 Like, now is the best time to make a change. Now is the best time to move. Wow, I just felt this energy here where I could create. And things don't get done when they're told they'll be done. I went with luggage for two weeks, but I stayed one and a half years. Hey guys, welcome to Oxy Vlogs. Many people are comparing Dubai to Miami. So today I'm gonna interview a friend of mine who has an experience of living in both cities and let's find out the difference. Hey Aidan, how are you today? Good, thank you for having me. So please, could you introduce yourself? It's a tough question to start. I don't know anything about myself. No, so I've been a coach and a speaker since 2010. My background is health and wellness. I used to run gyms, be involved in fitness back in Ireland. And 2010 I made a decision to go out on my own as an entrepreneur, as a speaker. And I've been training people on stage in one to one in small groups since really around 2008, as I said initially in health and fitness. And 2010 onwards a lot about business, mindset, entrepreneurship, sales, leadership, all of these things. So that's really who I am, I suppose, a speaker, a coach. And that's it, yeah? I know you've been traveling a lot. Why decided to come to Dubai? Well, I first came to Dubai in 2016. And it was really for business. Since 2010 I was working with an international company and traveling a lot all over the world. And after doing business around the world, different countries, you're always looking for the best opportunities. You're looking for the best place to do business, to be based. And Dubai obviously has some advantages to being here, to being based here. So it was really kind of a business decision first. Me and some business partners to come over here, to friends as well, to come and start a business company over here. And I just love the climate and the weather and the lifestyle. So it was an easy decision for me to come over here. And when was the first time you came to Dubai? The first time was 2016. Yeah, so that was the first time. I was traveling a lot most here on Europe for a few years before that, North and South America, even South Africa and Asia. But I hadn't been to Dubai. It was just a stopover. And then 2016 came and loved it. And then 2017 actually moved here, so. And what was your first impression when you arrived in Dubai? Wow, well, it was everything I imagined it was going to be. Just really the, again, the energy, the sunshine, the blue skies. Funny, just a cloud today, which is like, you don't see clouds very often here. But then just to freedom, I feel like Dubai is like a blank canvas. You can create anything. You can become who you want to become. It's really a chance for you to build yourself. The mindset's very open, obviously. There's no limits, only the limits you put on yourself. And I like that, you know, I'm from Ireland, small country. You know, it's kind of a lot of people who live in Ireland will tell you the mindset's very small. It's very closed. It's hard to kind of express yourself. And I always love traveling in Dubai. It was a place that as soon as I hit the ground every time, as soon as I landed, I was like, wow, I just felt this energy here where I could create and become like whatever I wanted to be or a more, a better version of me. And that makes sense. And what challenges did you face? Well, there are some challenges here. You know, I mean, I think the first thing coming in from Europe or coming from anywhere, I think, is, you know, just understanding the systems and everything in place. And just in terms of the organization, like setting up bank accounts and getting your visa, like these are, it's definitely helpful when you have somebody guiding you, there's a lot of things. And sometimes you ask, you email for an answer and you don't get the answer or you get part of the answer, you know? So for me, I think having, I advise people to have a consultant or to find someone that can make that transition easier because there are some administration challenges in Dubai for sure. And things don't get done when they, when you're told they'll be done. But that's okay. Small price today. Small price. Where did you go after Dubai? So I was here for about two years and then I went back to Europe. I was doing some things in Europe and I had plans to come back to Dubai again. But I remember it was January, 2019. I was talking to a friend of mine. I said, let's go to, I was in Ireland. It was cold, dark, you know, January, miserable weather. And I said, let's go to Miami. There's an event on there and let's go and plan the year. Let's do a year strategy in Miami. I said, sure, let's do it. And then there was an event in Mexico that I was invited to speak at. So we went to Miami. The trip was supposed to be like two or three weeks. And I ended up spending two weeks in Miami, then like three and a half weeks in Cancun, in Mexico, planning the year. It sounds like paradise, but it was stressful because it was just working every day. And at the end of the time in Cancun, I said, you know what? I'm gonna stay in Miami. So I just made a decision and I just found an apartment. I'd been to Miami a few times before because of speaking there and I had some friends there. And I found an apartment and the address