An Overseas Life Beta Test: There is Always a Rose with Paul Doane

Thirteen years of nonstop personal and financial hardship had put Paul Doane in the autumn and winter of his life without much hope for the future. In July 2020, he saw a  Facebook Ad for a Free 5-day workshop "How to Live in Paradise Without Worrying About the Pricetag".   He signed up and fully engaged in the program. By the end of that week, he had a vision, a plan, and the inspiration he needed to redesign his life. 

He had a new zeal for life and his seasons had changed to spring and summer. Two months later he repeated the program and made a bold decision to move to Mexico for a month-long "beta test" - as he was advised.  It was a HUGE success and Paul shares what that experience was like and his plans to move to Mexico to live full time.  At 68, he's hit the "reset" button, is writing a series of books he'll publish in the new couple of months.  Paul shows us that with a great attitude, anything is possible! Maybe it can happen for you too!

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Transcript

Episode-36-overseas-life-beta-test-there-is-always-a-rose.mp3

Commercial: [00:00:02] Welcome. You are listening to the overseas life redesign podcast where you'll hear fine, relaxed, and inspirational interviews with people who are really living the dream. I'm Dawn Flemming an attorney turned alchemist and your host for the show coming to you from the tropical island paradise of East level net us Mexico. Listen to conversations with courageous souls who step out of their comfort zone and designed a new way of life. They'll share their experiences, wisdom and offer practical steps you can take to redesign your life overseas. Listen, and you'll believe if you can dream it, you can achieve it.

Dawn: [00:00:43] Today, I am here with Paul Dohnt and we're actually here in person, which I haven't done for a while, my initial interviews were all done in person, and then with covid, they all have been Zoom and whatnot. So it's a pleasure to see you as well as talking with you today. Thank you for taking time today, Paul.Appreciate it.

Paul Dohnt: [00:01:03] Oh, it's wonderful to be here. It's a beautiful place. I love every minute I've been here.

Dawn: [00:01:09] Awesome. Well, that's cool. So we'll and we'll talk about that in a little bit. But the way that Paul and I met actually was I did the very first how to live in paradise without worrying about the price tag workshop in July. And Paul was one probably one of the most active attendees in that workshop. And can you just maybe tell me a little bit about kind of what prompted you to participate in that and kind of maybe where you were at that point in time?

Paul Dohnt: [00:01:44] Well, at that point in time, I was probably one of my lowest points. And it's funny how things come your way when you least expect it is. And I saw it. I had no idea what it was, what I knew I had to be on it. And I am certainly glad that I was because it has changed my life.

Dawn: [00:02:06] Oh, that's so sweet of you to say so. Yeah. And I totally agree with you. I think as I look back, there's a saying that that you probably are familiar with that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. Right. And I think that that's those are very true words. So I know you sent me a really heartfelt email after that workshop and talked about the impact that you had. And I actually I think I wept actually when I read it. And honestly, I almost wondered if it was true because there was so much in there. And I was like, could that really happen? Is this guy making it up right?

Paul Dohnt: [00:02:53] Trust me, there are too many things to make up about.

Dawn: [00:02:56] Yes, absolutely. And quite honestly, I've worked with so many different people over the years. And I can say that a lot of times when people have those kinds of serial sort of negative things happen in their life, it's real easy to become the victim and get into the poor me mentality. You didn't do that. Can you talk to us a little bit about it?

Paul Dohnt: [00:03:26] Well, I have always been a grateful person. I am grateful for everything I have. Everything comes for a reason. Everything goes for a reason. So that's life's challenges. You take it and you make the best you can. You get up the next day and you start again. It's that simple. You know, I'm grateful. I spent the first ten minutes every day being grateful just for being alive to breathe. Our country was free and I have food. I have shelter. So many things to be grateful for.

Dawn: [00:04:06] So you just really credited to focusing on the positive rather than dwelling on, quote-unquote, negative things that happened. Oh, of course. Mean you can find lots of friends in the negative world and but I've always, always my life, no matter what's around, I found a positive side. There's always a rose. That's been my saying.

