Notes From a Neuro Nerd: The Science Behind Living Your Best Life

91. Classroom to Global Adventurer: Christy's Leap into Digital Nomadism and Purposeful Living

• Austin and Monica Mangelson

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Ever had that gnawing feeling that life is passing you by while you're stuck on autopilot?

Christy, once tethered to the life of a classroom teacher, knew that sensation all too well until she took a leap that many only dream of.

Listen as she shares about her voyage to South Africa, which sparked not only a love for travel and photography but also a desire to live each day with purpose and intent.

If you're seeking the courage to step beyond your own fears or simply looking for motivation to inject more meaning into your daily life, this conversation with Christy is your call to action!

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Speaker 1:

Hello and welcome to the Profitable Nomad Couple podcast. This is a show where we share all of our secrets about building a sustainable, location-independent lifestyle.

Speaker 2:

We're Austin and Monica. We're a digital nomad couple here to help you develop an entrepreneurial mindset, ignite your passions and develop a purpose-driven online business.

Speaker 1:

Get ready for weekly insights and inspiring stories to empower you to live life on your own terms.

Speaker 2:

So are you ready to unlock the nomad mindset and embrace a life of limitless possibilities? Let's dive in.

Speaker 1:

All right, you guys, welcome back to another episode. I am super excited for this episode because I get to introduce you to my friend, chrissy. Welcome to the show. Hello, how are you guys? So good, so happy that you're here. Just a little bit of background. Chrissy and I have been working together for what nine months, 10 months, I don't know. It's been a while and it has been so fun to watch her journey, transitioning into the online space, figuring out the digital nomad life, a little bit, empowering herself like that. That in itself is a whole conversation we can have. But, christy, why don't you start by introducing our audience a little bit to you, who are you, I'm Christy and I recently left my job as a classroom teacher.

Speaker 3:

I left in December About March of 2023,. I went to South Africa and kind of reignited a flame to travel more. And it was kind of like a reset button and just knew that I needed to do more in my life, I needed to live more intentionally and chase my dreams. And there were certain steps I just started following and led me to Austin and Monica and ever since that moment everything has been falling into place and I no longer teach and I'm living my dream.

Speaker 2:

I love that, yeah, christy. So thank you for sharing that and just it's really great to have this context of knowing your background and where you've come from. I just want to say something that I was just thinking of that I want to make sure I put out there. I have not been working directly with you, christy, it's been mostly with Monica, but we've done a couple of calls together here and there. But from the outside perspective, the things that I've seen in you like I think one of the biggest changes I've seen over the past nine to 10 months has been how confident you come across.

Speaker 2:

And when we first started having a conversation with you I don't know if you know this, actually, but our first conversations with you is actually me on Instagram, and then your first call was with Monica, and so I got to be a part of those initial conversations where you were trying to figure out where you want to go and what your life plan is going to look like from here moving forward, and from there till now, your confidence is shot through the roof and you can see that just when the when you're talking to you. So I I love having seen that change and it's it's amazing to witness. Also, christy is a photographer and she has some amazing pictures on her Instagram from her trip to South Africa and some other recent trips she's been on. So I mean, obviously we're going to have your stuff linked in the show notes, christy, but if you're listening like, go look and check out her pictures, because they are amazing.

Speaker 3:

Oh man Thanks.

Speaker 2:

Austin. That warms my heart.

Speaker 3:

Of course, definitely, my confidence has changed. I had gotten stuck in a rut, thinking that I wasn't good enough. I wasn't making a difference with anybody around me. I was just down. I wasn't making a difference with anybody around me, it was, I was just down. I didn't like who I was becoming, and so very grateful for the trip to South Africa, because it really allowed me to reflect on what I really wanted out of life, and I wanted to live once again. I'll say this live intentionally. I wanted to live Once again. I'll say this live intentionally. I wanted to have a purpose and I was tired of living on autopilot and once I got it in my head that I needed to change, I had to take small steps at a time, but it's led me to here and it definitely feels good to be more confident. So thank you for noticing that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, of course.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, you radiate confidence. Now it's amazing. I also really appreciate you showing that, just being stuck in a rut and just realizing that you're not enjoying the person you're becoming, You're not enjoying the path that you're not enjoying the person you're becoming, you're not enjoying the path that you're on. I would love it if you could just like walk us through that realization process a little bit more, because I think a lot of our audience is really going to resonate with this, especially since so often we're like kind of put on this path where we go to school, we study, we get a job, we start a family and then all of a sudden we're spit out on the other side and go wait a second, like is this, all life is for me? So would you walk me through that process of you realizing that you were not on the path that you wanted to be on anymore?

