Take the Limits Off with Special Guest Jazzie Mas

In this week's episode, Tracey chats with one of her favorite people. Jazzie Màs is a speaker, comedian, and owner of Black Digital Nomad which empowers people of color to take the leap and move abroad. Originally from South Central Los Ángeles, Jazzie currently resides in Colombia, South America. Jazzie travels the world living a location-independent lifestyle. Her travels have allowed her to live in Mexico, Thailand, Bali, & Vietnam.

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Transcript

Tracey: 0:22

Welcome everyone to the charging station podcast. It's your girl, Tracey Massey of living my empowered life. Y'all know who I am. If you are just joining us for the first time, I am a certified grief coach at living my empowered life. And the charging station is where you wanna be because I get to bring in some of my favorite people to have chats on the couchy couch. And I'm super excited about today's honored guest. I am humbled to have her here. Miss Jazzie As I call her Jazzie Fay she is a world traveler digital nomad known on the internet streets as black digital nomad and jazzing. I always start off with. Our guests giving us a fun fact about themselves. So just tell everyone a little bit about yourself and then give us a fun fact about you. Sure. Hey everyone, I'm jazz MOS and I am a standup comedian digital mad road traveler, and also consultant and a fun fact about me. I think I have a very refined palette and yeah, I think that Thailand has the best fried chicken in the whole entire world. Girl. Listen, I agree. I have to agree with that as well as now, a lot of people don't eat pork, but I had the best freaking pork chop I've ever had in my life in Thailand. So Thailand knows how to do. Yeah. I dunno what they do, but oh my gosh. So yes, I have to agree with that and I have to agree. A lot of people may not know this, but I'm a very picky eater. I joke around and say that I eat a toddler. So for me to be over in Thailand, eating fruits and the chicken on the bone, I was like, what kind of magic is this place? and I'm not a picky eater. I love eating, I'm pretty adventurous when it comes to food. I just have a, I don't like and that's probably that's cause I'm in America now I'm figuring out like, ah, okay. Food is a lot different here. But yeah, I, yeah I think that, yeah, there's some of the best food in Thailand, Mexico as well. But yeah, all over, but yeah, I don't know. I couldn't think of anything else. So we're gonna get into your travels back. Background, I met jazzy. Was it 2018? I think it was 20, 20 18. I don't even know what this year is. Yeah. I just years run together. I don't either. It was pre way RO pre to where we didn't even pre RO. Like right now we just kinda paused in Rona, but I met Jazzie. We were at a retreat and just beautiful soul, beautiful spirit, hilariously funny. And she introduced me to world travel and the digital nomad life. Like I had no idea what that this even existed. So can you give us your definition of what a digital nomad is? For me, it's just someone that has location independence and lives their lives on their own terms. And really aren't. Grounded to a certain place. I think a lot of us live in places because of our family or our jobs. Not cuz we absolutely want to be there. And everywhere that I live, I absolutely want to be there. Because I can. And so that's what it's about for me. It's absolute freedom. I love that she would say location independence because that's what it really is. Like I could see the joy on your face being in Thailand for what? First of all, I dunno what it is about Thailand, but I fell in love with it and I still want to live there for a little bit. Thailand was, but I don't know. I think it was, the people were just so friendly and kind and the food. Oh my gosh. Southeast Asian food, just, it just does something and it's totally different. Let's touch on what you just said about being back in America and having the food taste different. Yeah. I honestly believe it is because, oh, we're there. They don't put all that stuff in their food. Yeah. And last or years, right? Yeah. Yeah. Cause I immediately tasted the difference when I got back home. Just for that short period of time that I was there. When I got back home, I was like, Ooh, this is nasty, but now, yeah. You'll adapt. So tell us about how you discovered the digital note mad life and what made you say all right. Do this to the us. Yeah. So prior to my nomadic lifestyle, it'll be five years in September. Since I've been yeah. And on this journey I've lived with. Abroad the entire time I've been back home visiting family in Arizona for a few months and taking care of something, but I'll be leaving in three weeks. So yeah, most of that time I've been abroad and I was actually on probation for five years and I did 60 days house arrest and 15 weekends in jail. And because of that not having my freedom taught me how precious our freedom is and how a lot of times we say we can't do something and those are mental prisons, but really being having your freedom robbed of you or losing your freedom. You're to be like, ah, damn, I really can't do this legally. Like I have an ankle monitor. I can't even go get a snicker bar if I wanted to. And so I promised myself that when I regained my freedom that no one will be able to tell me that I couldn't go anywhere again. And yeah, I'm on my second passport now and I'm writing a memoir on probation and passports and yeah, I just wanted that. Yeah, it was just a transformational moment in my life and I realized a part of our choices as well, because I had my choices got me there. And those opposite choices have brought me all over the world. And yeah, just a part of our choices and realizing that we can pretty much do whatever we wanna do with our lives. But we have to take ownership of our choices and responsibility. But that's the best part about it was like, ah, the good news is that like I'm here because of me and the bad news is that I'm here because of me. And so with I'm able to make better choices and live my life completely different. And you are living. Oh my gosh, you are definitely living. You are living an empowered life you really are because you get, like you said, you get to travel the world. And just to see just from where I picked up on your story, just to see the places that you get to travel first of all, the pictures, hello, like even where you are now, I'm like, okay. Yeah, I wanna go to Arizona. oh, yes. I'm like, yo, you guys need to come. It's amazing. Yeah. It's just so beautiful. So tell me, were you, was there a little bit of fear about living abroad? Like how did you deal? Cause I'm pretty sure that there are