Dawn: [00:04:32] That's OK.

Paul Dohnt: [00:04:34] That's always been my saying. There will always be a rose just once the thorns.

Dawn: [00:04:39] Yeah, for sure. Well, that's a great outlook to have. So kind of walk me through, if you don't mind, the transformation. I mean, you came to the workshop really not knowing what it was about, not knowing me or Tom or anybody involved in it. Can you just kind of give me some of your e-mails, like a day by day play kind of what that process was like for you?

Paul Dohnt: [00:05:06] Well, following through the course and the way it's laid out in the day to day process, you have the time to reflect and go back over. And if you do the work, the results, what you have to do, the work, you know, so your course, your course was clear, it was precise and it made sense, which I've been on a lot of training courses. And the whole secret to the training course was by more courses. Well, we'll get you to the door. What you want in your pay and your course was. You went right from start to finish, you know, and you were very in-depth and it was a life-changing experience for me.

Dawn: [00:05:51] So the first day we'll give away the secrets a little bit. But the first day is the dream of living in paradise. Describing that, figuring out what is paradise to you, what is your dream life look like? Was that a challenge for you or did you what did it come easy or. 

Paul Dohnt: [00:06:07] That came easy? I mean, I've always known two things. I was going on a catamaran and I was going to do an island somewhere in the Caribbean where it was war. I'm so tired of snow. I wasn't expecting hurricanes, but. Well, yeah, that's.

Dawn: [00:06:28] Yeah, the Caribbean, the rose, and yeah, I heard might be a little bit of the thorns there, but. 

Paul Dohnt: [00:06:35] It was, it was interesting because I got stories when I got back home like you wouldn't believe this.

Dawn: [00:06:43] That's awesome. So I know when I'm thinking back up of your email, you said something like you were you use seasons, you seasonal language, and you said you felt like you were back in the summer of your life. Can you tell me what prompted that?

Paul Dohnt: [00:07:04] It was just a lot of it was, of course. And it made me realize that there is still a whole lot left to do. And it took me from the fall and winter of my life when things were pretty rough and it catapulted me through spring on the first two days and then took me in the summer. And I've been there ever since.

Dawn: [00:07:28] Can you tell me how I did that? I'd just like to know.

Paul Dohnt: [00:07:31] It was just you made thought-Provoking statements and you had to think about it and you say, that's true. And you just expand on it. And so and then you reflect. And I think, OK, I've come from this, but I have all that going forward. I can't change the past and I can't predict the future, but I can control today. And that's all I did one day, one day, one day.

Dawn: [00:08:03] And then and I was like I said, it really warms my heart to get that email. You have no idea because I had never done anything like that before. And that's the first time I ever, ever taught that workshop series. And I have no idea how it would land. I have no idea if it was good content, bad content, indifferent. And so it was. And you weren't the only one. Thankfully, I got a few others saying, wow, this is really some life-changing stuff. And that's why I'm doing this. Really that's really what lights me up is having an impact like that. But and I thought, OK, that's great. And, you know, he didn't sign up for my academy and that's OK. As I said, I wanted that was the goal. That's kind of the model that I'm following is to give people a complete solution, make them a promise, take them from point eight, get them to point B. And I did that. And you know, it's a gift that's like giving back. Right. And then you came back for the second one in September.

Paul Dohnt: [00:09:06] Yeah, I, I didn't get enough in the first one. You had made so many changes in my life in the first one. And I need to come back because I knew there was more. I just have to apply it. So I had to go back and refresh. And it's amazing what I learned the second time that I hadn't picked up the first because you get into a thought process and it's like going and you're going off and speaking. And I'm making a note while I missed. Yeah. Thirty seconds and it was thirty seconds that I missed. I was able to get the syntax, I had the notes, and it was just a big Aha moment, and it really was.

