This Expat Life

Amanda Maxime

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. 27-12-2025

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

    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!

    44 min
  2. 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

    38 min
  3. 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

    26 min
  4. 18-11-2025

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

    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

    36 min

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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.

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