people in your life who were like, oh, going overseas, it's not safe and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. How did you deal with the, maybe the fear creeping in? How did you overcome that? For me, I focused mainly on what I wanted and that was to live abroad and to explore. And I was more afraid of losing my freedom again or not taking full respect, full advantage of freedom versus things happening to me. And then when people would I guess project their fear on to me, I would ask them their experience. So when I was moving to Mexico, they would say, oh my goodness, what about the cartel? What about this? And I'd say, oh can you share. Your experience with me when you went to Mexico and they had never been to Mexico. And so at that point, what you're you don't have enough data or field market research for me to even, do that. So I'm like, ah, thank you. But no, thank you. You can keep that. And that's how I choose to live my life. I focus on what I want and I just told people about it who are positive and also talk to people who had done it. And I think that's another thing. A lot of times we want people to justify our things when they are not capable of doing that. The things that I know now about living abroad, I didn't know without the four and a half years of experience on the road and no one could even really teach me those things either. And so with knowing that I know that it's like, ah, you just gotta get out there and live your life. And the moment that I did it, I was like, ah, everything was working in alignment. The moment that I decided to do it. So it just felt. For me, and that's how I've noticed things happening for me. When I decide I wanna do something. Things are in alignment with that. So I trust that and it everything's worked out for me. I've not been kidnapped or killed by the cartel. I've had an amazing experience. I, family members have renewed passports and friend have gotten passports. People have gone to places to visit me that they wouldn't normally go to. So yeah, I think we have to focus more on the the other side of the fear of that. Cause it really keeps you stuck. Yes, it does. And just by I didn't get my passport until I was 30 years old and I got it because I wanted it because I didn't know people in my circle who had. Where I grew up it's this little place called Myrtle beach, South Carolina. That was the vacation spot. So after my daughter passed away, I'm like you, I got bit by the travel book. My mom, even though we never went abroad, like we always went to Myrtle beach. Yeah. But the fact that she would open my mind up to different experiences. I've always been that one. I wanna try this at least one time, whether I'm afraid or not, like I'm trusting and trembling, I'm still gonna do it. So I got my passport because I had this thought one day, what? Travel overseas. Yeah. How am I gonna do that? And back up, when my daughter passed away, I went into a travel agent's office and I was like, I need to get outta here. And the first thing she said was do you have a passport? And I said, no. And that would've been my opportunity to. I probably would have taken that opportunity and never come back to the United States now that I think about it. But I didn't get to go overseas, but I ended up going to Hawaii and that just lit this travel bug in me. And I realized, okay, I can travel by myself. There are ways to do it safely. Yeah. And a lot of times people think like I went to St. Lua by myself, shoot. I technically went to Thailand by myself. And like you said, there are people who've never gone outside of their streets and they say things, oh, you're gonna get kidnapped. Shoot, let's be real. You can get kidnapped here in the states. Absolutely. And I don't think people realize that there are a lot of countries that are really safer. Yeah. Gonna do a video about safety tips for America, because I'm back here and I'm like, this place is not safe. I don't feel safe everywhere. Of course our neighborhood we're in a nice neighborhood, but like certain I'm like, ah, this is, I don't feel safe here. This is America still, and the same way that you guys look on websites and for the embassy we see those same warnings. When I was supposed to come home a few times before when I was in Asian, I'll watch the news. And I was like, oh my God. I don't think it's a good time to go home. I thought I would immediately catch COVID or die at Walmart. It's so much going on. And we see that and so also know that people are also afraid to visit your country and Americans. Very I guess ignorant to that. So yeah don't forget that y'all in a hood too. Yeah. Look, America is, yeah, America is a ghetto. Obviously guys and yeah, because you guys have a 300 channels and things. It doesn't mean that. I now tell me if you, what you think about this? Like when I was overseas, I've realized that I did not need a lot of stuff. Like I literally lived out of, I think I had two suitcases and one of'em was because the shopping over now, I love the shop. The shopping over there was like, fabulous. Cause honey's something about that dollar is strong and you like, we were balling with bot honey but I love to go and find the little shops and little markets and just find little trikes of that country and bring it back. When you were traveling, I know that you can't, when you're traveling, you can't have a whole bunch of stuff, but did you realize how much you really did not need as you went on your journey? I think I've always felt that way earlier on with my adult, my childhood, my mom was unstable. And so there were times where I started all over a few times. And so I don't have like memorabilia from high school or middle school or elementary and stuff like that. And I learned early on not to be attached to things like, ah, the memories are still there. So like I don't have my high school yearbook, but like I remember being most unique. It's fine. It's there. I don't need this physical thing to keep with me. And so I've always known that. And I used to, before I left, I was becoming a more of a minimalist and I used I got myself one of those, or maybe my husband at the time ordered the Buddha board and you draw on there, are you right on there? And then like it disappears. And so it's about the art of letting go. And so I've kinda. Have that practice, those practices in my lifestyle already. But I would say that I did bring, I think maybe two suitcases when I first came and I realized I don't even need that much stuff. Yeah. So yeah, we don't need as much as we think we do, but I have always felt that cause it is the us is definitely hustle hustle. Yeah. So when you get outside of the us, life slow down. And when I say slow down, I don't mean it like that in