Dawn: [00:09:48] Well yeah. And I've learned that through the years as well. Some of my mentors have said, you know, it takes you seven times of hearing something before you really learn it. And yeah. And even if it's the same thing that we used to, you know, I was in network marketing for twenty years and we'd go to the same training over and over again. Right. But you were different because you had grown and applied different things. And I think that maybe that's part of what occurred with you and then. Yeah. And then I was delighted to award you with the scholarship for the Academy. Yeah.

Paul Dohnt: [00:10:26] That came out of the blue, I have to be honest.

Dawn: [00:10:29] And so I think you've been enjoying that. It hasn't been all too long that you've been involved in it, but you've been enjoying that content as well.

Paul Dohnt: [00:10:39] Yes. Yeah. Content's amazing because you break it down into bite sizes and then you explain what that is. So you'll say something and you'll explain it and then you'll give it a reference that you can go back to and say, oh, yeah, I know I know why she said what she said because here's your reference and you were extremely good at that. You pull things together so you know why you're listening. It makes sense. I don't have to question it because you spell it out and it just makes sense and then it's logic. So and then and then you go on to the next point and you spread. I mean, you could have made that course seven days easily. And so, yeah, I was just and the second time around I got more information and I'll probably be on the third one because I know the key things that I missed. And now being here and experience and now meeting you will even make it better. Right. And of course, Tom and Sally, we kind of went along on that, too.

Dawn: [00:11:51] Yeah. And I have some new stuff in store for the next one. So I'm excited about adding that involved as well.

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Commercial: [00:12:56] Welcome back to the Overseas Life Redesign podcast. Thank you so much for being here. And we invite you to subscribe, if you like, what you hear at the end of the September workshop.

Paul Dohnt: [00:13:27] I mean, I knew where Mexico was, but I'd never been this far south. I mean, I spent winters in Florida, but I've never been here.

Dawn: [00:13:36] Ok, so not even Cancun. You have not been to Cancun either. OK, cool. So you arrived just in time for our first hurricane and we got to get settled into your new apartment. Yeah. And run us through. How's this beta test worked out for you. What has you what's worked? What's not worked. What's anything you would have done differently.

Paul Dohnt: [00:14:02] Yeah, well as far as doing differently, no, it'd be nice to have hot water, which I know, I'm learning this thing about the water on the roof and gravity, gravity showers, and things. I understand when the power goes out, everything comes to a stop and. Yeah, no, not to me. This is paradise. It's exactly what I expected it to be soon as I get off the boat. I mean, I knew I liked it.

Dawn: [00:14:34] You felt and people have said that so many people have said that. When I got here, I felt like I was at home. I was home. Yeah. Is that but yeah. Kind of what you're talking about.

Paul Dohnt: [00:14:44] I do. I do. When I got off the ferry and I was home, I knew this is where I want to be. So I and it was announced the plan, how to make it happen. But and for thirty days I mean I've walked this entire island this much of a walk, but it's not a very big island. Yeah. Yeah. I've watched it and I've learned about the culture. I'm taking Spanish lessons so I can integrate, into the culture because that's what I want to do. I want to be I don't want to, I want to be part of the culture. I don't want to live in a hotel and be above it. I want to be part of it. And I'm witnessing that daily. The way that people have to survive, I guess, is a better word. Still get used to this painful thing because, you know, when somebody says that's 500 Basil's, your mind kind of just cracks. Five hundred and then you do the math. Right. But you've got to get over that mental thing. And it's a trick myself, you know, but everything is so expensive and the quality is good. I mean, you go to a chiropractor for twenty-five bucks for an hour and I have a massage and a free house. Where do you get that? You know, are you just strange things like that.

Dawn: [00:16:13] Yeah. So anything that I love, whether there's probably so many different things that were a surprise to you. Oh yeah. Is there anything that? It feels like it's missing or aside from the hot water, I mean, little minor things like that are there any concerns you have about coming down to the full time now? So you've cleared that. 

