105 | You can Afford Anything but not Everything | Paula Pant

ChooseFI

105 | Paula Pant, creator of Afford Anything podcast and blog, dives into her love for travel, her rejection of the traditional 9-5, and how she built an income to match her lifestyle.

• Paula moved to the U.S. as a baby, just after being born in Nepal.
• Her only travel growing up was between Ohio and Nepal.
• Travel has become a large part of Paula’s life, but her desire to travel only grew in her adult life.
• Rebellion is a form of seeking identity.
• Once Paula started traveling did she fall in love with travel immediately?
• What does Paula consider a legitimate visit to a foreign country?
• Two weeks of vacation in Paula’s first few years of work after college felt too limiting.
• Paula made a lifestyle change, and then figured out how to fund it.
• Learning about and trying out freelance work introduced Paula to the idea that someone could work outside of the traditional 9-5 work.
• Did Paula receive criticism when she quit her job to travel?
• When Paula traveled for her first few years, she budgeted about $1,000 a month for expenses and chose to visit countries where the dollar goes far.
• Paula’s tips for building connection while traveling:
• • Stay at hostels – more economical, and more social.
  • Meet the American, Australian, British, etc., ex pats, and meet their friends (build relationships, and travel slowly).
• How did Paula restart once she returned to the U.S. after her 27-month adventure?
• In pursuit of writing what she wanted to read, Paula became a personal finance writer.
• When did Paula begin to feel imposter syndrome?
• Default to saving, instead of default to spending.
• Why does spending money create anxiety for Paula, and how did the scarcity mindset actually push Paula toward financial independence?
• Passive income (real estate) was primarily meant to give Paula some financial cushion, instead of a means to financial independence.
• Humans crave autonomy, purpose and mastery.
• Reading about potential scientific advances motivates Paula to be healthier because she wants to be around to see it.
• Self-care is work care.

For more information, visit the show notes at https://ChooseFI.com/105