a bad way. You get to appreciate a lot more. You start noticing and tell me if this happened with you, you start noticing the beauty that is actually surrounding you. Yes. And you just, it's just, it's a different energy. It's a different kind. I don't know. It just makes it's a different kind of joy. Yeah, it's still I can see that even coming here where I'm like, oh look what this, my cousin's dress like what? I'm like, oh, it's beautiful. Like the cactus or the mountains. And she's oh yeah. And cuz she's just here in Gomo. You're just constantly. And that beauty is there all around and I'm able to see that through travel. So I don't even think I would be able to, I would explore Arizona or the states the way that I would normally. But because I'm able to slow down normally and I could take that everywhere. Don't allow, America's go to, to speed me up. Like I've, yeah. I'm good. Like I'm gonna take what I've gained outside of the states and bring that here. So the, I didn't elect this energy this time, overwhelm me. It was like, ah, no, like I'm in America and I have these tools. I know that I don't have to speed up. Cause all of you guys are everyone around me is. That's serenity y'all and Bailey's here now. Yeah, we about my. Okay. So yeah but in like Vietnam, they take naps at, from 11 to one. So you can't go to the bank, you can't do anything. And that reminds you then to slow down. And I go now to the nail shop and I love it cuz I'm able to connect with them and I'm like, Hey, what part of Vietnam are you from? And practicing my little Vietnamese that I know. And they're impressed with that and showing them pictures and stuff. And that's another thing I love about travel is a human connection because I, I didn't. See those people before it was just a mask and we always thought they were talking about us and blah, blah. But now it's I see them, I'm able to connect with them. I'm asking them questions. And it humanizes us. And that's the beauty then the part that's priceless about it. But yeah I asked them like, Hey, do you still take naps between one and or between 11 and one? He said, if I did that in America, I would not pay bills. And that saddened me, you know that oh gosh, America's backed up. We doing it. And then I'm like, to me, I'm still like, that's crazy because this nail set is$60 and it's$12 over there. So I pay it way more. You still can't even get nap, that's the part of it. And I'm still gonna take my naps here. Because I know that I can design my. the way that I want anywhere and take that with me, and I do not have to be a product of my environment while I'm here in America. And it also allows people around me to slow down too and take, oh, wow. She'd really be, ah, yeah, let me just take a breather. Or my cousin had stop saying oh, on the weekend, I have to do that. Like you work remotely, girl, let's take this little trip on Tuesday and Wednesday. And she's oh, you're right. Let me get out of this mind frame that I only have these two days to live my life, right? Yes. And that my other time is devoted to this company that really don't give a damn about you, right? May have that work life balance. And that's, what's important for us to take with us and help others when we are back into these environments. Cause I invite I avoid it coming back home for a very long time. It just ah, gonna get sucked in. I'm gonna feel this negative energy. But what I realized is I can come here and be delight, and reflect what I experienced these last few years. And if not, then damn, what was that? If I can just be sucked back into this so much of what was those four years, five years of where if I can come back here and instantly be sucked back in. No. I don't have to do that. Cause the work that I've done, this shit is deep. I know that I can breathe anyway. Yeah. I don't have to be at the beach to take the deep breath. So that's the practice drop the gyms Yeah, I dunno what the question was, but yes, that, see, that's the thing about the charger station. I may ask a question, but we just flow. Let it up. Oh my gosh. Now you see, now you have my wheels turning because I'm I got sucked back in. I can't even lie. For the last two years we've been working from home and then last Monday we went back into the office. So even though I'm commuting three days out of the week, those three days are getting to me. So I need to find another way to get back to my skin. Whole life has just been turned upside down, but we're gonna forget out. So how many countries have you actually lived in? I've lived in four and I'm headed to my fifth next month. Are you telling where you're going? No stay tuned. no, but I'll be in south America. I will tell you say that. Yes. Ooh. Ooh. Okay. So the first country you lived in, was it Mexico? Yes, I started in Mexico. Okay. Felt it was a six month visa. It was yeah, close and the six month Lisa really? And I was like, ah, this is a good way to come get your feet wet, quality of life, internet. I love Mexican food, Spanish it's okay. So it, yeah, that was a good start, but I definitely wanted to start with Asian and Thailand Southeast Asia. So do you have a favorite country? I have favorite parts of everywhere that I've been I think because I've immersed myself so fully in the present, I'm able to really Soak up the best that each place has to offer without comparing. And that's what I think happens a lot of times is especially NOMAS. We get there and ah, this isn't bad time. No, it's not. It's fuck. It's different. This is a different country, right? Yeah. And so I'm loaning longing for another place. I'm not. Able to fully immerse myself into that and make the best of it. And when I was acting and at that started getting didn't dance in Bali and stage plays and Thailand. And then I started doing standup comedy in MC and Vietnam. And so every place has I've pulled back layers and thrown in such a way that it's really ah, I can see that I've made the most of each place and and taken full advantage of that. So every place has been amazing for me. I did my first wellness for treated Mexico. And so everything it's like every place I'm like, ah, yeah, I studied chocolate healing and Bali and that's where I, my love for performing arts came back alive. I did a show video shoot for this indie art artist there. That was ANFA. So yeah, I think that, yeah, I just enjoyed every place I've. It's like you're blossoming and evolving with every location. Yeah. And I think when we, yes, and the key is being fully present in those moments, remember I'm picking to live in these places. So I think we, we are so used to the ah, having to be somewhere right. To I don't know if people understand that freedom of choosing to be somewhere and just everything