This Expat Life

Amanda Maxime
  • 0.0 (0)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED TWICE WEEKLY

While life abroad is often amazing, it is not only rainbows & butterflies - as all experienced expats very well know. From the pleasures of drinking from fresh coconuts to dealing with a personal crisis, This Expat Life opens up space for all facets of life abroad. And more importantly: what you can do to thrive in it.Certified coach, former diplomat and forever globetrotter Amanda Molenaar dives into the good, the bad & the ugly of expat life. Expect hands-on tips, deep dives, and relatable stories by fellow expats. Whether you're about to take off on your first international adventure or have been repatted already: This Expat Life is your place to find real understanding and to grow from the inside out.Find more about Amanda and her programs here: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    #98 The 3 things I say to myself to stay my course after a decision

    The Co-Pilot are now open! Join us now, our first call is on February 17th >> There’s a phase in expat life I see again and again - and I’ve lived in it myself. It’s that in-between space where you know something needs to change, but you don’t yet know what or where. So you wait. You overthink. You pause your life just a little… until weeks turn into months, and sometimes even years. Inside my world we call this the expat waiting room. And sometimes, you do get clarity and know what is the right decision for you now. But how do you stay your course when doubts come up? When others question your choices? When you are presented with other options? And how do you actually get moving to open a new door? In this solo episode of This Expat Life, I share 3 things I say to myself that have really helped me to keep my eyes on the ball, maintain my confidence, and stay in action. Sometimes you don’t need deeper insights into yourself - you need a super practical easy tool to implement what you already know. Those 3 things are that for me. And by the way, that’s also exactly what you’re getting inside The Co-Pilot: proven, powerful coaching exercises that give you deep insights about yourself and your decisions - as well as practical tools and tips to apply what you’re learning, in the context of your busy global life. I’d love to hear what resonates with you. Send me a DM on Instagram at @amandamaxime, or email me anytime at info@amandamaximecoaching.com. Links & Resources: 📸 Connect on Instagram: @amandamaxime 💌 Share your reflections: info@amandamaximecoaching.com ✈️ Join The Co-Pilot: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/the-co-pilot 🌐 Explore more: amandamaximecoaching.com

    27 min

  2. 5 FEB

    #97 Navigating expat life decisions as a couple, with Wiebke Anton

    The Co-Pilot are now open! Join us now, our first call is on February 17th >>What if you’re navigating an expat life decision… But you’re not doing that alone? (by the way, doors to The Co-Pilot are open!) In this episode of This Expat Life, I sit down with Wiebke Anton, a relationship coach who works specifically with expat couples and internationally mobile professionals. Together, we explore what really happens beneath the surface when couples are navigating moves, repatriation, career sacrifices, and the unspoken fear that one decision could change everything forever. We talk about why decision-making often feels heavier abroad, how power imbalances quietly show up in expat relationships, and why avoiding difficult conversations can slowly create distance - even when everything looks “fine” on the outside. We also dive into how perfectionism, fear of irreversibility, and the pressure to “make it work” can prevent couples from having honest, connecting conversations. If you’re in a relationship and navigating big expat life decisions - whether you’re moving together, meeting abroad, or feeling stuck between options - this episode will help you feel less alone and more empowered to talk about what truly matters. We’d love to hear what resonates for you! And want to join the workshop we are talking about in this episode? Join The Co-Pilot! Doors are now open until February 17th, when we kick off with live personalized support again. The Co-Pilot is where you leave the expat waiting room and transform your overthinking into a solid next chapter of your global life. And when you join now, you get access to the live workshop (and the replay) by Wiebke, so you can navigate your decisions alongside your partner. Board here: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/the-co-pilot Links & Resources: 📸 Connect on Instagram: @amandamaxime 💌 Share your reflections: info@amandamaximecoaching.com ✈️ Join The Co-Pilot: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/the-co-pilot 🌐 Explore more: amandamaximecoaching.com

    40 min

  3. 8 JAN

    #96 My 3 goals and a big decision for 2026!