Speaker 3:

And my mom was incredibly outgoing and traveled out of the country on mission trips and with friends, just always doing and definitely in a service mode, and I had made a promise to her that I would get back into traveling and of course that first year after losing somebody there's so much to do and I was the executor of her state. So I just felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders balancing that, and my kids had just graduated from high school, going to college and then teaching and it was a lot. I felt like one of those circus act guys that had the eight poles with the plates spinning and spinning and I was trying to keep them all from falling and what happened is they all crashed and that was right about the time. I went to South Africa and I was like man, I can't keep going like this. I'm burnout on every aspect. So I decided to go to a place that my mom had visited. Actually, I made a list that Christmas before of all the places she had been and I wanted to start checking them off and the first place happened to be South Africa.

Speaker 3:

And while I was there, life just slowed down and exactly the pace that I needed it to and I started thinking what can I do? That's going to get me back on track, that's going to make me back on track, that's going to make me emotionally happy, physically healthy all of the above, what can I do? So I've always liked writing, so I started writing. I got back, I had been back maybe a week and I started building my first website the most daunting task I've ever done, but I did it, and that started helping me feel like, hey, you can do this.

Speaker 3:

And I started posting pictures on Instagram of all the animals that I saw. And I had a few people that had huge followings and they are amazing photographers and they liked several of my posts and I just kind of responded back Do you think I have what it takes to become a full time photographer? And both of them started messaging me back, giving me encouragement, me back giving me encouragement. And so I kind of got some mentors in the photography world that were cheering me on and giving me pointers and nine months later, they're still messaging me and helping me out and I feel like I have started to build a good photography friendship with these two people and a lot others.

Speaker 2:

Thank you for sharing that. Christy and I honestly I didn't know the story about your mom passing away. That was a new story for me to hear and I love hearing how that like it's inspired you to start making some bigger changes in your life, and I love hearing that you wanted to go visit the places that she had been to. I think that's really sweet and I wanted to ask you.

Speaker 2:

A lot of times I feel like we have these really impactful moments. Maybe it's like some trip you go on, or a lot of times for people it's like a retreat or like a youth camp or things like this. We have like almost like a spiritual high, or you have this really impactful moment and you decide you want to make a lot of big changes. When you go home, you're going to do this, this, this differently and things are going to pivot from here moving forward. So you said you came home and you started making posts on Instagram and you reached out to some mentors and created your first blog or your first website, but then, when we come home and we start implementing these things and we're back from our trip, sometimes life gets back in the way and kind of muddies that a little bit. So what was that part of it like for you, and how did you keep the persistence going and keep yourself driven to make this change when you wanted to so badly?

Speaker 3:

That's an excellent question. I was driven pretty much that last quarter of the semester while teaching because I didn't want to go back to that feeling that I had before, that it was such a miserable place and just that small taste of excitement, happiness and the freshness. I don't know if that makes a whole lot of sense, but once I got that taste I couldn't go back. And that's, I think, when, about somehow, when we started getting connected, I saw those that you guys had and I DM'd you guys and I remember when I was in the hospital, I was in the hospital, I was in the hospital, I was in the hospital kind of part of the low spot of that conversation. Honestly, I'm surprised that I even shared it.

Speaker 3:

But getting in touch with you guys and then working with Monica every week has kept pushing me forward because I think we all need to have something to look forward to that next big trip, that next get together with friends, and that's what it's been on Tuesdays with Monica. I look forward to that and I know that she's going to hold me accountable to the assignments that she's given me and also developing things within the work week for myself. It just helps me to stay focused on that and knowing I don't want to be back on autopilot. We're meant to live purposefully and I hate that I missed several years of my kid's life because I was on autopilot. I mean, we had a great time.

Speaker 3:

But I look back and I'm like I don't remember all of that all too well. Thank goodness for iPhones and the photos that pop up. But I want to be present in the smallest of things each and every day. I don't want to worry about tomorrow. I'm certainly not going to worry about my past. Don't want to worry about tomorrow. I'm certainly not going to worry about my past. My focus is if I can be better today than I was yesterday, and then tomorrow, can I be better tomorrow than I was today. That's my goal. So living in today.