being new. When at the food, the money, the route, your phone number, the people that you're meeting it's such an experience and everything is so new that, yeah, it's all. I love it all. It's really a gift that you get to open up every single day. And I think that we get so caught up in the Briga row of our everyday life. So we don't take advantage yes. Of this beautiful life that we have. Every single moment counts, but what are we doing with those? Yes, absolutely. Gosh. So when you're looking for your next country, are, is there like a criteria that you're looking for or how do you come to deciding where you're gonna go next? Yeah, so for, with my lifestyle, I'm not for I know the burnout, energy's cool now the hustle hard, like I'm not for that. Most people think I'm semiretired. That's amazing. And so I wanna be in places that allow that lifestyle for me. So cost of living is a, is important for me also. I really like being by water quality of life food clean is a thing. And then, I think likewise, you travel, you meet people and then you're like, ah, I'm going here. So when I was in Thailand, I met someone Kera. I'm not sure if you met Kera when you were in Thailand, but yeah, she was talking yes. With that. She started Sunday dinner, which I continued in Vietnam and we've had a few chapters. But yeah she was talking about this place off the water in Vietnam and I needed to get my visa break in Thailand and burning season was coming. And so I ended up checking out Vietnam, absolutely loving it and stayed there. I was supposed to be there three months, ended up being there at two and a half years. So really just staying open and just being like, ah, I'll go and explore, but not really having too much expectations for places either I think is key. Yeah, just go with the flow though. And everything has worked well, has worked out so far. So for someone who is wanting to check the dues to the United States and become a digital nomad or even Anat. So let's back up, let's start there. What is the difference between a digital nomad and Anat? Okay. Yeah, so I felt like Anat back when Vietnam, when I was stuck there, I couldn't travel around. I had been there for a while. My, an apartment, everything I had, I was living just there in Vietnam. You pick, probably have a job there or something like that, but you typically live in. Other country digital nomad and then nomad digital just means you typically work on your computer. I'm not as digital as most, cuz I'm more of a performing arts, but I do have a book, a blog that also generates income and my presence is online. So yeah, someone who works remotely and maybe be in Thailand for three months, maybe go to Spain for a year, maybe here for three months, but really their location independent is really the difference in expat can be location independence, but they probably have more roots in this country, whereas a nomad is moving around. So for someone, thank you for that. For someone who is wanted to check the dues to the United States, what are, can you give us a few things? What they need to do to prepare to head on out yeah. Get your passport apply for your passport and Honestly, I think a lot of it, you can do all these checklists, but what I find and with my work is the mindset. It's all mindset. And that's why I do a lot of coaching with mine. At first, I was doing how to be Anat classes and I would do this and tell them, and then it would get to the end. And I'm just like, ah, like it's up here. It's your fear. It's how you think it's the layers you need to go back. And a lot of people pack the trauma and bring America with them. And so they've never really escaped because you're having the same experience elsewhere because you think that everything is connected to race and racism and it's so unfortunate, like people would touch my hair and Vietnam, I wanna take photos with me and people would share, oh my God, that's racist. I would slap them. I can't believe that. And I'm like, that's curiosity. That's not racism, curiosity, totally different that in America, we're in this melting pot and we are so used to seeing all different type of people and we forget These countries are so homogenous and everyone is very similar. You're very different. And they haven't even experienced, made a lot of them haven't traveled or gone outside of their home towns. And yeah, we take this mentality with us and I think a lot of us need to shed that. And yeah, I think a lot of it is just maybe take a sabbatical. You can start with that. I think for me I decided to do three months and that turned into four and a half years. With that, it didn't feel like the pressure. And that's the thing too. I think we try to plan out in our lives and you can't do that. I was just like, yo, I'm like, Hey, I don't know. Maybe I'll do YouTube videos and wear a backpack and they're gonna pay me to wear the backpack. I ain't got paid on YouTube and wear no backpack. But I all kinda other things, I didn't know, I was in the standup comedy getting paid to do shows and stuff. I think a lot of it is just, is opening your heart in their mind and trusting and not trying to figure everything out and do it the way that's safe for you. I am more of a, kinda a risk taker. do trust that life has got my back. It does have it. And so with that, I don't. Need to control and see the outcome. I'm just like, oh, this everything is working for my greatest good, only good will come from this, and I go with that. There's really, it's hard to tell people what to do and how to do it. Cuz this, even then it's like now what? So yeah, I think it's a lot of it is just getting your mind together to know that you can manifest once you realize that you can manifest and have whatever you want and that you're always manifesting anyways. And that you're where you are because of how you think wherever you are right now. It's because of your thinking and once you get that together, you're like, ah, okay, so that light bulb goes off, so yeah, that's a loaded question for me. Yeah. Yeah. It's as a Virgo, I would say probably this, that and the other. I don't have a Burg on my tracker. So like a butterfly truck, with bird sake, wear your crystals. That's the shit I'll be doing. And it works. Pray what, trust, whatever that is. I just think a lot of it is trusting and not having some, trying to wanting so much control and over the outcome, just trust that everything is working for your greatest good. And that this, the journey will be beautiful. And the thing is, you don't go out here just willynilly, yes you do. Oh. And save money, right? Yeah. Save money, like common sense. Make sure you have a passport, make sure you check to make sure that whatever country you're going to, what are their