Digital Nomad Lifestyle In Midlife: What No One Tells You And What To Consider

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Beginning the digital nomad lifestyle in midlife isn’t about chasing trends or reels, it’s about reclaiming your time, your energy, and your freedom. Yes, it’s harder on your body, your nerves, and sometimes your heart. But midlife women are built for this: the self-trust, the slowness, the reinvention. Here’s what I’ve learned.

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Imagine sipping espresso in a sunlit Lisbon café, working at your own pace while tasting the most amazing food, meeting incredible people, and having once-in-a-lifetime experiences. That life is real, and I’m living it.

Why More Women Over 40 Are Becoming Digital Nomads

As we enter midlife, we start reevaluating everything. It’s not just men buying sports cars. Women are craving freedom and reinvention.

According to Statista (2025):

• 35% of digital nomads are between 40–59
• 4% are 60+
• 43% of all digital nomads are women

And that number keeps growing.

There is a healing process that all expats go through, if they are conscious enough and willing. Giving yourself a second chance at a great life is the best gift you can give yourself. There is a freedom in it that you can’t really get any other ways.

Myth vs. Reality: What Digital Nomading Is Actually Like After 50

First, let’s dispell any myths about the digital nomad lifestyle.

1. No, you don’t have to be young and tech-savvy to live this way.
2. No, it’s not too late to start over.
3. No, sorry. This lifestyle is not one, long vacation. It’s not glamorous every single day. You’ll still have rough days, that’s just life.
4. No, you don’t need to be rich to do this.

While travel of any kind is usually exhausting, the actual travel part of this midlife travel lifestyle is also often the smallest part. Especially if you prioritize slow travel. So as long as you can get around an airport, I wouldn’t worry too much about this part of things. But what’s the tradeoff for hectic travel days?

Slower mornings, meaningful connections, and deep self-trust to name just a few.

The truth is, nomading is a lot like any other lifestyle. You have your ups and downs, good days and bad days, easy situations and hard ones. It’s just life. But what you get from it is so much more than what anyone can ever truly describe, because each person will have such unique experiences. So I can really only give you some generalities and things that are specific to me, but I’ll do my best. Keep in mind that, while I’ve only been in Europe for 9 months at the time I’m writing this, I’ve had the ability to be a digital nomad since 2012. Here’s what I’ve personally gained from this lifestyle:

• The ability to raise my child and stay home with him as a single mom.
• The ability to care for my dying mother full time and still have a paycheck coming in.
• A slower pace of life that doesn’t have me rushing from one thing to the next.
• Real food that isn’t altered or toxic. (Though, I have to say that Spain is remarkably behind when it comes to what ingredients they allow in their beauty and body care products. Yikes!)
• Full, long days that feel rich and meaningful.
• Long lunches or coffees with friends that are unhurried in any way.
• The freedom to make my own schedule and work whenever I want or need to.
• The freedom to work from wherever my heart takes me.
• The privilege of seeing so many beautiful places in person, with my own eyeballs.
• I also have the freedom to reinvent my life any way I choose.
• Reconnection with myself after years of survival mode.
• Stronger boundaries, intuition, and confidence.
• Better health overall.

The Biggest Challenges of Being a Midlife Nomad

But despite the nice list I have going above, it’s not all sunshine and roses. There are some bigger challenges that come with this lifestyle. Mind you, every lifestyle has it’s “hard parts”, so you just have to “pick your hard”. But aside from that, let’s look at the things I struggle with as well:

• As I get older, I think more and more about where I actually want to settle down, and it’s difficult to make that decision when your mind wants to go, but your body says no.
• Traveling as a solo female digital nomad comes with it’s own challenges. Remaining vigilant about safety when all you want to do is relax and let your guard down can sometimes become a bit strenuous.
• While this is common for many people no matter what lifestyle they live, money fears are a very real presence when you live this lifestyle. Retirement, maintaining a certain level of income, and managing accounts back home all become a much bigger ordeal when you’re overseas for the long haul.
• For some, loneliness can be a real factor as well, though thankfully, that has not been an issue for me aside from missing my kiddo.

Digital Nomad Tips For Beginners

If you think this lifestyle might be for you, here are some tips to help you get started.

1. Try it before you take the bigger leap. Take a few local trips closer to home, and put in full work days from your hotel or a local cafe. You can also test run further destinations with shorter trips.
2. Don’t over pack. Favor comfort and utility over fashion, though a savvy person can do both. (Capsule wardrobe packing list coming soon)
3. Build remote income before you leave. Whether it’s working for a company or for yourself, make sure you have that income stream alive and well before you set foot on a plane. Remote work in midlife is the perfect setup, so it’s worth pursuing, even if it takes a while to find.
4. Prioritize support. Find your network of expat groups and other solo female travelers before you leave. Join expat groups on Facebook for whatever thwon you are thinking of visiting. Get the time/date/location of a local meetup, and go. The questions you can ask there, and the answers you get, are one of the best things you will do for yourself in this lifestyle.
5. Take your time. There is truly no rush. At first, you may need a little time to adjust to slower movement and travel. But you’ll get it fast enough, and you’ll see that it becomes the single most important aspect of living this lifestyle.

Best Places in Europe for Midlife Digital Nomads

My next post will be about the Best EU Cities for Beginners to Try Remote Life. Make sure to come back for that!

Just to get you started with some ideas, here are few to consider:

• Alicante, Spain – While not the easiest place to find housing, it’s a pretty great place to get started (I might be slightly biased on that one)
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Tiranë, Albania

Three Things I Wish I Knew Before I Started

While I may have been more ready and willing than some to make this change, even I had some things I wish I knew before I left the US. Namely:

1. While I knew life would change, I severely underestimated the level and depth of that change. For this reason, I highly recommend finding a therapist who can help you through the change. I don’t think I could have done it as successfully without weekly talk therapy with a therapist who understands this lifestyle (If you need a recommendation, let me know)
2. That midlife women are literally made for this lifestyle. I don’t think I would have had as much fear if I truly understood this before I left. We are perfect for this!
3. The magnitude at which I would be rebuilding my life. I’m already a totally different person 8 months in. I can only imaging what changes will come next, and I’m okay with that. Be open to change!

This Isn’t A Phase. It’s A Lifestyle.

This isn’t some escape plan or temporary experiment, it’s a way of living that aligns with who I am now, and it can be yours too.

Ready to explore the possibility? Download the free printable and see if slow, intentional travel might be the next right step in your story.

Could You Be A Midlife Digital Nomad?

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