Speaker 2:

That's perfect. I love that. That is so well said, Christy. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it really highlights one of my favorite things about you, christy, is just, you have such I don't even know what the word is, it's just Christy, you're just so good at being positive and tenacious. Is tenacious the word I'm looking for? I don't even know, but you just are so excited and when you jump into something you jump all the way in and you're going to figure it out as you go and you always have this attitude of just appreciation for the journey and I know so many people have been in places that you have been and started the journey and then just got overwhelmed and just let it go. But not you, because you're always like you know what this website is the scariest thing I've ever done. I'm going to do it. Let's hit publish or I'm going to become a photographer. Let me reach out to big photographers, let me take that initiative and ask them if they think I have what it takes and build those connections, and I just love it. It's the Christy attribute.

Speaker 1:

I don't know what it is exactly, but I absolutely love that about you.

Speaker 2:

So if we're gonna recommend one attribute to work on is be more like Christy be more like.

Speaker 3:

Christy, you know, I just I know I've shared this book with you guys before. It was the art of exploration by Levison Wood, and you know he's like face your fears and I've heard that from so many different people and when I was reading this section he's like just dive in head. First I'm like, well, that's the craziest thing I've ever heard of with your fears. What are you talking about? Well, I started, well, I started doing it and checking those fears off one by one, and the amount of relief I have felt since doing that has been amazing. And honestly, it's like why did I even have some of those fears to begin with? Why did I let those crazy things in my head just hold me back, when, you know, definitely the people around me could care less I shouldn't say care less, that's, that's silly but they didn't really, it didn't impact them, so it really didn't matter to them in the way that it mattered in my head, you know. So I don't know, I've kind of enjoyed standing up to my fears.

Speaker 2:

Isn't that amazing how, when we actually jump into something and do it, we look back at what we were afraid of and most of the time like what was I afraid of? Or what we thought was this huge mountain to climb? You get closer to it and it's just like it's a little hill you got to climb over. And it's not until you start getting closer to it or start going through it that you realize that it wasn't as big of a deal as our heads make it out to be.

Speaker 3:

Absolutely. I mean, our bodies are wired to protect ourselves and when we see fear, it's ourselves, and when we see fear it's I don't know. I think every living creature has that thing of fear and that's supposed to protect us. But as humans we get a little too deep inside that protection and we just freeze instead of going with it. And I'm tired of being frozen, or I should say I was tired of being frozen, because I don't feel frozen anymore.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

I would love to just like let's just stop here for a second, let's freeze on this frozen idea and let's break it down a little bit more, because I think there's going to be so many people who are listening to this and be like, oh my gosh, I am frozen. I am afraid there are so many things that are holding me back. So if you could break down just a couple of things that you did to just start to break free and to start to build up your confidence and start to face your fears, what would you say would be the first things to do?

Speaker 3:

First thing is examine what you truly want out of life and the things that are not of benefit to you. What can you do to change it? So I started writing in a journal. I know if anybody were to read it it would mean absolutely nothing to them because it's just a lot of words and probably if an English teacher were to read it they would say a ton of mistakes. But that's okay, because it helped me get through the process.

Speaker 3:

And I started with a routine too, in the morning Well, some in the morning and some at bedtime and I think adding a certain structure to my routine on a daily basis made a huge impact. I stuck to these things and I've been doing it for nine months and I'm still adding things to my routine because I'm finding more time, which is strange. You think, oh, I don't have any more time in my day to add anything else, but yet when I add these new things, it actually gives me more time, which blows my mind to think about that. But I heard it in a podcast and I was like, well, I'll give it a try. And there it is.

Speaker 3:

And I would say that the next big thing is to surround yourself with people of like minds and this is going to kind of sound silly to some people, but I've decided that for the super important things to me, I kind of hold dear to me, it becomes something I can share. As far as, like, I made money with this or it's impacting these people, I keep it to myself just because. But as far as surrounding myself with people that are as positive like you guys or other photographers, they like to travel, we're on the same page, and my son even once told me it's like if you want to be rich, hang out with rich people. So I just hang out with people that embody the same positive vibes that I have, because it only takes a bad apple to spoil it, and when I'm around something like that, it drains me emotionally and it takes me a couple of days to get back on track.

Speaker 2:

Ken Coleman calls it the proximity principle. Surround yourself with people who you want to become more like, whether it's just your profession, but also just the quality of people that you want to be more like.