requirements? Cause there are countries that require you to have a visa, some don't, and just be safe. If you would not. Some people. I hope you wouldn't do this, but if you wouldn't go get slapped, happy, drunk in a bar by yourself here in the states, don't do that in a foreign country. Just kinda things like that. But I agree with you just go out here, just explain I grow. You'll pick up on other tips, there's things I do now where I'll have like fake wallet on me in case, someone runs up on me in south America or something and I need to give them my wallet, things like that. I always like I have a Android phone and an iPhone when I'm traveling, I lose my Android phone so that it's not, I know that iPhones are target in a lot of places from Vietnam to south America, to Spain, wherever. So yeah, a lot of things I've picked up on the way being from the hood helps. Cause I mindful of things all the time, like I'm just not oh yeah, but yeah, I always go with my gut. That's another thing. And trust my intuition. Listen to that inner voice, listen to trust that. And the more you are in tune with yourself the more, you're not like I knew I should, it's I'm just like, yeah, I'm guided. And yeah. So I think you just, yeah, gotta get out there and experience it, but you can check out the blog, YouTube for more of those practical tips, that I do. But a lot of it, again, is mindset with a lot of this, I love your YouTube channel by the way. And iTalk stalk you on Instagram to content. So doing Sabrina, unfortunately I'm leaving her for my next travels for a little bit, and I never really. Thought I would even have a dog, but it was nice. I love her, but yeah, the family it's kinda of difficult return. If she had a job and goodbye, her airline tickets, it would be a little easier. she's one, five all the time. No matter how much my to oh my get a job TikTok and some, so influence some money yes. Some coins. One thing I noticed I wanna thank you for showing me a different kind of viewpoint when it comes to traveling. Overseas, like one of the things that you taught me was, don't say they're driving on the wrong side of the road. No, they're on the opposite side of the road. There's nothing wrong with their culture. You even taught me about how over in Vietnam, how we call it the Vietnam war and they call it the American war. I'm like, it's just so many things that you don't even realize is my yeah. She's yeah, girl, you need blood. Yeah. I tell her that it's it's not the wrong. It's not strange. It's different. It's not wrong. Don't say, yeah, it's a different country. And one of the things that like you touched on a few minutes ago about how they come. And their curiosity. It's just so sweet. It's just innocent and sweet curiosity. How they're come and touch your hair. I felt like a celebrity, honey. I was like, Beyonce. Feel like every day, I first for me in China and I was like, why are they staring at me a lot of times they have never seen a brown person. Yeah. So we're mysterious. I remember a little kid in we at a coffee shop in Thailand and in his sweet little broken English, he said, are you made outta chocolate? And I said, no, sweetie, I'm sweet, but no, this is real. And he asked if he could touch my skin. And it was just so medicine, but a lot of times I think it's because one, like you said, they don't get the opportunity to come out of their own villages or cities or towns, but then we don't travel. That's why I say all the time too. Can y'all come out more so they can stop staring at me so much, like being on the plane, coming back. And I was the only.in the crowd. The only one. It did. It didn't switch over until I got in China. Then I saw one brother. I was like, we were looking at each other, like what's up F but we were the only two black people on the flight. And I'm like, why do we do this to our. It's a lot, and then people don't have the knowledge of international travel. We do think that it is unattainable. We don't know how how much you call. So I think now with the internet of us having more knowledge of these things, it's easier for us. But yeah, we, we don't know, especially like in Europe, every, the countries are so close together, so they're backpacking for the summer. They, their parents send them to, a different country for the summer and we don't, we weren't exposed to that. So it's just a difference and it is never too late. Start now get your passport and see the world. Even if you start in Mexico or you go to Jamaica and don't let anyone travel, travel, shame, you go where the hell you wanna go and and live it up and live it up and whatever that is for you, and you also discover that as you travel, and you'll find yourself realizing that. You like different things, you don't have to box yourself in ah, I don't do this cuz I, cause I like this and it's like odd and I like this and I can do this and this. Yeah. Or maybe when I'm doing this, I may. Do this, depending on your circumstances where you are in the world who you are. I think we forget that we're always evolving and changing and as we experience new things as opening new parts of us. I never can say what I'm going to do with 40. Like I, I plan not to recognize. All the price of me, five 40, and as I continue to grow to know, cause if you were to tell me at 25, what my life would look like now would be like her or shut your mom where there's no way not with this ankle monitor all my way. That's great. I can't even go get the sticker bar what, so even if you, where you are now, don't ever just let your circum certain situation or your current situation, keep you stuck because your life we always wanna figure out like the, how, like you don't need to know that's not in your business actually. And if you really part you like, cause there's no way Tracy, I would've ever that day that you know, my husband at the time I'm going through a divorce. I'm still gonna continue this journey. That's was a beautiful experience that I had, but had he never come home that day and said that, or even when he came to me with this idea of wanting to leave America and try something different for a few months, had I been like, no, that sounds crazy. Or no, what you may need to be working on this house or let's do this instead. But I was like, you know what, fucking let's do it. Pardon me, my language. I said, let's do it. And in 61 days I made that happen and we were out. And if I thought that I needed all the answers, then right before you do something, it's like, how do you know before you go? We really want all the answers and all the experience. So we laid out before you go out and do something it's like, how do you get the miles on your car? Not. And so thinking about driving people wanted me to know, and