    >The start of a new year is always very exciting to me as I set 3 big goals for the year that I can't wait to work on. But sitting here in Mexico City, beginning 2026 far away from my usual routines, I’ve been reflecting deeply on what this new chapter is asking of me - and what I’m finally ready to let go of. In this episode of This Expat Life, I share my three personal goals for 2026 and the intention behind them - not as resolutions to tick off, but as identities I’m consciously stepping into. I talk about why I choose ambitious goals that stretch me beyond what feels “realistic,” how I use goals as mirrors for who I’m becoming, and what it means to commit even when doubt is still present. I also open up about a big decision I made toward the end of last year - a decision that came after years of waiting, negotiating with myself, and hoping external circumstances would make things clearer. I share what finally helped me move from being frozen to taking responsibility for my next chapter, even without knowing exactly how it will unfold. This episode is for you if you’re entering a new year feeling both excited and unsettled… if you know something needs to change but you don’t yet have the full plan… or if you’re learning how to trust yourself enough to move before certainty arrives. Sometimes clarity doesn’t come before the decision - it comes BECAUSE you made one. If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your reflections. Send me a DM on Instagram at @amandamaxime, or email me at info@amandamaximecoaching.com. Links & Resources:  📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @amandamaxime   💌 Share your reflections with me: info@amandamaximecoaching.com  🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

    32 min

  4. 29/12/2025

    #95 Part 2 - Getting ready for the New Year - 12 questions to set yourself up for a great 2026

    The Co-Pilot are now open! Join us now, our first call is on February 17th >>How can you make this year different from the last?  I’m always incredibly intentional about how I want to start the new year, so that I can ensure my continuous growth and avoid autopilot mode. Many set new year’s resolutions, but these are designed to fail. In this episode I share 12 questions that will help you set your priorities and see how you can stay your course throughout the year. And prefer to turn your answers into concrete results? These are the last days that doors to The Space are open, your DIY solo retreat to start 2026 with clarity, direction and momentum! The Space includes the exact same tools & approaches that I use myself every December to lay down a super strong foundation for the next year. But hurry, as doors are closing and won't open until December next year! -- Prefer the 12 questions in written form? Leave your email address here and you will get them delivered to your inbox! https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/reflection-questions This episode is part 2 of a sequence. Go to episode #94 for part 1. Download the free tool The Wheel of Expat Live that I mentioned in the episode here: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/wheel-expat-life

    44 min

  5. 27/12/2025

    #94 Part 1: Getting ready for the New Year - 12 questions for expats to reflect on 2025

    The Co-Pilot are now open! Join us now, our first call is on February 17th >> Back by popular demand after I did this last year! Here are 12 reflection questions that help you make sense of your year, who you've become and what you want to bring forward (and let go of). I'm answering the same questions for myself and they are already bringing the insights 🔥 If you want to change something in your life - big or small - next year, you've got to make sure you have space for it.  Getting into the habit of regular reflection is a great way to be more intentional with your time & energy, especially if you are as future-oriented as me. It’s tempting to always look ahead to the next month, the next promotion, the next country - but there are powerful lessons in your past that can make your future even better. I'm sharing a personal intro first, then grab a notebook & pen, a cup of tea and let’s dive into it! Want the questions delivered to your inbox? Leave your email address here: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/reflection-questions Eager for more? Then you'll LOVE my DIY solo retreat package The Space, exclusively designed for expats finishing up the year and wanting to start 2026 with confidence, direction and energy. Here you won't get just insightful questions but also powerful exercises & audios to do something with your answers.  The Space is a 2-day structure and doors close in a couple of days! And stay closed until December next year. But once you're in, you keep forever access - meaning you can do your own retreat whenever, wherever, and as often as you want :) Enjoy!

    45 min

  6. 03/12/2025

    #93 2026 fresh start energy: How to create it before January arrives

    > I’ve been thinking about the way we treat January 1st as if it’s some kind of magical reset button - a clean slate, a fresh start, the moment everything finally falls into place. And I’ve definitely done that myself! But the truth is… nothing actually resets at midnight. Not your nervous system. Not your overthinking. Not the weight you’ve been carrying all year. And yet, so many of us quietly hold onto the belief that “I’ll figure it out in January.” So we postpone clarity, delay decisions, and put our dreams on hold until the calendar gives us permission. In this episode of This Expat Life, I share what this December is feeling like for me as I’m about to leave for a 3-month trip and also want to be intentional about 2026. I talk about the five small but powerful things we can begin doing now to create that grounded, spacious, fresh-start energy long before the clock hits midnight on New Year’s Eve. Because the version of you you want to become in January can only exist if you start shifting something in December! And if you would like some extra guidance or an energy boost for that, so that you can really make 2026 your year… For the first time ever, I’m sharing the exact tools that I use every year during my annual solo retreat that set me up for growth, success and fun, year after year! And you can now book your own solo retreat too. Book The Space - Cabin Edition - a complete package to have an in-depth retreat yourself, with short(!) videos, boosting exercises and powerful audios. The exact same tools I use myself. Doors close on December 31st (but you keep forever access once you're in and can do this retreat whenever you like). Enter the Cabin! https://amandamaxime.plugandpay.nl/checkout/the-space-cabin-edition

