.

375

Two weeks!", and then they were like, "Oh.

376

Like a month.

377

Two months.

378

Three months.", and then we stopped

hearing from them, and there became a

379

time, I think it was about nine months

in, where we got an email from them, and

380

they were like, "Oh, it's been so long.

381

You have to reapply.

382

You have to redo all of your

certifications, all of your

383

medical things.", and it broke me.

384

I was so frustrated, and I went on a

two hour walk that day, and just like

385

bawled, and I was so angry, and I

just like, "Why did this happen to me?

386

We wanted to serve."

387

Our hearts were in the right place.

388

I really, really felt

aligned with the Peace Corps.

389

I had this kind of big come to Jesus

moment, almost, when we signed up for

390

the Peace Corps, and I was just like,

"Why was I led astray in this way?",

391

and that was what broke me, and that

was when I was like, 'You know what?

392

I have been waiting for nine months in

literal hell, waiting for somebody to

393

tell me I could live my life again.",

and I was I'm angry all the time.

394

I have gained like 50 pounds

over COVID during this time, and

395

I was like, I never go outside.

396

I'm a fraction of the person that

I used to be, and I just realized

397

that I was done living on autopilot.

398

I was done living for anybody else, and

that's when, slowly, I began to make

399

these changes, and start a business,

and started traveling, and start

400

eating better, and all the things.

401

Joshua: You remind me so much of what my

journey has been, and my listeners that

402

have been following along with me even on

this journey, which I've shared briefly

403

with you about even getting to this

point, it reminds me so much of what I've

404

struggled with: overeating, not feeling

like I was worthy of what I had been

405

given, the imposter syndrome sometimes

to that I don't deserve to have this, but

406

It sounds to me that COVID realized for

you that this was indeed your calling,

407

that this was what you were meant to do.

408

Is that fair to say?

409

Monica: I believe it was the start of it.

410

It has been probably a two, three year

journey to get to where I am today to

411

fully be like this is why I'm here.

412

This is my calling.

413

This is my purpose.

414

Joshua: With that said, with those two,

three years to get to where you are

415

today, which, I mean, I'm impressed by

just looking at your website, how you

416

carry yourself here, it just shows that

you have been putting that hard work in.

417

How does that reflect

with who you work with?

418

To you, if there was somebody that you

really wanted to work with to help them

419

see that best version of themselves,

as I call it, but I know you don't

420

call it that, how do you get them

to see that bigger picture that the

421

hard work that they do does pay off?

422

Monica: Yeah.

423

My favorite people to work with are

the people who are kind of having what

424

I call this waking up moment in their

life, where they're like, "Oh my gosh.

425

I've put in years of schooling, and

thousands of dollars of schooling,

426

and/or into this job, and I've been

climbing the ladder, and I've been

427

doing everything right, and I hate it."

428

You know, we're kind of put on this fast

track, like, from the time we're little:

429

go to school, and then you go to high

school, and then you go to college or

430

trade school, and then you get a job,

and then you start at the bottom, and

431

you work your way up, and you climb this

ladder, and you get a house, and maybe

432

you get married; maybe you have some

kids, and that's kind of this fast track

433

we're put on, and we're never given a

time to breathe, and just ask ourselves

434

what we actually want, and so it's the

people who have been climbing that ladder,

435

who've been following that path, and

like I said, they have all the things,

436

the outward things, and they're just not

happy, and it just leaves them wondering

437

if there's not more out there for them.

438

Those are the people that I love

working with, and I love helping

439

them start to strip away the societal

pressures, and their familiar pressures,

440

and things like that, that people

have kind of superimposed onto them

441

to really strip down into who am

I as a person, and what do I need?

442

What is my purpose here?

443

What am I passionate about, and

then help them start to reinvent

444

their life based on that.

445

Joshua: What's next for you in terms

of this adventure, because you even

446

said earlier, there's been a seismic

shift just because of some of the

447

dynamics, even in your own business.

448

What do you feel is the focus based

off of that, because it sounds

449

like that is where you're heading

towards, but is there more to it?

450

Is there a bigger, broader

vision to become the best

451

version of who you are, Monica?

452

Monica: Oh, yes.

