Spoiler: It’s more than just a beach and WiFi 

We throw around the word “freedom” like it’s a souvenir you can pick up on your way to a new life abroad.

But real freedom? It’s personal. It’s messy.

And sometimes, it looks nothing like the TikToks that convinced you to move in the first place.

If you’re planning a life abroad, there’s one question you have to sit with:

How do you define time, location, and financial freedom?

Because if you don’t define it for yourself, someone else will. (And you might end up in a “freedom lifestyle” that still feels like a 9-to-5 with prettier sunsets.)

Let’s Break It Down, One Type of Freedom at a Time

We’re talking about three big forms of freedom here:
☑︎ Time freedom
☑︎ Location freedom
☑︎ Financial freedom

Each sounds dreamy. But they can mean radically different things depending on your values, your lifestyle, and your non-negotiables. 

Let's unpack them, honestly.

Time Freedom: Do You Want More Hours… or More Ease?

A lot of us say we want time freedom. But what does that mean?

☑︎ Do you want to work fewer hours?
☑︎ Do you want full control of your schedule, even if you still work a lot?
☑︎ Do you want to stop asking for permission to go to the dentist or take a walk when the sun is out?

Here’s what I mean:

➤ Remember that time you were completely burnt out and just needed a break, but your vacation request was denied because “it’s not a good time.”
➤ Or when you had a medical procedure you needed to schedule, but kept putting it off because your boss “really needed you” that week?
➤ Or when you worked through grief, illness, or pain, because you didn’t feel like you had a choice?

Time freedom doesn’t just mean opening up your calendar. It means reclaiming your capacity.

In my case, time freedom means working when I have energy, not when someone else’s clock says I should. It means building in recovery time before I’m running on fumes. It means no more shrinking my life around someone else’s “urgent.”

Time freedom is being able to say: “I’m not available right now… and nothing will fall apart.”

Location Freedom: Do You Want Flexibility or Belonging?

Location freedom sounds sexy until you’re jet-lagged, can’t find your charger, and your Airbnb WiFi crashes during a client call.

Some people want to country-hop every 30 days. Others want to find one spot, dig in deep, and live like a local. Neither is wrong.

But ask yourself:
☑︎ Do I want the freedom to move or the freedom to settle somewhere that feels like home?
☑︎ Do I want to be untethered, or do I want to be held by a place that supports me?

Think about the last time you had to beg for remote work approval just to visit family or attend a wedding. Or that moment when someone you love needed you in another city or country, and you couldn’t get there because your job kept you stuck. Or when you stayed in a city that drained you, simply because your lease or career said you had to.

For me, location freedom isn’t about constant motion. It’s about being able to choose stillness, rest, or movement when I need it. It’s not just about where I go. It’s about where I feel at home.

Financial Freedom: Do You Want to Earn More or Need Less?

This one might surprise you.

Financial freedom doesn’t always mean making more money.

Sometimes it means needing less, because your lifestyle, values, and environment no longer demand so much of your time, money, or health.

Think about:
☑︎ The time you had to say yes to extra work, not because you wanted to, but because rent, groceries, and bills weren’t going to pay themselves.
☑︎ Or when you declined a trip, a dinner, or a memory-making moment because you couldn’t afford to miss work.
☑︎ Or when you got a raise, but your stress didn’t go down, your bills didn’t change, and your joy didn’t increase.

Sometimes freedom isn’t about scaling your income. It’s about slowing your spending, reducing your pressure, and freeing up your life.

When I lived a U.S. lifestyle, I had a luxury car and a beautiful house, but also a long list of financial obligations that owned me more than I owned them. Now, I live smaller, but feel richer.

Financial freedom can look like working less, even if it means spending more on things that protect your peace.

It might mean paying more for a safe neighborhood. Or budgeting for private healthcare. Or investing in help so you can rest. Or choosing a country where you can live well on less, without cutting corners on your health or joy.

It’s not about the number. It’s about feeling calm, in control, and resourced.

What Does Your Freedom Recipe Look Like?

You might want:
☑︎ Time freedom so you can homeschool your child or take mid-day naps
☑︎ Location freedom that lets you split time between three favorite cities
☑︎ Financial freedom that comes from recurring income, not hourly hustle

Or you might just want enough peace of mind to go to sleep knowing rent’s paid, food’s good, and your soul is finally breathing.

There’s no right mix. Just your mix.

Undefined Freedom Can Become a New Trap

Here’s what I’ve seen, over and over again: People say they want freedom, but don’t define it. So they move abroad, start a business, or land a remote job …and recreate the same stress they were trying to escape.

And I’ve been there, too.

I left corporate and opened a brick-and-mortar marketing agency. I hired a team. I built something successful on paper. I thought I’d finally have time and location freedom.

But what I ended up with was increased income and even less freedom.

More hours stuck behind a desk. More phone calls. More responsibility. And almost no room to breathe.

The finances grew, but my life shrank. Because I was still building around what looked impressive, not around what I needed.

That’s what happens when freedom isn’t clearly defined, it turns into a shinier version of burnout.

So, define it. Write it down. Sit with it. Update it as your life shifts.

You’re Allowed to Want Freedom That Feels Good to You

You don’t have to justify your definition of freedom to anyone. You don’t need to want the van life or the luxury condo. You just need to know what helps you feel clear, capable, and calm.

So before you chase the lifestyle, ask yourself:
☑︎ What does my ideal day look like?
☑︎ What do I not want to do anymore?
☑︎ What do I want the freedom to experience, create, or protect?

That’s your compass.

Want help mapping out your version of time, location, and financial freedom, and how to fund it?

➤ Check out my Digital Nomad Income Toolkit. It’s the go-to resource for turning your skills into income and designing a lifestyle that truly fits you.

Freedom isn’t a fantasy. It’s a choice you get to make, one step at a time.

You don’t need permission to create a life that feels like yours. But if you need help, I’m right here.

Wishing you an overabundance of financial, location, and time freedom
Marcia Hylton, aka Marcia Unbound
Remote Income Coach

P.S. Curious about why I made such a big move? I recently shared more of my story in a feature with Business Insider. It’s raw, real, and all about what led me to sell it all and start over abroad. You can read it here.