was 1111. I said, this is meant to be. And I just, I decided to stay and I stayed a year and a half in Miami. So I went with luggage for two weeks, but I stayed one and a half years. If you compare your life in Dubai to the life in Miami, what is the main difference? It's funny, I always get asked this question. And I always, people are always surprised by my answer. Like I find, if you have a decent quality of life, Miami and Dubai are very similar lifestyle. You know, it's very much sunshine, nice weather, eating out, you're a nice restaurant, nice bars, good social life. Like in terms of lifestyle, it's very, very similar. What I like about Miami is that it's not, it doesn't feel like America. This is why I like it. Even years and years ago, I used to go to America every summer. I used to go to Boston, Cape Cod, used to travel around. I was playing basketball and working different jobs and I was a life guide in America years ago. And like way back, you know, when I was like a teenager in early 20s. But what I love about Miami is it doesn't feel like America. Like it feels real South American vibe. You know, it was a lot of Colombian, Venezuela, Cuba. It's really that vibe. So it's a different, you hear more Spanish to hear English, you know? So it's really cool vibe. What about the cost of living? This surprised me. Again, because I was in Brickle, this kind of business area, like it was a mall, I used to go to Brickle city center. And some of you watching this, probably know what I'm talking about, you've been there. But like it was more expensive, I used to tell people in Miami, it was more expensive to live in Brickle than a while to live in Dubai the two years before. So like if you're going to the mall for lunch, like even in Dubai, you have cheaper options. You know, you don't have to go to the fancy place for a lunch. You don't have to go to the mall. There's not like, you have Zatar and different more relaxed places, right? But in Miami, when you're in that center, everything is that level. High level. Crazy, like this gym membership, $180 a month, which is probably 600 dirhams, 700 dirhams a month for a gym membership and more. So the cost of living is especially in that part. For sure you'd go on the outskirts and it's cheaper. But if you want to be in the heart of it there, it's a bit more expensive. And what about departments? Can you rent it on a monthly basis? I'm sure you can find, you can, but again, it's more expensive. I signed for a year of going then extended after my first year. Yeah, I mean, it's not cheap by any means, especially if you're in a nice central area like that. But you can find some good places. I guess you're probably looking at for a one bedroom, you're probably looking at around 9,000 and up. So which city is more expensive? You put me on the spot here now and I don't want to over commit to anything. I mean, I've lived in both, again, that brick is an expensive area in Miami. So it's not, they're similar. I think you can get, and again, it depends like four years ago in Dubai, it was much more expensive than it is now. Like my rent now would be cheaper than it was four years ago. You know this yourself, things are better here. So with Miami, it's still a little bit higher. It depends where you're living and what you're looking for. For sure, if you want that higher quality, you're gonna spend more. But they're very similar, very similar. When you go to bars for drinks, similar. When you go out for lunch and dinners, you have those fancy restaurants where you're spending a lot. Same Miami, same as here. So there's very little in the difference, I would say. Be willing to spend some money. If you're coming to Dubai or Miami, they're not cheap places to live. You know, for sure you can be smart and you can try and have a budget, but these are the kind of places you want to enjoy the cafes. You want to enjoy the restaurants. So like I'm always telling people, earn more income, start an online business, do more things to give yourself a better quality of life here. Because you need it. How is working or doing business in Dubai is different to working or doing business in Miami? Again, I'd say it's pretty similar. You know, I have kind of two sides. I have the coaching and speaking side, which is very much the same anywhere. Especially today, I'm doing everything online and Zoom. There's not just much less speaking events. But like as an entrepreneur doing business, I think international business is very similar in a lot of ways. You know, people are the same all over the world. There are some cultural differences, but ultimately people are the same, right? So I think in both places, there's a huge room for scale. So if you're an entrepreneur, if you're in business, you know, you can just reach, like even from Miami, you can reach South America. You know, you can, you're building relationships into South America and North America. If you're in Dubai, you're connecting to different parts of Asia. You're getting into India. You know, you can do business there. So really, I love both places, but I think they're hubs, you know? Like Dubai is great. It's a connection. Everybody in Dubai are coming from all over the world. So it's a perfect place to connect and expand your network. Also Miami is that