Paul Dohnt: [00:16:46] That cleared. Like I say, when I landed, I knew this was the place. Now, the question was, wherein this place can I say, you know? And I mean, I work all online. I've started online stuff so I can know my home is anywhere on down. And with the covid and everything else going on, this seems like a really I mean, the precautions they take here, you know, no matter where you go, you got to have your temperature taken and you got to walk on Watt pad. Everybody's in masks. I mean, they really follow the guidelines here.

Dawn: [00:17:24] Makes you feel really safe, doesn't it? Yeah, I agree. That's why we have it left, really for except to go to Cancun. And they're pretty cautious there as well, sir.

Paul Dohnt: [00:17:35] You know, people are friendly. The people are so down to earth.

Dawn: [00:17:40] Well, and you've had a phenomenal tour guide, right? Mishan and being fluent in Spanish, that's helpful. She's she's amazing. She's definitely become one of my best friends for sure. But she just has such a big heart for the local people and really in a year immersed herself into the local community in Mid Island, which is a lot more locals than downtown where we live. But that, I'm sure, has had an impact on your experience here.

Paul Dohnt: [00:18:15] Yeah, I'm able to spend more time with the locals. Some of the things that surprised me were how poorly paid they are. I mean, when we're talking one hundred pesos, which is five dollars and what, 80 percent of this island is tourism. So these people don't work and it's cash. I'm learning that it's basically a cash island. So if these people don't work, they don't need this. Basically that simple.

Dawn: [00:18:48] Yeah, yeah. It's been a tough year for sure. So that's why, you know, our construction guys were pounding moments before we started this interview. We're trying to keep them busy and know that that is and that if anything shocked me the most. No one's sending twelve hundred dollar checks. Yeah. From the government here. Yeah.

Paul Dohnt: [00:19:11] No, the cash aside, I can understand what the the the money to get paid, and for the quality of service you get even the food years, and the food is amazing, it's authentic, it's really good. And it's so cheap from my point of view. 

Dawn: [00:19:33] And fresh. Right. I mean the fresh produce is, is accessible. 

Paul Dohnt: [00:19:37] And the hospitality here is amazing there. There are so many things you could do on this island if you wanted to do it. Yeah. And if you just want to go later to North Beach, you didn't do that in my beautiful sandy beaches and the water, turquoise blue. You know, there's a gentle breeze pretty well all the time right now. The humidity is a little rough, but that's got to pass. I mean, that's. Yeah, that goes with the tropics.

Dawn: [00:20:07] Yes, absolutely. I don't like it. Yeah. Don't come. So so your big test was a success. You're headed back to Canada for a couple of months tomorrow, taking the sad ferry back. As soon as we got to have to leave.

Paul Dohnt: [00:20:23] I have obligations. I have to go home, do or otherwise I'll go.

Dawn: [00:20:27] Right. And then you plan to come back beginning in January.

Paul Dohnt: [00:20:31] I plan to be here for New Year's Eve.

Dawn: [00:20:34] Oh, wonderful. OK, good. Yeah.

Paul Dohnt: [00:20:37] We'll have to celebrate for sure. And then you are that this will be a full-time move.

Paul Dohnt: [00:20:43] Well, that's what we're trying to do. I got to sort of now I'm dealing with immigration today to find out what is available. I don't know. OK, and I want it all to after we have that conversation. OK, I'll def I've stretched it from three months to four months and now I think it's five months.

Dawn: [00:21:03] Yeah, boss, I heard it was five and I think at this point the max I can do a six visit that's why.

Paul Dohnt: [00:21:10] Can't you get a tourist visa? Oh, I don't like pensioners and I have, no tourist visa.

Dawn: [00:21:17] Anybody can come for six months. Oh, that's what they give you at the airport.

Paul Dohnt: [00:21:20] Well that's, that's, that's how you get the money you don't throw away. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They don't tell you that.

Dawn: [00:21:25] Yeah. So that. Yeah. So then you just leave and you can come back for another six months.