453

Yes, for sure.

454

I'm a visionary, so I always have a

vision of where I'm going, but one of

455

the things that I actually have just

started implementing, which I'm very

456

excited about, is hosting retreats.

457

I want to bring people with me to travel,

and have this transformational experience,

458

and I want to bring them a community

of people who just are learning how to

459

love themselves, and learning how to

reinvent themselves, so I'm hosting my

460

first retreat in February, which I'm very

excited about, and the other thing that

461

I really want to do is to be on a stage.

462

I want my impact to be amplified.

463

I remember as a kid going to speeches

in several different capacities,

464

both in school, out of school,

and those speakers changed my life

465

more than I ever could have known.

466

It stirred something in me, and

I'm recently getting to this point

467

where I'm like, "I want that."

468

I want to be able to amplify my

impact from a stage, so those are

469

the two things that I've been really

working towards implementing into

470

myself, and also into my business.

471

Joshua: I'll tell you, as someone that

does public speaking coaching for a

472

living too, that it is possible with

even the people that go up there, and do

473

some amazing work with their audience.

474

It's all about what your purpose is at

the end of the day, and the way that you

475

even said it today, like I'm literally

sitting here, and I'm like kind of

476

having this oasis form in my head of,

"What would be the perfect type of

477

getaway of not only opportunity that's

outside of where my bubble is right

478

now, but also where is yet to explore.",

and I hear that energy from you.

479

I find it to be something that is really

needed, especially for people that

480

sometimes get stuck, and trying to get

unstuck is the biggest part of that.

481

To ask one final question, because

we're almost at the end of our time.

482

What would you say to someone, especially

with everything that you've done thus far,

483

and even what you have yet to go, because,

I mean, I look at you, and you got so

484

much more life to go, even for you, and

everybody else that you have yet to serve.

485

What is one thing that you would recommend

for somebody that maybe is interested

486

in stepping outside of that comfort zone

that they've been living in, doing this,

487

quote unquote, right things, which I like

that, because sometimes we think what

488

is the right thing isn't necessarily the

right thing, so what would be one way,

489

Monica, for people to kind of take that

first step to see that bigger picture?

490

What do you think?

491

Monica: I think the very first step is

to just allow yourself to dream bigger.

492

I mean, you got to this point by

letting everyone else tell you what

493

your dreams needed to be, and at one

point, maybe it was your dream, but

494

allowing yourself, like, "What if there

was more?", or, my favorite question.

495

I know a lot of people are like

kind of teetering on the edge,

496

and they're like, "Oh my gosh.

497

What if I fall?", but what if we

start asking yourself, "What if I fly?

498

What if everything went so

well, so perfectly better

499

than we could ever imagine?

500

What would life look like?", and as

you start to let yourself go, let go of

501

your inhibitions a little bit, and let

yourself dream, you're going to find

502

that there's such a beautiful picture.

503

There's such a beautiful life waiting

for you just on the other side, but

504

it all starts with that first step

of letting yourself imagine that

505

it could be the best thing ever.

506

Joshua: Definitely can be, and working

with people that have done that

507

can make such a big difference, so,

Monica, I really appreciate this.

508

I really appreciate getting to know you.

509

I feel like I've known you from afar,

but now I'm getting to talk to you today.

510

It was really great.

511

I want to give you the last few

minutes here to pitch your business.

512

If people are interested

in contacting you.

513

Maybe they want to get

some coaching from you.

514

Maybe they want to learn a little

bit more about you and Austin.

515

Maybe they want to listen to the podcast.

516

Maybe you want to give it one more shot

of just referencing that, and where people

517

can find that too, but I'm going to give

you the last few minutes to do all that.

518

Monica: Yeah, of course.

519

I mean, like we've already

talked about, the podcast is my

520

favorite thing about business.

521

I love giving free advice, so the best

way you can kind of like scratch the

522

surface, over level, get to know me,

also Austin and our journey, would be

523

the Profitable Nomad Couple podcast.

524

Literally anywhere you get your podcast,

you can find it, and then, if you want

525

to know just general information about

me, austinandmonica.com is my website.