kind of place too. Like you're meeting people who are not really from Miami, they're from all over the world in Miami. So what are your tips to build a network in New Cities? To build a network in New Cities. This is something interesting actually because I've been traveling since I'm 16, you know? I just land in a place. I don't know anybody. And then I figure it out. And for me, that's always how I lived, you know? I think your ability to communicate and your ability to influence is the secret to success in life, you know? Coincidentally, I happen to have an online course called Master in the Act of Communication and Influence. And a big part of that is, you know, becoming, I suppose, the best version of you and the best version of you and the best communicator is someone who's interested in other people. Like being genuinely interested in other people. So if I could say one thing to build a network would be to be genuinely interested in other people and not just looking for what you can get out of it, you know? And not just... It's easy to influence people who are like you. I think it's a mistake people make. They go to the same places they always go to, right? They try and meet people who are like them and you will always be limited. I mean, the key to your network is to expand your circle to people who are not like you. Like the best salespeople or the best influencers are people who can affect people who are not like them. So that would be the advice I would give when you land in a New City, go to places you wouldn't normally go to. Try new things, you know? Go to events that you normally wouldn't go to and don't always have the intention of what can I get out of it. Be open just to connecting with people, building relationships. And I always say every person is a doorway, not a destination. So I was kind of, when I'm teaching business seminars, every person is a doorway, not a destination. So a lot of people are very small minded, right? Let's say they meet you and they think, oh, they put you in a box because she's not my type of person, so next. Or they meet me and say, oh, he's doing this business, that's not relevant to me. But at the end of the day, you're a doorway to your network and I'm a doorway to my network. So sometimes people are so short-sighted, they never realize who's behind that person. And when you make a good impression with somebody and you're interested in them, they can open up a whole new world of possibilities for you. And it doesn't matter, for me in Miami, people speak in Spanish. Some of my closest friends now barely spoke English when I met them and I don't speak much Spanish. So language is not an excuse either. It's your energy, it's your body language, it's your heart, it's how you carry yourself, what's your posture, what's your energy, what's your intention, that's what's important. And the reason a lot of people are stuck in the same life is just they're thinking the same way and they're looking to meet the same people and they're reading the same books or not reading any books and they're not expanding their awareness and this is why they're stuck closed, if that makes sense. Yeah, and most people, they have limiting beliefs as well. Yeah, and it's all because of programming. Jim Rohn, my mentor, he says, use your past as a school, not as a place to live. You know, it shouldn't be a burden, like use your past as a school to learn. Mostly what I do when I work with people now, it's really unraveling those programs, these patterns, bringing their truth to the surface. And I think people are waking up now, they realize, especially with all the crazy year we've just had, there's nothing set in stone anymore. Now is the best time to create your life by design. Like, now is the best time to make a change. Now is the best time to move. Now is the best time to restart, because everything is possible. All your beliefs were built on something that don't really apply anymore. You know, the world is in this transition, it's in chaos, it's in uncertainty. And this is the best time, like I find when times are uncertain like this, that's when people make the biggest progress. When everything is set and going well, people are afraid to change, right? Like, why are you afraid of changing now? Everything is upside down and total shit. Now is the time to be not reckless, but to be fearless. Now is the time to just move forward, to listen to your higher self, and just move in the direction, in my opinion. So when you decided to go back to Dubai from Miami? I actually decided before the summer, so there was a, you asked me this off camera, like why would I leave Miami and what happened, you know? And really I was loving Miami, but it was just the challenges were, you know, you were paying for the lifestyle, but you weren't getting it. COVID was getting worse, there was political tension, there was the protests with the race and everything, there was just tension in the air. And then your, the beaches closed, the gym is closed. Everything was closed, there was a curfew at 10 o'clock at night. So you weren't really living at all, you know? It was perfect for lockdown because it was relaxed. But in June, I just felt this tension coming. So I was like, I think I need to get out of here because it was a feeling