Paul Dohnt: [00:21:30] So well, I thought there was a there was controversy.

Paul Dohnt: [00:21:33] I was struck because people were jumping down to believe for a week and then coming back. Yeah, I thought they were changing the name.

Dawn: [00:21:40] Well, there are rumblings about it, but things move slowly in Mexico. So so I don't know. And they and like you pointed out, we live off of tourism. So I don't think they really want to do anything to discourage tourism. So changing that would be something that would do that. So we'll see where that goes. But there may be other ways.

Paul Dohnt: [00:22:03] I mean, they have extremely high-end hotels that are absolutely beautiful on the beach. And even that is really when you look at what you're getting, isn't that expensive. Once you break it out in the U.S. or Canadian dollars, it's like, well, you couldn't find that kind of luxury. So even in Florida, right, for half that price?

Dawn: [00:22:29] No, that's for sure. Actually, I just did an interview this week with another gentleman. I'll be publishing probably after this episode. And he said, you know, you want to give yourself a four hundred percent raise. 

Paul Dohnt: [00:22:43] Yeah.

Dawn: [00:22:43] Move to Mexico. Yeah.

Paul Dohnt: [00:22:46] Oh, easy. Yeah. I mean, I wintered in Florida, and what's 70 cents on the Canadian dollar and you're on pension. It was brutal. Yeah, I bet. I bet. And then they have all the auxiliary charges edgeways and all it goes on. They can chew up your funds pretty fast as a venture.

Dawn: [00:23:06] Yeah. Yeah. I think that's why we're seeing so many people really look into Mexico in particular. It's so close and easily accessible for people who need to go back. Well, awesome, I am so excited about your new adventure here and AC2 Harris and your beta test, which will be hosting a day and will be hosting a beta test going solo workshop here shortly and we'll have that archived for the future. So that will be available.

Paul Dohnt: [00:23:42] But I highly recommend it, if you will. If there's anything that's even remotely in your mind, take the time to 30, at least you got to do 30 days. So I realized that when I got here it is on a two-week stay.

Dawn: [00:23:57] No, and yeah. And if you can do longer, although in your case, you're going to do kind of a second longer one and see how it goes, which that's a possibility as well. I think Diane did hers of hers was eight weeks when she. 

Paul Dohnt: [00:24:09] I believe was eight weeks or so.

Dawn: [00:24:12] A couple of months. Yep. And then she packed up and moved. So yeah. But you know, what a great way, you know, try before you buy it. It's kind of what I call it. And it's it really does give you a chance to live like a local experience, you know, how do you buy groceries, how do you do all the things. 

Paul Dohnt: [00:24:35] Grocery stores here are challenging.

Dawn: [00:24:38] What how so.

Paul Dohnt: [00:24:40] If you see something that you like, buy lots.

Dawn: [00:24:43] Oh, right now we've got two that's right here tomorrow. That's right. Exactly. Yeah. Turkey Bacon is our favorite thing so.

Paul Dohnt: [00:24:52] Well yeah.

Dawn: [00:24:55] We don't have paper towels for some reason they were no paper towels. Yeah. It's sort of funny the different things that, that the stocking challenges that they have. But anyway. Well awesome. I will go ahead and interview. Thank you again for chatting with me today. I really appreciate it. And I'm just so thrilled with everything that's happened for you, Paul. Oh, I know good things are in your future.

Paul Dohnt: [00:25:21] Are you. You are the best thing that's happened in my life. So months. Thank you for that. I really appreciate it.

[00:25:44] This episode of the Overseas Live Predesigned Podcast was brought to you by our sponsors. Thanks for tuning in. Did you love this episode? the overseas life redesigned podcast. Then please subscribe to our show and leave us a nice review. It's very much appreciated. We invite you to visit www.overseasliferedesigned.com and take the Are you ready for an overseas life relocation readiness quiz? We'd also love for you to become part of our community on Facebook. Thank you for listening.