I feel completely lost in life aber being a DN for 3 years – how do I find out what I want / where I want to settle?

I’ve been a digital nomad for 3 years now, and I’ve started to feel miserable. Here’s what stresses me out the most (ranked by impact): **1. Relationships** I meet amazing people while traveling, but it’s hard to really get to know anyone deeply because at some point, it’s always time to say goodbye. Recently, I met a girl I really liked. But seeing her again seems almost impossible, maybe once a year at best. After saying goodbye, I felt depressed for months. I kept wondering if this could have turned into something if I had just stayed longer? **2. Constant planning stress** I’m already “slowmading,” but it’s still exhausting to constantly book accommodations and transportation. And sometimes things aren’t what you expect – like no proper desk or chair, bad lighting, etc. **3. Anxiety when switching places** Travel has taught me to be more independent, but I still feel anxious when arriving somewhere new. The anxiety usually fades after a week or two, but it always comes back when I move again. **4. Routine & Health** Back home, I had a solid routine with regular wake-up times, the gym, etc. Especially the gym felt like my anchor. Yes, I can go to gyms while traveling – but it’s always a new sign-up, new equipment, different vibe. It’s just not the same. # What do I want? I think I’d like to have a base – a place to come back to and feel safe. Somewhere I can stay for a few months or longer when I need rest, and then travel when I feel like it. But I don’t know where. # My thoughts so far: **🇩🇪 Germany (my home country)** **Pros** * **Health/Routine:** I could reestablish my old routine (health/gym) * **No anxiety:** it’s my comfort zone * **Comfort zone:** I’d feel like I belong **Cons** * **High taxes:** I’d lose my optimized tax setup – going back would mean high taxes, which would make saving and long-term travel a lot harder * **Business unfriendly:** I love building my business, but I don’t see Germany as a very business-friendly country. **🇦🇺 Australia** It’s still the best country I’ve ever been to in terms of overall lifestyle. But it felt almost *too* relaxed for me. I want to build my business. Also, I had a hard time connecting with locals – maybe because there aren't as many people (not including travelers) **🇺🇸 USA** Besides Germany, this is probably my most favorite option – but also the hardest. A lot of people hate on the US, but I like it. Innovation, risk-taking, business culture, diversity, nature – it all feels exciting. I even find it easier to connect with people there. I would only want to live there for around 2 years and see how it goes – trying to make my business work – maybe stay longer – then move back to Germany long-term. **But…** * I’d need an E2 visa. That’s doable, but a lot of paperwork and effort. I already found an immigration lawyer who seems trustworthy. * Cost of living is high * I don’t know where exactly I’d want to live. I’ve spent time in SF and NYC – both were inspiring for business. But are there other cities I should consider? I'm not 100% sure. Right now, I just don’t know what to do next. Should I apply for the E2 visa and try to move to the US? Or should I go back to Germany, accept the taxes, and focus on stability? Or something else. **Nothing feels fully right.** I’ve been trying to figure this out for months. Maybe someone has some advice… Has anyone felt the same and how did you figure out what you want/where to settle? --- **Post Details:** - **Subreddit:** r/digitalnomad - **Author:** u/Any_Independent375 - **Score:** 35 upvotes - **Upvote Ratio:** 85.0% - **Comments:** 34 - **Posted:** 7/8/2025 - **URL:** https://reddit.com/r/digitalnomad/comments/1luqe7a/i_feel_completely_lost_in_life_aber_being_a_dn/