that maybe I wouldn't be able to leave if I stayed and all this kind of thing. So I left in June and I came back to Ireland, see my family and everything. And I was looking forward to spending some time in Ireland for the summer. But if you've been to Ireland, but it rains a lot. So the whole month of June, it rains, I didn't see the sky once, just clouds, just no blue sky for the whole month. So I was like losing my mind after a couple of weeks. So I went to Mallorca and to Ibiza. So I had some friends there and I wanted to, I'd never been to Ibiza. I'd been to Mallorca a few times. And I ended up, I was supposed to go for two weeks, I stayed for 11 weeks. But was it open, like for two weeks? Yeah, it was open and it was relaxed and it was nice. And I just got, after one and a half years in Miami and city, city, city, it was nice to have the island vibes, you know? So it was just palm trees and ocean. Relaxed life. Running every day, I had my coaching clients online, I had my online business, it was great. And I just had an amazing summer, just an absolutely incredible summer. And then it was okay, time to get back in the zone, you know? So as I let's go back to Dubai, and I was always in and out here anyway. So even when I was in Miami, I was still coming here every couple of months, you know, every three months, I was still flying here. So Dubai never left my heart and I never really left fully, you know? So now I'm back here and now, I think I timed it perfectly because Miami was perfect for lockdown the year obviously before. And now this is relaxed here, I find. I think Dubai is, they're handling everything really well and... Yeah, and it's basically open. It's open, nice. Just like new normal. Exactly, and it's weather everything, so I'm happy to be back here and I think being based here now, you know, summers in Europe, I recommend for anybody, summers in Europe, and the winters here. And again, for sure, I will be back in Miami again because I love it. What do you like about Dubai? Again, like I said at the beginning, I just love the fact that it's a blank canvas. You can really create your life here. If you're hungry enough, you're open enough, you show an interest in meeting new people, you're open to new cultures. You know, a lot of people have misconceptions about Dubai, especially in America. You know, the amount of people when they say, oh, you lived in Dubai, like, what's... They think crazy things, you know? It's like even Americans sometimes have, even about Ireland, crazy opinions, you know? The questions I get about Ireland is very funny. Like, you have leprechauns and stuff like that. We don't. But so there's a lot of misconceptions about Dubai, and people just, they hear things and they believe it. And for me, Dubai is an incredible place to live. And it's very open and it's very welcoming and obviously the weather, it's clean, it's safe. You know, you have people from all over the world. Like, I really, every time I land in Dubai, I feel home. Like, I believe some places are a vibrational match for us, you know, that you just match our soul, our spirit vibrationally. And I remember when I was first coming to Dubai with the long flight, it was a long flight to Dubai. And then I land and as soon as I land, I feel good here. And it's a high vibration place. Miami is very similar. I don't know if the audience is into vibration and things like that, but it's very much a real thing, how we feel it, you know? And I find Miami, wherever the sun is shining like this, same in the summer, it's a high vibration places, you know? And your people's spirits are lifted with a blue sky and sun. Dubai is a fantastic place. I think everybody should come and try it. And it needs time. Like, whenever you move to somewhere new, it takes time. And the problem with people come with the old programs, and that's why people come for a place for a month and say, I don't like it. It was like this, this, and this. They never really lived it. They lived their version of this. And no matter where you take that type of person, they live their version of themselves. And this is why when you hear negative things about places or people, it's not really the place or the person. It's that person's interpretation. Based on the glasses they're wearing, what the energy they're carrying. So that's why I'm always telling people, you know, don't make decisions based on other people's opinions for your life. When you first moved here, you tell your friends and family, I'm moving to Dubai, I bet you people say, why you go there? You know, this happens, you know? So for all your viewers, like you're providing such an amazing resource because people get to see what it's really like. So I applaud you for that because you're bringing truth to people, you know? So listen, dogs, you don't listen to your friends or family, listen to her. She knows what she's talking about. Especially I think when you're older, you get more difficult to adjust because you have more experience. You listen to more people. You have more baggage. Because I moved to Dubai, I was very young, so I was a bit crazy. I didn't care. Exactly. It was easier. The key is to stay crazy. What do you think about raising families in these cities or Dubai and Miami are for singles? Yeah, I