that's the thing too. Stop thinking. You have to answer people, I don't have to have any answers for you, watch and see, my, my favorite answer is stay tuned. How you going? Stay tuned. What you going? Stay tuned. Just watch, right? Because if I would've had to tell you how I was gonna spend four years abroad at home four years ago, I would not have been four years abroad because I would've thought I had to tell you how I'm gonna do it. I don't know, but I did it right. I couldn't have told you I would be doing comedy all throughout Asia or that I would be acting or even doing zoom. People would be paying me to do zoom shows. I couldn't have told you any of that, that I would be teaching English. I didn't know that I could teach English to Chinese students. I thought I had to speak Chinese, but you won't know the situation until you put yourself in a different environments. Once I got around digital NOMAS, guess what? I learned how to be a digital Noman. Yeah. But if I'm in the C world, how you gonna learn how to be a digital nomad? No. With people at work in the people all day, you won't. So we have to expose ourself to different things and stop wanting all the answers before we, we do the work and the journey go on the journey. It's, there's really no map. And once you know that it you will be able to create your girl. You are living, breathing and walking faith. Yeah. That's absolutely. Yes. We don't have the answers to faith like that is true. Faith. You don't have the answers. You just know when it's time to go. You go and. Know that it's gonna work out so you're actually, yes, like I'm sitting here and I'm just shaking my head and I'm sitting here girl, why aren't you doing you do this, walk in faith, like live and walk in faith and just know that it's gonna work out, know that God got your back and your friend you side out and all of this. Even when it doesn't work look like it I'm always like, this is working for my greatest good. Like this is still working for my greatest good, life happens, like I started this journey as a married woman and I'm doing growing out solo now, but it's still beautiful. It's life experience, and also seeing so many black solo travelers do this is what also makes me realize like, ah, thank you for the time that I have with you. And now I'm gonna to do this and I do it a little differently and choose. Country's definitely also, but also now I'm dating in different I'm like, oh, this is awesome. A different experience. It's different. But it's always to hold on to that part about it and not, I wouldn't be able to enjoy it as a solo woman now. But yeah, you just don't have to have all the answers. Life still happens. It doesn't mean that this is a walk in the park, but I enjoy my life and I curate my day and I have time to invest in my health and my wellness and my mental health. And yeah I'm happy. And I think that, yeah, we should really live life on our own terms and stop thinking. We have to answer to these people because a lot of times the people in your hate and even if they're not, they don't matter. You don't owe people an explanation period at all, and you are glow. Thank you, you are really blowing. There's just this joy that is just illuminating peace, right? It's peace. And it's joy state. I thought never be able to come here. I've been here three months now. I had an amazing time with my family. I'm still traveling and yeah, I'm like the, I'm glad that the work I've done outside of the states allows me to keep my peace that I've done and have it here and maintain that. Because yeah, I have not had this experience that I thought that I would have here. And so I know that I can go anywhere and be who I am. And feel that love that. I love that. Cuz you make me think back to when I was in Thailand, like that was the most piece I've ever felt. And as soon as I got back JFK. Stop and it's crazy cuz you said like I remember coming back after four years of not being on us soil. And the first thing I saw was a gun and it was like a, the officer or something, and then someone being enrolled in the wheelchair, like they were very obese and I was like, ah, but I was able to say, okay, and just observe things. But I didn't let it. Captain. It was just like, oh, I can just see this place now. Almost as that people who visit America, do they don't allow it to become them. It's just okay, this is, oh, it's different here. It's faster. I was waving at the black people. I'm like, oh, that's why when I went back to Mexico, I was like, yo, we don't have to talk to everybody. Black person don't wanna. But yeah, that, yeah, just, I think that the thing remember is not these places. It's what we are reminded in those places. And we can be reminded of those things everywhere, cuz it's really just going down. It's observing, it's breathing, it's caring for yourself. That's and we can do that anywhere. And this, cause it, there, we can do this. Or I dunno if that's a closet, my that's my, this is my whole studio slash closet. Got that wherever we're we can do that. And that's what that has taught me. It's oh, wherever I go, I'm still there. Like I'm I'm here every, in all these places. And so that's why people can go to every place and hate everything. There's some people that I didn't like this and I hated this and I'm like, maybe it's you or that's going, maybe you Lauren, like maybe it's you. Yeah. And so remember that we can embody these things everywhere. But yeah, too, get outta America. Am I saying to stay here? Cause I'm, I will say the best way for me to live in America is to visit. I already didn't book out teenth I'm here for yeah. Formative things and to see family, but yeah, just, I want you to know that you can have that same piece, cuz Tyler is still within you. And that you weren't robbed of it. When you came here, you were it was brought to your awareness again, but still we can be just like, oh, I can observe this and not internalize it. And take it on. I think that's what a lot of us do here. And it's happy when you walk around with it and it's like this thing and it's ah, I don't feel that this time, but I'm not taking no, I'm not watching the meeting here. I, yeah my exposure to things are different and it's just oh yeah, this is. It's a different field this time, but I have to protect that. Those are my boundaries here. I'm not sitting here watching that stuff. OK. Cause I know it, it causes anxiety, then I'm come within it. That's why honestly, ignorance is when I do need to know something, I'm going to know like the price of gas is how I see that on the thing. I don't have to watch the news to see Raso gas is high it's on the thing. The numbers tell me that yep. And it's the same story. It's the same doom and gloom, like