It's funny, I was more stressed out when living in my house in Florida for a year trying to sell it, or 10 months then again in Ecuador in an apartment. People would think my travel life is stressful always changing locations, but how I see it is that I simplified my life all the way down to what I can fit in a backpack. I'm so free and so not tied to anything, I really very little stress in my life.
I have no travel schedule, and I have no place to be on a certain date or time ever. If I want to stay here in Guayaquil in this hotel for the next 10 years I certainly could, or I can leave tomorrow to China. For me this is peace of mind. Knowing that I'm not anchored to anything and I have the freedom to do anything.
But it's not for everyone. Many people need anchors as stability. I'm so used to it and comfortable living this way....it's now the opposite that give me stress. Hard to imagine. lol But that is when I was meditating everyday, when I was not traveling and I was living like a regular person with the stresses of regular people living regular lives. Car payments, insurance, mortgage, tenants, electric bills, cell phone bills, money in money out and so on. Right now I literally do no have one single bill. Not one! In fact the banks here in Ecuador are paying me! Paying me 9% too!
But regardless stress or no stress meditation is a great practice and I'm going to make a conscious effort to start up again tomorrow morning with you in mind. Actually. If I promise you in this letter I will have to do it being a man of my word. So I promise I'm going to meditate tomorrow for twenty minutes, in lotus pose, with my back straight and staring deep into my third eye! With relaxing meditaiton music on the floor of my hotel room first thing in the morning. I'll let you know how it goes!
Now I'm I'm excited to share this other great info with you. Thank you so much for asking. I have two ways of getting steem into any currency around the world. The best way I've learned is to open up an xcoins account, at xcoins.com they connect people who have bitcoin with individuals who want to buy bitcoin. The buyer sends USD into your paypal account and the bitcoin is automatically sent to the buyer out of your xcoins wallet and into theirs. Not only do you sell the buyer your bitcoin for dollars that go right into your paypal account, you sell it at 15-30% mark up. It's quite fantastic.
So more specifically, you go from steem or SBD ------>bittrex exchange, change your steem/sbd into bitcoin there --------->excoins--------->paypal. Once you have your USD in paypal I use my paypal debit card at any ATM around the world or can transfer the cash into my bank account and use that card. This is the best way by far that I figured out on my own, as you earn 15-30% on the entire transaction, where normally you're paying to transact. This is really something and I'm so happy to share it with you.
The other method is Bitpay. I have a bitpay debit card. So far I can't use it ATMs I thought I could. I need to call them and see what is up. But I've been able to use it with 100% success when purchasing anything anywhere. It has the Visa logo on it too. I've bought plane tickets with it online as well. And many places especially in lesser developed countries will swipe the card like (not atm) as if you are purchasing something, and give you cash minus a few dollars of commission. That is how I turned steem into Lao Kip for my first steemit transaction several months ago in Laos! Anway Ruth. I really meant every word that I wrote in my big 750 follower post today. You've really helped me along the way and I'm really appreciative. You have a very good day and I'll be in-touch! -Dan
Dan, this answer is worth its weight in gold or ...maybe in btc!! THANK YOU!!! Best advice I've received thus far. I recommend making a post about your money methods while traveling - you've got some very valuable information that could be very helpful!
Also, it's so interesting to hear about how travel and the freedom it offers gives you so much stability. It is definitely counterintuitive in a way, yet it also makes sense the way you describe it. I truly feel burdened by the endless bills and responsibilities weigh on me so heavily and really rob me of a lot of energy and joy so I can relate a little bit. I suppose if I felt physically safer traveling it would be easier for me to enjoy it which would probably mean traveling with a male. In the past I've had some very close calls traveling alone. In any case, my mind is opening while reading about your experiences.
And how did the meditation go? btw, sitting in lotus with a straight back is great if it's comfortable for you, but don't feel that somehow your experience is less if you sit in a chair or as I do on a blanket on the floor in a loose crosslegged position against a wall. This way I'm working towards a lotus a little at a time but have the wall to support me. Discomfort can be used as a focal point for meditation but it's not for everyone. Anyway, whatever works for you is grand and I look forward to hearing about it! Have an awesome New year celebration!