526

Instagram is my favorite place to hang

out, Instagram and Facebook, so Instagram

527

as well @AustinandMonica, we were really

original with all of our handles, and

528

then Facebook, come hang out with me.

529

I have a Facebook group called the

Freedom Frame of Mind: Escaping

530

The Daily Grind, so it's super fun.

531

I do tons of trainings in that

Facebook group all the time.

532

It is such a powerhouse community of

amazing people who are doing amazing

533

things, and reinventing themselves over

and over and over again, and I have people

534

from all over the world in that group.

535

It is a blast.

536

I love that group, so come hang out with

me there, and then of course, I would

537

be a miss if I didn't invite you all to

come to Columbia with me in February.

538

It is a self love meets adventure

retreat, so we're going to be kayaking.

539

We're going to be paddleboarding.

540

We're going to be snorkeling.

541

We're going to be going on sunset tours.

542

We're going to be having bonfires with

live music, but then we're also going

543

to have the slower part where we're

going to be doing restorative yoga,

544

and we're going to have massages on

the beach, and we're going to have

545

a private chef who is cooking really

nutritious and delicious meals, so

546

definitely come join me in February.

547

That's February 2nd through the 6th.

548

It'd be a blast, and I cannot

wait to hang out with you all.

549

Joshua: Sounds like a great

birthday getaway for me, since

550

my birthday month is in February.

551

Might be something I

need to even think about.

552

Monica: Yes!

553

Oh my gosh, come!

554

That'd be so fun!

555

Joshua: But, I have to say to you,

that you are your own little country.

556

I don't know if you even realize it or

not, but you're creating this culture

557

in that country that you're forming

of all the possibilities, and I find

558

that the life that you're living

with Austin, this digital nomad life.

559

Sometimes I've heard in

the news of like, "Oh!

560

That's not possible to do.

561

It's ridiculous that people

would ever think that way."

562

Well, you're proving that

wrong, and I love that you're

563

pushing back on the status quo.

564

I love that you're challenging not just

what everybody thinks that we should be

565

doing, but also what we could be doing,

and that's what we should be doing, that

566

we can have this freedom in our lives,

and regardless of what we might think it

567

is, it means that we have to look at it

from a variety of different perspectives,

568

which, for you, I got to say.

569

You got many different perspectives being

a world traveler, so, with all those

570

kudos behind you, Monica, thanks for

being on Speaking from the Heart today.

571

I really enjoyed having you on the show,

and thank you for enlightening me and my

572

listeners about everything that you do.

573

Monica: Aw.

574

Thank you so much for having me here.

575

It's been a genuine pleasure

to be here with you.

576

Joshua: I want to thank Monica again

so much for being part of the show,

577

but there's one footnote that I have

to tell all of you, my listeners,

578

about this podcast episode in which

something's changed after Monica

579

who was on the show in which we

recorded this a few months ago.

580

Monica has since then re-branded her

podcast, no longer being called the

581

Profitable Nomad Couple podcast, but to

now be called Notes From A Neuro Nerd.

582

I'm going to put that link in the episode

notes so that you have that, but I want

583

to just leave that with you, because

even then, Monica has rebranded herself

584

into this awesome powerhouse, but the

conversation that we had today is still

585

just as relevant, still just as impactful,

and has so many different things that

586

I want to unpack, so let's get into it.

587

Traveling with all these different types

of people, all these different types of

588

connections that we can form throughout

the world, makes us even have a stronger

589

connection with ourselves, even our

partners, when we are able to branch

590

out and explore what is all around us.

591

Having that new connection, finding

new material, having plans that allow

592

us to surround those opportunities

can really be an effective tool, and

593

I love that no matter where Monica

is at, even with her partner Austin,

594

they are able to make this work.

595

They are able to find ways, regardless

of where they are, to help serve their

596

clients, but it's really about doing

the nice things to be able to do that.

597

You have those nice things when you go

around the world being able to figure out

598

where you might want to go next, where

is that destination, but also having that

599

feeling of comfort, no matter where it is

happening, wherever you go, whether that

600

is an Airbnb, whether that is in some

place that you've never been before, being

601

able to have that kind of engagement with

your life is something that most people

602

would absolutely dream about to be able to

find, to be able to have that flexibility.