why? And I don't think people realize that what you consume is what you become. Absolutely. And you're wondering why you're down and depressed and you like, like that's what you're eating the trash. So that's why you're feeling the way you're feeling. That's why you're going plum crazy. Yes. Cause you're only consuming things that are detrimental to your mental. Oh, here it is. I'm here. And I'm like this America still has resources, amazing resources. There's plenty of natural parks and bodies of water and things like that. And that's what I go do out here. I spend my time doing that. And yeah, it still feels but also have only been here a few months and I'm out. So that's really thinking I need to create my plan and just ahead on and do this thing. Yes. Come on girl, like seriously. Yes. Yeah. And one opportunity, other thing I would look at things, even if things don't happen the way that we think that they do the thought that like the seed that was planted is still there and that is there. And so you have to still go from that because you would thrive. Absolutely. And that's the thing, I'd be like, yo, y'all are in a military here in like how I felt like I was in training in Vietnam for COVID y'all are like that y'all are built forward toughs, you can, if you can survive here, you got it most. That's why I be like what y'all so afraid of. It's okay. But it's the unknown the unknown part, but you don't realize here's that same thing you just think you do, but you don't know, you don't know. So it's create that plan, that's what we do. You took the class many years ago when we had first started the moving abroad, and yeah, you have the tools and the resources, and you've watched so many people doing it and thriving as they do it. And yeah, a lot of it is just this here and there's really nothing holding me back. I don't have any children, I'm not married. So it's huh? Why not? Then that's the thing like, ah, let me do three months, lemme start with this. And then girl, when you're eating mango and drinking fresh water and running on the beach or watching the sunrise, you like, what am I going back to? So I was worried about my 75 pair of shoes. And now I'm walking barefoot on the beat. It's like that stuff. And you have to remember this is, I see that too. Now as I talk to people and date people here and get to know people also just hearing remember I've been around XPA and digital so much that last four years that this become my norm. I'm like everybody do this. But coming back here and listening to people, talking, I'm like, ah, and they're always like, oh, cause of this or, oh, I have all this stuff. Oh. And I'm like, ah, this place is to keep you trapped. With leases and loans. And it's all of right where everywhere else is like outright. You do that. And you have your freedom. And then it's an exchange for that. And so you have this false sense of security that people, I had to realize that I would rather have freedom than that false sense of security. And honestly, I think 2020 showed us everybody that, because here it is, I'll have my digital and three years prior to that, and now everyone's working for home and now they're like, oh, you do really make money from home. Yes, mom, what do you think I'm sitting at home? I ain't asking you for money. Yes. You can make money on the computer. Yes. I'm having meetings on the computer. Like you guys have been doing it. Right. Yeah, it's just, it's you gotta figure out what you're holding onto and what your values are. What's important to you. Yeah. Remember you can, your friends aren't going anywhere and I'll give them an opportunity to come visit you, but yeah. For you. I think my. Biggest fear is getting to the end of my life and being like, oh my God, I didn't do this. I didn't do that. I didn't do this. Yeah. Because of this and that. And as you start to pull back the fear, I never forget the first time I did that class. And I was so scared. I went to cancel, I didn't wanna market it. And afterwards, the way that I felt and the way that people receive the information that came like this very natural to me. But it was like also, it's not that it's through two years of you living abroad, this you've done what people want to do and you can empower others to do and so let my, had, I let my fear held me back. That's holding other people back from what they want, but then the empower, the empowerment that I felt after doing something that I was afraid to do is like Agam is what I call'em, but it's oh my goodness. And I want another one. And then you like used to face in fear and that's what fulfills your confidence. And then you're like, oh, I got this shit. So I think that's what just get. Comfortable with doing little things that make us uncomfortable. Whether that's speaking up girl, sometimes for me, it's telling the lady who's reaches in my hair. Can you please stop singing? I'm paying. I don't, but then I have to, and sometimes I don't wanna speak up. But then guess what? Then the lady who messed up my I'm got attitude with her. No, speak up to the person. And once you exercise those things and you realize that, huh? It felt uncomfortable. But now I'm, what's more uncomfortable sitting here for 90 minutes while this woman is singing in your ear, are you saying, Hey, can you not sing in my ear for a minute? But you get more comfortable as you speak up for yourself. And as you do something, that's uncomfortable. Go do something by yourself. Go to the movie. If you don't like doing something by yourself, go to go dying out by yourself, go stay at a hotel by yourself, go get a massage, go do something. And he be like, oh, I like myself. I think I'm funny. I have a good time with myself. Oh, go. Me too. I think I'm smart. I'm the best company, honey. We have a good over, I'll be like, yo, I'll be, you all can think about some things, two different ways. I'm like, yo, this is amazing. So yeah, I think that's another thing it's just getting to know ourselves and living for ourselves. And once we do that, we're like, ah, that helps me live through others. And that helps other empowers others to live for them too. So we're not bitter and sick. Cause all that is gonna cause illness and illness. So forget about that too. There's a, it's a detriment to not live your journey, not live your life, that's something in this dying inside of you. If you don't go live abroad, like you can't like, and then I think about too, like the light that me, my brother. We were raised in a very difficult household. My mom was on drugs. My dad was abusive. We all have different fathers, but I look at my life and then my siblings, and I'm the only one that's living in abroad. My brother is spending the rest of his life in prison for something