How Nomadism Sets You Free From a Game You Can’t Win

Find true freedom by letting go of the noise

You wake up, make a cup of tea, and open your phone. Within seconds, you’re bombarded with headlines about economic crises, political scandals, and the latest outrage that should make you furious.

It’s exhausting. And yet, we keep coming back for more; doomscrolling, debating, feeling increasingly powerless.

But what if the best way to win the game was to stop playing altogether?

How Travel (and Nomadism) Frees You From the Noise

When we lived in Thailand, I noticed that most of the time I had no idea what was happening in British politics.

Not because I didn’t care, but because all the local news was in Thai. Sure, I could check BBC News, but without the constant exposure or ease of just flicking on a UK news channel, I just... didn’t.

And you know what? Life went on.

My world didn’t collapse because I wasn’t checking in on Parliament every day.

Instead, I was more focused on my surroundings. Learning how to speak Thai, finding the best street food, having regular massages, and making friends with locals who weren’t debating every election cycle like their happiness depended on it.

I quickly realised my mental energy was far better spent in the present, on my day to day life, rather than on whatever outrage was dominating the news back home.

And that’s the magic of becoming a nomad. It’s not that you become ignorant, it’s that you start to shift your perspective.

Why ‘Staying Informed’ Isn’t Always Helpful

There’s a difference between being aware of the world and being consumed by it.

Yes, it’s important to understand global affairs, but for most of us, spending hours worrying about government policies won’t change them. It only adds stress, frustration, and sometimes even anger to our daily lives.

And the news isn’t just informing you. It’s profiting off your anxiety.

Media outlets, whether traditional news channels or social media platforms, have one goal: keep you engaged for as long as possible.

And the easiest way to do that is with fear, controversy, and outrage.

Think about it. When was the last time you saw a headline that simply said, Everything’s going great, nothing to worry about!?

Never. Because that doesn’t sell.

Instead, the news cycle thrives on:

• Drama – Political feuds, scandals, and “he said, she said” debates.

• Conflict – Stories framed as ‘us vs. them’ to keep people emotionally invested.

• Fear – Endless coverage of disasters, crises, and threats (real or exaggerated, as experienced first hand recently with Cyclone Alfred here in Brisbane!)

The more emotional we get, the longer we stay engaged. And the longer we stay engaged, the more ad revenue they make.

The goal isn’t to keep you informed, it’s to keep you addicted.

Stepping Outside the System Physically and Mentally

One of the biggest freedoms of the nomadic lifestyle isn’t just physical, it’s mental.

You’re no longer tied to the same cultural expectations, political narratives, or social pressures. Instead, you get to choose how much (or how little) of it you engage with.

Back home, it’s easy to get caught up in the ‘everything is falling apart’ narrative. Politics feels personal, urgent, and never-ending.

The news cycle feeds off fear, and social media makes it impossible to escape heated debates. Even if you’re not actively seeking it out, it finds you, on TV screens in cafés, in conversations with friends, or in your social media feed.

But when you step outside that environment and travel regularly, you start to experience something different.

Suddenly, you’re in a place where you don’t instinctively understand the news headlines.

The conversations around you aren’t about the latest government scandal (or at least not in a language you understand), but about everyday things like what’s fresh at the market, where to get the best coffee, or what time the local festival starts.

You realise that life doesn’t revolve around the latest political crisis. People go to work, eat meals with their families, and make plans for the weekend, just as they always have.

And most importantly, the country you’re in isn’t the most dangerous in the world. The people aren’t as unhappy as the news outlets said they were, and generally, despite what reported political disasters might be happening in your neck of the woods, most of the world is just getting on with life.

The Power of Less Exposure

When you stop consuming news on a loop, something shifts.

• You stop feeling like the world is on the brink of collapse.

• You stop feeling angry about things beyond your control.

• You notice more of the real world; people laughing, markets buzzing, the simple pleasures of daily life.

• You have more mental energy for things that actually improve your life.

• You gain a broader perspective, seeing that while every country has its issues, most people are just living their lives.

The less you’re exposed to constant negativity, the more you can focus on what actually matters to you. Instead of being weighed down by frustration over things beyond your control, you have the energy to explore, create, and be present.

Ironically, by not obsessing over the news, you often end up more aware of what truly matters.

The Best Way to ‘Win’? Live Your Own Game

This isn’t about pretending the world doesn’t have problems. It has plenty!

But you can stay aware, informed, and even have strong opinions, without allowing the daily frustrations to control you.

The beauty of nomadism is that it removes you from the system just enough to see it clearly. You don’t have to disengage entirely, but you get to decide how much space it takes up in your mind.

For example;

• You can choose whether to spend your days arguing over policies that may never affect you, or you can choose to spend them discovering a new country, meeting new people, and learning how different cultures approach life.

• You can choose to be consumed by the noise, or you can choose to embrace the silence and let your mind breathe for the first time in years.

Instead of letting politics dictate your happiness, why not:

• Spend a month somewhere new, where the headlines don’t dominate daily conversations.

• Focus on experiences like learning a language, trying new food, meeting new people.

• Choose curiosity over conflict.

The real game isn’t about ‘winning’ an argument. It’s about building a life so fulfilling that you don’t need to play at all.

A Different Kind of Freedom

At the end of the day, politics will always exist. Debates will rage on. Scandals will happen.

But your peace of mind is something you have full control over.

Becoming a nomad won’t make the world’s problems disappear, but it will remind you that you don’t have to carry them all on your shoulders.

You can choose where to place your attention. You can decide what fills your mind each day. You can step away from the chaos and step into a life where your happiness isn’t dictated by the next election cycle.

And in my opinion, that choice is the biggest freedom of all.

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