    39 min

  7. 26/11/2025

    #92 Are you living in the Expat Waiting Room?

    > Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about those chapters in life where everything looks “fine” from the outside — yet something deep inside whispers that this isn’t really your place anymore. Not because anything is dramatically wrong, but because you know you’re meant for something different… something more aligned. In this episode of This Expat Life, I dive into a concept that came up inside The Co-Pilot and instantly struck a chord: the waiting room. It’s that in-between phase where life feels like a 6/10 — functional, familiar, even comfortable — but not truly fulfilling. The kind of place you don’t choose, but somehow drift into. I share how the waiting room has shown up in my own expat journey, how easy it is to stay there longer than you intend, and the subtle ways we end up waiting for clarity, timing, or external signs before we permit ourselves to move. If you’ve ever felt like you’re hovering between chapters, knowing you want change but not knowing when or how to start, this episode will speak to you. It will help you see where you might be giving your power away — and what becomes possible once you decide you’re done waiting. I’d love to hear if this resonates. Send me a DM on Instagram at @amandamaxime, or email me at info@amandamaximecoaching.com.  And if you want to get OUT of the waiting room... Your next door to open is my signature program The Co-Pilot, starting again in early 2026. Sign up for the priority list now so you'll be the first to hear the news and an exclusive offer! Links & Resources:  📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @amandamaxime  💌 Share your reflections with me: info@amandamaximecoaching.com  🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

    27 min

  8. 18/11/2025

    #91 What to do when you’re not okay (and can’t quite explain why)

    The Co-Pilot are now open! Join us now, our first call is on February 17th >> Have you ever had one of those weeks where nothing is technically wrong… but your body, your emotions, and your brain are all just slightly out of sync? That was me last week. In this solo episode of This Expat Life, I open up about a very wobbly, very real week - one where I felt exhausted, anxious, numb, unfocused, and disconnected from myself… for no obvious reason. And as I started sharing it on Instagram, so many people said, “Oh wow, me too.” So I knew I wanted to bring this conversation here. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is pause, surrender, and give ourselves what we actually need instead of pushing harder. This conversation is especially for you if:  🌍 You’re abroad and far from the people who usually ground you  🌙 You’ve been feeling low-energy, anxious, or numb  🧠 Your mind is busy but you can’t quite pinpoint why  💛 You’re craving softness, spaciousness, and a bit of self-compassion And in this episode I share the 5 things I did last week that helped me to get back to my grounded, powerful self. I hope this episode lands softly with you — and gives you a moment to breathe, reset, and feel seen. If something resonated or you had an “oh wow, that’s me” moment, I’d love to hear from you. Send me a DM on Instagram at @amandamaxime, or email me at info@amandamaximecoaching.com. Links & Resources:  📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @amandamaxime  💌 Share your reflections with me: info@amandamaximecoaching.com  🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

    37 min
See All (102)

Trailer

About

While life abroad is often amazing, it is not only rainbows & butterflies - as all experienced expats very well know. From the pleasures of drinking from fresh coconuts to dealing with a personal crisis, This Expat Life opens up space for all facets of life abroad. And more importantly: what you can do to thrive in it.Certified coach, former diplomat and forever globetrotter Amanda Molenaar dives into the good, the bad & the ugly of expat life. Expect hands-on tips, deep dives, and relatable stories by fellow expats. Whether you're about to take off on your first international adventure or have been repatted already: This Expat Life is your place to find real understanding and to grow from the inside out.Find more about Amanda and her programs here: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com.

Information

  • Creator
    Amanda Maxime
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    102
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Amanda Molenaar
  • Show Website
    This Expat Life

You Might Also Like