Speaker 3:

I agree with that, especially quality of people.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so fast forwarding in your story a little bit more. Walk me through and I'm excited for you to tell a story because I was part of this journey with you a little bit, but walk me through the point when you were ready to quit your job.

Speaker 3:

Wow, that was crazy. So school started in August. I went to Italy in September, which was definitely not something the school system was too excited about. They had proved it at first, and then something happened. Things changed and then when I got back, they were truly not happy back. They were truly not happy and I had to sit and listen to my principal who was also my friend, you know tell me all the negative things about what had just gone over between her and her boss over the last 10 days that I had been gone. It was not pleasant to have my tail handed to me by my friend and my boss, but I really decided after that.

Speaker 3:

I got home and I was like you know what I no longer align with what the school system wants out of me, because I felt like there were a lot of things that I don't want to use the word not fair, because I really don't like that but they constantly are wanting more and more out of teachers, not paying them what they're worth. I love my students, I loved the people that I worked with. It really was a great school, great everything. So I can't really complain about that. But when I decided to write the letter which actually I wrote it for once to Italy and it was there just looming around and I would go back and I would take away from and add to, and on my birthday I decided you know what I'm actually going to day.

Speaker 3:

I decided you know what I'm actually going to give this letter to my boss. I think I can do this. I've got the money saved up in my savings account. I can live at least six months without bringing home a paycheck and there's no other time like the present than to try. There's no other time like the present than to try. And so I did. That was my birthday present to myself. It was scary, but when I walked away from that school building that day, I was on cloud nine for multiple reasons. One, because that was my biggest fear at that time and I was proud of myself for doing it.

Speaker 1:

I think what you said there was fabulous. There's such a little nugget of wisdom in there that we can all take away. And that was when you said my current situation no longer aligned with who I was becoming. And it is just so powerful because so often you know, our environments were good for us for a season and sometimes we have to make that hard call to move on and to move on to bigger and better things. But it's so hard to leave that safety net. But you did it. You were able to say, hey, you know what, I know who I want to be, I know where I want to go and I know that this no longer aligns and you were able to close that chapter of your life to be able to move on to the next one.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, it was crazy. I mean, it kind of goes back to when I was in college. I had actually been given the opportunity to teach in Indonesia for a couple of years when I graduated, but I got scared and didn't want to go, and so, part of this journey while I was in South Africa, I started thinking about that. It's like, well, what would have happened if I had done that? Because that's one of the things I look back on, saying, goodness, I wish I had maybe given that more thought. And so, once again, facing these fears and not allowing them to paralyze me has been the greatest gift I've given to myself, absolutely the best. It's not easy and it does make my stomach churn from time to time, but at the same time I know that and it's the buildup of doing that step that is more yucky, I suppose, than the actual doing thing that, whatever it is I mean it's like Austin said it is we make mountains out of molehills, and I can't believe it's taken me this long to figure it out.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, another really smart thing that you just said was not letting the fear paralyze you, and I think that's really wise, because you are implying that the fear doesn't necessarily go away and sometimes it doesn't. I think a lot of times it's not about getting rid of a fear so that we can go do something, but strengthening ourselves against that fear so that we have the courage which is, I mean, courage and bravery means you have. Despite having a fear of something, you go and do it anyway. So I think that was really brilliant what you said about that. So I would love to know now, with where you're at After having sent in that letter.

Speaker 3:

You said, like tell us more about what you've been working on since then and kind of where that's been taking you okay, so my last day of teaching was december 19th, so right before christmas break and um, that was happy and sad, because when you teach, you get this great bond with the kids and I really enjoyed the connection that I have with my students and their parents, as well as the faculty and staff. But there's something unique about a relationship between teacher and students, so I knew I was going to miss that, but I haven't looked back really at all. I do go periodically and hang out with them because I can, I'll go have lunch with them, but so I gave myself the normal two weeks off from Christmas break that every teacher cherishes. But that first Tuesday, I suppose after New Year's, I woke up, got dressed like I was going to work, came down working on flyers and posting things on Instagram. I made a 30-day challenge for myself to post on Instagram and that was pretty huge for me and we've kind of gone from me becoming a portrait photographer, which really was not my strong suit, because I like taking photos of landscape and wildlife, and I started trying to come up with ways that I could integrate my photography skills with wildlife, landscape and travel, and I felt like I was going in circles spinning my wheels and I didn't know really how to make it all work out, because I really did not want to do portrait photography day in and day out, and so about two, three months ago, we came up with an idea of healing through travel, and so I'm wanting to host some trips with about eight people, these fears and resetting their lives, just like I did while I was in South Africa, so they can start living life more meaningfully, and I believe that when we heal ourselves, we can also start healing the world.

