Ernest de Leon.com

One of the topics that I love to talk about is ‘freedom.’ Freedom can mean many different things, but most people equate freedom to the ability to do whatever you want (within reason of course.) I tend to link freedom with the free software movement, where one has access to the source code of the software and the ability to modify that source code. I also link freedom to the ability to travel or work from home without losing income as a result. I would love to work from home all of the time if possible. This would give me more time to spend with my dog and future children. For now, I am OK with making the ’sacrifice’ of going into work every day like the majority of America.

With that said, I recently came across a new ‘movement’ of people called Location Independent People or LIP for short. One of these people is Lea Woodard, author of the book X Marks The Spot – The Indispensable Guide To Living & Working From Anywhere You Choose. This book is a collection of tips and advice on becoming ‘Location Independent.’ Essentially, this means the ability to live and work from anywhere. This can be something as simple as working for a company in San Francisco while living in Washington State, or as complex as working for the same company while living in Lima, Peru. In the book, Lea speaks about starting and running a business which provides the source of income to live anywhere. Certain countries provide such a low cost of living that even a modest business can provide an excellent standard of living.

The book goes into detail about what types of businesses work best for Location Independent People and how proper planning and budgeting can make the difference between an excellent time and a poor time. Lea also speaks to the challenges that you will face before you even leave (from family and friends) and after you have arrived. She discusses different types of accommodations, life styles, food choices and other location specific things. She delves into the technical side with advice on computing platforms, internet connectivity, snail mail services and other internet services that aid your location independent business.

There is a wealth of information in this book for a nomadic lifestyle or a less dynamic yet still location independent lifestyle. I highly recommend this book for those seeking these types of lifestyles. I also recommend this book for those who want to stay in the same place, but want more freedom in terms of work hours, commuting and family balance. I am fortunate enough to absolutely love where I live and not wish to live anywhere else, despite the fact that I have traveled extensively over the years. I do, however, value the freedom that comes with becoming location independent. I think Lea has done an excellent job encapsulating the lifestyle, challenges and benefits in a concise and clear manner. Grab a copy of the book over at http://locationindependent.com/lifestyle/the-book/ and give it a read.