mean, they have the image right of party places kind of in a way like Dubai and Miami. And for sure, if you are single, you will have a lot of fun there. It's a good fun places, lots of young people. But again, similar to what I said earlier, I think you get what you're looking for. So I know a lot of happy families in both places. And I think you can have both, you know? You can raise, I think both places are great. People always ask me because I travel so much. Where do you want to live? Where's your favorite place, you know? This is a tough question for me. Like even this summer, like I've traveled, like back when I was doing health and fitness, I used to work on cruise ships in 2008, 2009. So I was traveling literally the whole Caribbean, the whole Mediterranean, like I've seen so much and I'm so blessed to have seen all that. Where's your favorite place? You know, this summer in Ibiza, I saw things, my jaw dropped in Ibiza. Three times I was like, wow. And I've been all over the world, but Ibiza just hit me different places in Mallorca. I was like, wow. So, you know, everything, I don't know where my favorite place is because every place has a different feeling, you know? And even for me, where am I going to stay long-term? I don't really have the answer. So in terms of having a family, for sure now you're thinking where do I want to raise? Like I'm a single man, but when I do have a family, that's a different question. Where do I want to raise my family? Where do I want to be based? And I don't have the answer to that, yes. I still think I will be in multiple places. I still think I will spend some time in Europe and some time in Miami or here. But I think you can raise a family anywhere, for sure. And here, the infrastructure is incredible too. It just depends on how you want your kids to be raised and what you want them to be exposed to. But I'm not in a position really to talk about that yet. What do you dislike about Dubai? What challenges do you see? What do I dislike? Speed bumps are everywhere. And now there's speed cameras everywhere. Not that I speed often or dramatically. And the fines are very high. And the fines are high. I mean, this is the, I think, you know, the speed bumps are crazy here. There's just bumps where there shouldn't be bumps. Big ones, like big ones. And then the speed cameras, like every 800 meters on the highway now. So you can't even get a little noise. Sometimes you want to give a noise. You cannot. These are the things I dislike the most. But it's for our safety, I guess. And sometimes I'm glad because there's people who come and ride these cars who can't drive. So for sure I'm glad about the ramps in that sense, you know? So I respect that. You know, there's very little I dislike about it. That's why I'm here, you know? Like I'm so open to people, different cultures, everything. One thing, you know, you might say there's a lack of soul here because it's so new. It's a little bit more shallow, maybe. You know, because how can it not? It's only how many years old in this sense, you know, this new lifestyle. Everywhere we are is new here. So like in Europe, you have that culture. You have that depth. In Miami, you have that culture, that South American culture, that vibe, that energy. So for sure it's missing that. Dubai is an international hub. And it attracts people from different countries. So what advice would you give to those who are planning to come to Dubai from the US? I guess from the US or from anywhere. Actually, I had a friend yesterday who wrote me. He's from Germany. Guy, I know. He was asking me all these questions about coming and moving and a lot of people want to move here now, you know? And Dubai should give me a commission because a lot of people are moving. All my friends, because they see that. Dubai should give me commission like the whole time. You should both of us need it. 10% is fine, okay? On the feeds and everything. A couple of lambos. A couple of lambos. A lambo which we'll sell for, okay? On your mind, green for Ireland. Advice, I mean, the biggest thing again is you, the most important thing is how you look at things. I know I get very philosophical, but that's just who I am, right? I mean, if you let the little things bother you and you want to get caught up on different things, stay at home. You know, no matter where you go, there's going to be challenges. No matter where you go, there's going to be cultural differences, different rules. But for me, you know, if you're moving from anywhere to the US, don't believe the misconceptions. Don't believe what you've heard from other people. My thing would be be open. Be open-minded, come and find for yourself. Connect with somebody here who's like a consultant who brings companies in or brings people in, you know? They will make it so much easier on you. I guess one of the challenges, even now at this time when I'm renewing my things, my documents and everything, there's so much to do and you don't get straight answers sometimes. You know, you have to be persistent and you have to be patient. So, have an open mind. Know why you're moving. You know, what's your reason? You know, and the perks of living here are so good. Just be patient, be open-minded and decide for yourself. Don't be influenced by other people