for robbery back when he was 18 years old or 20 years old. And I think about that, like how one decision away from my life being completely different and how I gotta live for me and him to in a way, because it's ah, he doesn't get that opportunity. He didn't get that second chance that I did same with any dreams that your daughter may have had. It's ah, like I have this chance. And it's it would be for me not to let these things die within me. And then have to grieve our dreams. That's that, as a grief coach, like that's exactly how I. Grieving our dreams. that's exactly. You hit it on the head. That's exactly how I think, I would be doing a disservice, like I've been saying lately, I want to live full and die empty. I don't wanna take my last breath and have one gift in not one. I want to leave this earth empty and I want my name to speak when I leave this earth. So I don't know how we got on that, but yes, that's not grieving our dreams. Okay. As a not grieving our dreams we've allowed to yeah. No more grieving our dreams. So that plan get on it. Yes. Ma'am and I know, hold me accountable to it. I know you next Thursday. I'm gonna be like, Hey girl, send your exit plan or do you need help? You need to book a consultation to get this exit plan going. What's up. And I know you will do it. I know you will do it. And see, Y you always talk about having a support system, having people on your back, do it look no. Yes. And I would want the saying, cause when I started saying oh, you said you wanted to do this. I haven't seen it. I'm like, oh you right. Let me, yeah. I think it's important. So we need this book. We need this book. Yes. Yes. Thank you. We need this book so we can go ahead and get the book published and then have you come back because I want copy. I wanna, I really like you are an amazing person, so I wanna be mindful over time. So I always want, I wanna close out with a little lightning round. Okay. A little something fun. All. So I'm gonna give a couple of questions and I want you to say the very first thing that to your mind tacos are Thai food. Tacos or Thai food? Both. I don't have to choose. I could have em, both. I you're gonna both. I could have em, both and gotta choose who or may SHA my Ooh, love Shane mine. Shane, you put those two together. Who can I love the beach and I did. Oh, Colan okay. Okay. Wait. And I'm thinking Pakta nevermind. Nevermind. Sorry. See, I hadn't to yeah. Never. That's another one nineties hip hop or two thousands hip hop. Nineties hip hop. Yes. I don't really. Yeah. And actually I figured out, I don't really know hip hop. I thought I did it. That did not. Oh, my goodness. Beach or mountains, both again. You don't have to choose. You do not have to choose Vietnam as a beautiful beach in mountain town. My favorite, one of my favorites, and yes, you do not have to choose. Sorry. You make me wanna go to Vietnam. I never thought of Vietnam. I'm gonna be, I was just, Vietnam is open. I've been doing my research, talking to my visa guy and I'm arranging trips for, to go to Vietnam. Cause you've got to explore. You've gotta get stuff made. Yeah. I'm working on tours for Vietnam. Now. The stuff made shoes. That's love language yes. Choose bags, clothes I had my swimsuits made everything was tailor made in Vietnam, the food, the culture, the PE it's an amazing country that is really often overlook. Oh, definitely. People don't know anything about it, but the war sadly. And even then they don't know. They don't know so what's next for miss jazzy? Yeah. I'm heading on the, my way out on the 12th of April. So we have three weeks here and yeah, I'll be experiencing south America working on my Spanish, finishing my book and working on my Netflix special that I'm manifesting. And then anything else, whatever else comes. Cause I'm not just saying that in endless possibilities. So yeah, I stay tuned. There's always, something. I love it. I love it. Thank you so much for thank you. Sitting on the couchy couch with us. Yes. And sharing your story and dropping all these gems and gathering me girl, you gathered me. You gather me, I loving it when people come here and gather me, cause the one that's gathering, so I appreciate you at all to life. Just thank God for you. And I'm so blessed and honored that we have the opportunity to spend two weeks together. That's right. So thank you for expanding my mind and opening my mind up to so many possibilities and yeah, same with you. You're such a light such a light and I love your stories and the way that you share your radiance you still by the lake, every morning I'm like, oh, look at opening up or. Yeah, unfortunately, I'm getting ready to move to another unit. Cause that rent here, girl, the rent just went crazy. Another reason why you need to set up your exit plans. If you wanna live by the beach, you can is look, Thailand has completely blown my mind. What I realize I could have a whole penthouse, like a three bedroom penthouse for two bucks, not two bucks, but it was totally like legit. It was like four a month with everything included. So if I here it's somebody's room with sixteens. Yeah. I'm like, is it even a room? You probably can get into it. A Tupperware. Yeah. Without the lid for$400. Yes. Like I said, America is just we doing it wrong, honey. You just doing it wrong. So yeah. Let me write in my journal tonight about, Moving abroad. Let's get on it. As long as I got wifi. Yes, absolutely. Yes. The world. Yeah. See the world, I think at least give it, oh, it yourself to find your travel style with long term travel and how you wanna set that up or where you wanna live, take a wanna travel. Welcome. Yeah, that sounds like rich vibes. Rich and wealth, rich and wisdom, rich and knowledge. I'm time wealthy travel of the world's. How they describing them. Oh yeah. That's Jazz's real traveler. And it's so funny hearing my friends and family say this now, and also that part of the support that has grown and been shown before Before I left and now it's totally different. And that's, to me, proving and showing, the thing is too. We want people to feel this thing for us, that we haven't accomplished yet. And so they don't know. They're scared too, because they, you haven't proved. Sean. And doing this and being a Bronx, she's oh yeah, this is what she does. She got this. How can I support you? Oh, you need a cause in here. Oh, you need to stay here for a month while you get your affairs in order. Yes. And so also owe that to your family. Do some stuff before you want people to just believe in you all really me to believe in yourself. I love it. I love it. Jazz, when you get the get settled, yes. You get the book done. Have to have you back for an update. Okay. So I appreciate you. Thank you so much.