Living outdoor nomadic lifestyles is not automatically grounding. You have to make it grounding. The only way this is working for me long-term in a healthy way is through simple things I keep coming back to.
I’m writing this from my campervan parked next to the ocean in Fuerteventura. The wind shaked the van a bit. It almost feels like I'm on a sailboat but without being ruled by the wind. It’s my 6th month in the Canaries, and 5th? winter here. I lost count.
I’ve sailed in and out of here many times. Hiked across Fuerteventura, Tenerife and most recently Gran Canaria (Video series is live on Youtube). It has been a great winter base camp once again. Living slow, surfing, hiking, and also I've been working a lot of the stories, foundations of my own life as well as Ocean Nomads and the storytelling.
Now it’s time to make a move. And time for something different.
I just turned 40, and it made me realise I’ve been living this kind of life for most of my adult years now. By sail, by van, on trails. That's wild isn't it? Always moving with the seasons, and my curiosity and drive to explore, discover, learn and grow.
From the outside this life can look very healthy. And often it is. And that's also why most stories are about getting you out there to connect to nature, to live with nature. But living nomadically can also throw you off if you're not careful. In subtle ways which can add up over time. Too much moving. Different climates. Irregular rhythms. Always adapting and anticipating.
Whether it's sailing, vanlife or hiking longer trails, it's exciting and memorable but to make this into a sustainable lifestyle you got to approach it differently.
What helps me stay grounded
I've been cultivating a more grounded approach to nomadlife over time, especially the last years of my nomadic living. For me, staying balanced and grounded comes back to some very simple things.
Feet on the earth or in the ocean. Every day. Sunlight on my face first thing in the morning. Warm, simple food when I’ve been moving a lot. Small things, but they make a big difference when you continuously live close to the elements and on the move.
Staying longer in places might be the biggest impact maker in staying grounded while living a little wild. Almost never I move the van the same day. Usually i stay in a place at least a week, if not more. Moving every few days sounds exciting, but for me it's draining. I would have to love you very much for an airport pickup or routine shake for an in between adventure. It's a huge deal for me to turn the house into a car. It puts me out of balance. And my car. It's an oldie. Thank you to those who understand. I see my van more as my home than an exploration machine. It has been my basecamp for years now. The place where I slow down.
Also having a community who got you back wherever your roam plays big part in staying sane living nomadically. Ocean Nomads is still everything to me. Not just for me, but seeing how everone just helps out each other with their wild adventurous dreams and missions.
Also just trying to do less. Not trying to see everything, not filling every day. Leaving space. Especially with all the movement, weather elements and change, living a wilder lifestyle by sail, van or foot needs a different kind of care. To make it sustainable And to stay sane in the process.
I wrote a deeper piece about staying rooted in a nomadic life on the move, whether I'm navigating by sail, van, or trails. The part of this lifestyle people don’t really talk about. How I’ve learned to stay balanced while live a little wilder without a homebase. You can read it here on Patreon. It's based on 2 decades of doing this.
I'm curious what keeps you grounded when life is one big movement?