603

The question that we have to ask

ourself is: Can we be more flexible

604

in living that kind of life?

605

I think Monica really talked a lot about

how she's able to do it, but I also

606

know that she talked about how some

people might not be able to do that.

607

It doesn't mean that there's a yes or

no to this, but that there's different

608

ways in which you can go about it.

609

Freedom in itself comes in

all kinds of different forms.

610

That doesn't mean that I'm going

to be packing up all my belongings,

611

closing down Your Speaking Voice,

and going completely digital.

612

No, no, no.

613

I wouldn't be doing that for myself,

because that's just not my level of

614

freedom, but that doesn't excuse the

fact that everybody has a different way

615

in which they approach it, but I love

that Monica talks about how you can pack

616

super light, be able to be not only open

to these kinds of opportunities, but how

617

you can shape your mind, your perspective

around them, and that's really the

618

key is that you have to find engaging

opportunities to be able to pursue them.

619

You have to be able to do your homework,

do the research, be able to go with the

620

flow, and sometimes that flow, even with

some of the things that she's talked

621

about, might not always work out for

themselves, but this belief about mindset,

622

being able to change, is a science within

itself, and it's something that Monica

623

has really invested a lot of time in,

and I can understand why she pivoted

624

the podcast, why she's pivoting many

different parts of her coaching business

625

into something that I love about why

we're able to change our habits, how

626

we can change your intuition, about

things that we have normally thought

627

this is the only way to do it, but to

also unlearn some of those experiences.

628

We've had plenty of people that

have talked about this concept

629

on the show, but nothing quite in

depth like Monica has shared today.

630

That self awareness, knowing and seeing

what matters the most, is the hardest

631

thing that might be covering our eyes,

might be covering our perspective, being

632

able to see what's on the other side, but

how we bring that awareness, how we create

633

that perspective, means that we have to

learn how to create things that help us.

634

We have to create habits that are not only

good for us, but the things that surround

635

those habits are really what's key.

636

Are the short term sacrifices that

you're willing to do really able

637

to get you to where you need to be?

638

When we're trying to do the same thing,

and we're trying to do good for our

639

families, for ourselves, for other

people, over and over and over again,

640

we start to see the batteries drain.

641

We start to see how we cannot

have a life for ourselves, because

642

we're not living with purpose.

643

We're not living with intentionality.

644

We're not able to get to that other side.

645

Here's something you can do: wake up.

646

Wake up.

647

Yes!

648

That's exactly what I'm

trying to say is wake up.

649

Listen to it.

650

Listen to what's inside your heart.

651

Listen to what is actually inside of you.

652

That means that you might have to go

into that sort of trance, thinking about

653

what it has been, what it has looked like

when you saw success for the first time.

654

We all have experienced success in

one way or another, but living outside

655

of that bubble means that we have

to be able to take a step outside

656

of what we're in; means that we have

to escape what my therapist calls

657

the "warm, squishy stuff" that we're

usually surrounding ourself with, and,

658

Stepping outside of our comfort zone.

659

There's no script when we do

that, and I know that's what

660

makes us very fearful of it.

661

That's why we have to wake up.

662

If we're ever going to achieve the gains

that we really want to do, it means that

663

we have to stop doing the same things

that we do over and over and over and

664

over again, because we think that every

time that we do it, we're going to get

665

rewarded, but we're not getting rewarded.

666

We're getting punished.

667

We're getting punished by the fact that

we have that thought that is limiting,

668

that is putting us in that silo.

669

Hosting retreats, surrounding yourself

with a community, maybe impacting

670

others, it could be as simple as a game

night in which my best friends would

671

often put on, that can help us escape

the reality that is surrounding us.

672

That's right: being able to just simply

do something different, whether it's

673

hanging around the pool, being able to

enjoy the weather that's outside, although

674

it's going to be winter very soon here in

the United States, or even trying to do

675

something with somebody, with a group of

people, that you have never done before.

676

To multiply your successes means

that you have to first multiply

677

your opportunities to fly.

678

Being able to see yourself

dream of that picturesque view.

679

Being able to sit at a beach.