Speaker 3:

So, along with these trips, I really want to work on service activity.

Speaker 3:

There are two spots that I have in mind right now. One is in South Africa, and it would be at Kruger National Park and working with wildlife conservation teams and I do have connections there in which we can assist with them. And then the other one is in Bali, and it would kind of show the not so glamorous side of Bali, with all the plastics and trash and you go, help clean up the beaches and the river, upcycle it and turn it into beautiful patio chairs and gives the people that are in it, gives them a job, and it also is building a pride within their community to keep it clean themselves. So I feel like service is kind of where it's at, because if we're helping others we tend to get a lot more out of that happy space or that joyfulness when we are helping others. I can't fully explain it, but it does fill our cup and I think if you truly want to see and experience happiness and joy, you've got to give back and you've got to help, and when you do that you get a lot in return.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I mean service is a powerful, powerful thing to lift our spirits and, to you know, it's a great way to contribute to the world. Both of those things that you talked about, and when you have those groups put together. We're going to make sure that we update our group and our community about that, because both of those locations and both of those projects sound incredible.

Speaker 1:

Thank you, perfect. So anyone who's listening to this and is so stoked to follow your journey, to get to know you more, to go on these trips with you, where can they find you follow?

Speaker 3:

your journey, to get to know you more, to go on these trips with you. Where can they find you? You can find me at Peaks to Waves Adventures on Instagram. My website is peaks to wavescom.

Speaker 2:

And this is to like the number two right.

Speaker 3:

The number two yes, very good. So that is where you can get me, and I'm also offering a freebie to level up your life in 30 days, and I would love for anyone and everyone to sign up for this freebie, because I truly believe that it helped me get through the first 30 days after my return from South Africa, and I haven't looked back since and I'm using these things every day and I enjoy it.

Speaker 2:

That's awesome and I'm sure there's so many good nuggets of wisdom in there, because just in this conversation you've shared with us a few things that you've done in this journey and transitioning from you like in your words, you said you were living on autopilot, you wanted to live more intentionally, and you've just given a few of those here on this episode with this, but I can only imagine how many other good things are in that freebie. So, yeah, we're going to have that linked for you guys below. Go sign up for it.

Speaker 1:

Thank you guys. What would be your last parting words for anybody who's listened to this episode, who's really resonating with the feeling of stuckness and feeling like they're living life on autopilot. What would be your final parting words for them?

Speaker 2:

I would say sign up for my 30 day level up.

Speaker 3:

That will help you. But honestly, I do think, find one small fear that's been nagging at you for the last six months or a year. Take the smallest one and see what you can do about it. I actually, with my fears, I made two columns and wrote down why is this a fear and how will it affect me if I face it, kind of thing. I just started jotting down things and once I started facing them, it just made everything better, and so that would be my suggestion Take a fear and face it.

Speaker 2:

I love it. It reminds me of like a debt payoff strategy. You start with a small debt so you have more to pay off the bigger debts. If you have all these fears, pick a small fear more to pay off the bigger debts. If you have all these fears, pick a small fear. Do it, you'll gain confidence, you'll build courage and then you can go tackle a slightly bigger fear than a slightly bigger fear. You don't jump straight to the big one. Start with some small ones. I like it.

Speaker 1:

Absolutely Well. This has been so much fun. Thank you so much, Christy, for being on our podcast, for sharing your wisdom with our audience. I know they're going to get a ton of value out of this conversation. I know I definitely did so. Thank you, You're welcome.

Speaker 3:

Thank you guys for having me.

Speaker 2:

Thanks so much for joining us here on the Profitable Nomad Couple podcast. We appreciate you listening to us today.

Speaker 1:

If you enjoyed this episode, share it on Instagram and be sure to tag us at Austin and Monica. Together, we can inspire others to embrace a location-independent lifestyle.

Speaker 2:

And while you're there, we'd love to connect with you, so make sure you follow us for more tips and inspiration on living your dream location-independent lifestyle.

Speaker 1:

Until next week, remember that you have the power to shape your own path. So stay curious, stay adventurous and stay connected.

People on this episode

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Austin Mangelson

Host
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Monica Mangelson

Host