unless it's oxanac, it's positive influence. A lot of people, I just want to move because you're just thinking the next step. You have to think of the grand picture for your life. How do you want to feel every day? This will help you determine where you should move because when you know how you want to live, that's a much bigger vision, that's a much bigger motivation than I just want a quick change because when you make a quick change for a distraction, every little thing will bother you. But when you have the vision for your future, clear vision, that pulls you through all the tough things, all the challenges. So, my advice, which is maybe a little bit on orthodoxes, is create that vision for your future first. Get as much detail as possible, what is the most emotional pull for you and then let the place be determined by that feeling instead. So, instead of intellectually thinking, I just want to move here, how do I want my life to look? And then does that place match that vision? Does that make sense? And that was a long-winded answer, but that's what I would say to people. That's much more important. I always tell people for planning to move to Dubai, I need to have a goal when you're moving here because it's expensive life. And usually people come here, they think that they will get a lot of money, they will party every day, all night, all day, but in real life, they come here and they work six days a week. And then they say Dubai is a bad place to live. Sure. And that's the thing, I find, same with Miami and same with Dubai, they're very transitory places. People don't often stay. You know this, right? They come four or five years and then they go back home or whatever. So, people don't necessarily save money in these places. The lifestyle is better, they have better quality of life, but a lot of people don't have much savings because they're spending. But I always say like, don't bring your lifestyle down to meet your income, bring your income up to meet your lifestyle. This is the advice. And now more than ever, there is an opportunity online to build stream with it. Even if it's, you know, an extra $500, extra 2,000 dirhama a month or 5,000 dirhama a month, everything is possible and everything is scalable online. Even for me, I have virtually nothing online. You know, 10 years traveling the world speaking, I put nothing online, nothing YouTube. I didn't want this. I couldn't care. I love the connection of people. Now I have to build online. So now I'm starting a YouTube channel. It will be in the description. Subscribe. Yes. I have zero subscribers, like virtually nothing. So I'm just starting, I need your support. But now I have to because for me to maintain the lifestyle I want, I have to bring in other streams of income, right? And I have online as the way. And I can sit here and build something online that will work for you when you're sleeping. And I'm a huge fan of that, adding more income streams. And people say, I don't know anything. Like again, they're closed. You have to be open. You have to ask yourself new questions. And so bring your income up. You know, so start now, don't waste. You know, even if it's an extra couple of hundred bucks a month, it's a start that covers some bills, then you can move that, invest, diversify, you know? Just be more creative, I guess. So the last question for today, how long are you planning to stay in Dubai? How long is a piece of string? For me, I never have these answers, you know? Like, again, I went to Miami for two weeks. I stayed a year and a half. I think Dubai will be becoming more and more of a base, for sure, like I don't have an answer. But for me, I just, I'm trying to live into now as much as possible, you know? I never like to plan too much. I'm just open. I always trust. I feel like once you are living your purpose every day, I'm very lucky to know my purpose to working with people and coaching people and mentoring. You know, I trust that process. I make decisions based on how I want my life to look and feel. And when you make decisions from that place, you are guided and you have to trust yourself. This is the biggest advice. I'm always saying to people, trust yourself. Forget about trusting other people. Most people don't keep their word. They don't do what they say they'll do. You can always rely on yourself. So trust yourself, be open, and then like everything will unfold as it's meant to. You know, you will be guided. The video I did yesterday on how to hear your higher self, how to tap into your higher self. Your higher self is always guiding you, always. So I would say tap into that as much as possible and just trust. Thank you, Aiden, for coming and thank you for sharing these valuable tips with us. I will leave the contact details to his Instagram page and future YouTube channel in the description under this video and... Thank you so much for having me. It was a pleasure. I've been watching your stuff for a while. Obviously we've been friends for a while now, but I really enjoy what you're doing and I hope you guys got some value and some insight and feel free to ask me any questions or connect to me for my details below and hopefully we can do it again sometime. Yeah, definitely. Thank you for watching and I will see you in the next video. Bye-bye.