680

Being able to interact with a culture that

might be foreign to you, and if we go all

681

the way back to my earlier episodes with

some of my international guests, more

682

importantly Mark Snow, you'll start to

see that when we are able to live outside

683

of our comfort zone, living outside of

our own culture, we're able to dream.

684

We're able to create that picture that

we always thought we could always create.

685

Earlier this week in my

monologue, I talked about how we

686

can share our story to others.

687

This is a prime example of how Monica

and Austin, both of them, have been

688

able to live that dream, and now Monica,

more than ever, is able to share those

689

perspectives based on neuroscientific

approaches that we can change your brain

690

waves, or brain patterns, to find plans

that help us create that connection with

691

others, by simply doing something that we

never thought we could ever do: travel.

692

Now, before you blow up my inbox at

podcast@yourspeakingvoice.biz, which

693

I'm always willing to take some email

request of some future episodes,

694

or even some potential guests, I

know what you're going to tell me.

695

"When am I ever going to have the

time to do something like this?"

696

"When am I ever going to find the money?"

697

"How could you say that I can do

all these things when I have all

698

these responsibilities, Josh?

699

I can't dump these on other people, let

alone my family, friends and others.",

700

but doing the nice things, doing the

things that we really want to do in our

701

life, means that we have to experiment,

and it means that we have to start small

702

to see what might work, or might not

work, to be able to create that culture,

703

in order for us to create those goals,

so that we can achieve that flexibility,

704

so that we can live a life that might

be a nomad, or might be something else.

705

It might even mean that you have

to believe in a mindset that

706

changes your self awareness, that

changes the perspective of what

707

sacrifice looks like in your life.

708

Ladies and gentlemen, it's quite simple.

709

If you're willing to wake up and

change who you are, and have that self

710

actualization that we've talked about

with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs on

711

many different types of episodes, if

you're able to live outside the bubble

712

that you live in today, I guarantee

you, you will see a risk, but you will

713

also see a reward if you're willing

to see it through every single day.

714

Failure is sometimes going

to happen, and that's okay.

715

I can't tell you how many times I failed

until I finally got myself onto this show,

716

got myself into this podcast, and have

been so rewarded by both of those ventures

717

to create this opportunity that we now

have, which now, I'm even expanding even

718

further into the horizon for With many

new services that I've already talked

719

about in this show, including developing

your own podcast, fractional coaching,

720

and now heading into the blogosphere,

which I will be starting to write more

721

about these experiences on my website,

www.yourspeakingvoice.biz under the blog

722

section that is now newly created, but the

thing is, is that all these opportunities,

723

these creations that Monica has even

mentioned today, means that you have

724

to learn how you can expand your mind,

how you can live in an Airbnb for a few

725

weeks, and get comfortable with who you

are, changing that routine, and sometimes

726

it starts small, and sometimes you might

not get that buy in, but I will tell you.

727

That buy in that you don't get,

the negativity that you hear,

728

is all the voices, all the

reasons why you can't do it.

729

If you're able to form a plan that

will change those perspectives.

730

If you can create that

connection with other people.

731

If you are able to find that awareness

inside yourself to say that this is when

732

it ends, and a new beginning begins,

that, in itself, will make you not only

733

brainier, not only smarter, but I think

that you're going to have some of the

734

most amazing experiences yet to come.

735

Regardless if you think that it's going

to happen today, tomorrow, five years

736

or ten years down the road, know that

no matter where you might be, no matter

737

where you might reside, no matter where

you'll put your hat at at the end of the

738

day, there's no place like home, but home

is where your heart is, and I can't wait

739

for you to find your heart when you speak

out loud, sharing it with others, of what

740

amazing opportunities are yet to come,

just because you changed your habits.

741

Thanks for listening to episode

number 170 of Speaking From the

742

Heart, and I look forward to

hearing from your heart very soon.

743

Outro: Thanks for listening.

744

For more information about our podcast

and future shows, search for Speaking From

745

The Heart to subscribe and be notified

wherever you listen to your podcasts.

746

Visit us at www.yourspeakingvoice.biz

for more information about potential

747

services that can help you create

the best version of yourself.

748

See you next time.