This Expat Life

At the halfway point of the year, I opened my journal, looked back at the 3 big goals I'd set in January, and asked myself one simple question: Am I becoming the person I wanted to become? In this episode, I'm taking you behind the scenes of my first six months of 2026. I'm sharing where I've made progress, where I've fallen short, and the unexpected wins that I wasn’t seeing yet back in January (...

Laura had been living in Berlin for more than nine years, but after returning from a three-month sabbatical, she realized she couldn't ignore the feeling anymore. She was deeply unhappy in her corporate job and knew she wanted to move back to the UK - but instead of taking action, she found herself stuck in a cycle of overthinking, overworking, and waiting for life to change. For two years, she po...

What is the most expensive mistake I see high-functioning expats make? Live from Florida, I will share my perspective.

Soraya - a Belgian coach living in Spain - rated her life abroad as a 7 out of 10, but still felt stuck. So stuck that she felt like living in a waiting room. She knew Spain wasn’t here long-term place - but where was her place? Months passed and she wasn’t investing in her home, relationships and more. Till she realized no one was coming to change it for her, and decided to get into action. Fast...

Have you ever felt stuck at a crossroads, unable to make a decision no matter how much you think about it? In this episode of This Expat Life, I explore something I see over and over again with expats and globally mobile professionals: the hidden autopilots that quietly influence our decisions. What if the reason you're struggling to move forward isn't because you need more information - but becau...

A few years ago, Martina and I met when she joined one of my coaching programs. At the time, she was deep in a burnout. After years of working in the humanitarian sector across the Middle East, South America, Eastern Europe, and Africa, her body had finally forced her to stop. What struck me most about Martina wasn't just her impressive international career, but her willingness to honestly look at...

From being a desert girl in Sedona, Arizona to now a single mom by choice of two back in Amsterdam, with a stop in NYC in between: in this episode I catch up with Charlotte van ‘t Wout. Charlotte (also known as Celine Charlotte on Instagram) is a multiple 7-figure entrepreneur and has lived a global life. She was one of the first guests on the show (her saying yes to my pitch actually was the kick...

How do you know when to say yes to a big investment, scary step or invitation? I was in California when I got a text at 3AM from a friend: he needed to make a decision around a financial investment - could I advise him? Coincidentally, that day I too had to make a decision about a big investment. If both he and I were going through the same thing, I’m sure others are too. And because I have my way...

Wow, I absolutely loved this interview. I met Rianne at my business conference in April last month where she delivered a talk on how you can use two Dutch words to amplify your most authentic self the next time you need to perform. And she blew us away. So I knew I had to get her on the show. Because if you live abroad in a context that’s requiring you to adjust or in a global life that’s constant...

What’s the ONE quality high-achieving expats have in common? As a coach having worked with 240+ expats personally (aside from my DIY courses), I see this one quality again and again. And… I also see where it’s becoming a trap. In this episode I share what I see and how it’s holding you back, plus my own experiences of when you can soften the quality-turned-trap. I’d love to hear if it resonates!

A question came in from someone inside The Co-Pilot recently for our hot seat coaching call - and the moment I read it, I knew it needed its own episode. Because I've been there myself, more than once, and I have a feeling at least one of you listening right now will recognize yourself in it too. My coachee had just joined the program ready for the next chapter. There was momentum, clarity, energy...

Most expats focus on the decision or crossroads that’s in front of them: should I stay or should I go, apply for a new role, relocate, or go for my big scary goal? And it makes sense that most of your attention goes here, but… what few people don’t look at beforehand is who you need to be to carry that decision. If you want to start a next chapter, you need to expand, too, for the decision to be t...

In this episode, I’m answering a question I recently received while I was in Mexico City: how do you not feel lonely when you arrive somewhere new on your own? It’s such a real question - and if you’ve ever moved abroad, even temporarily, you’ve probably felt this too. I’ve experienced this many times myself, arriving in a new city without knowing anyone. And while I genuinely enjoy my own company...

And then you’ve reached episode 100, wow! To celebrate this special episode, for the first time ever, I’m the one being interviewed on my own podcast 👀 Tune in to hear how my dear friend Coco Hofs (one of the very first guests on the show) interviews me and asks me some deep questions that really made me think - I had told her that nothing was off topic. In this episode you’ll get honest reflecti...

There’s something about when a decision has actually been made. Not just knowing what you want… But actually committing to it and taking the first steps. The weight that will be lifted is huge! In this episode of This Expat Life, I share what it felt like to return to The Hague knowing I’m closing this chapter and starting a new one soon - and how different everything feels when you’re no longer s...

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...

What if you’re navigating an expat life decision… But you’re not doing that alone? 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...

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 inte...

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 pr...

Doors to The Co-Pilot are open NOW! Until this Tuesday only. This is the only room built for high-functioning expats at crossroads. If you're ready to stop being a passenger in your own life, this is your moment to finally take the driver's seat. I'm closing doors for the rest of the summer and this price won't come back.  Sign up now and get started today! https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/the...

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 hol...

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...

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...

Have you ever felt like language is the one thing standing between you and truly belonging abroad? In this episode, I dive into a question from a listener about how to overcome language obstacles — not from a technical perspective, but from the inside out. Because learning a new language isn’t just about memorizing words or grammar rules. It’s about how you see yourself, what you believe you’re ca...

This week, I’m sharing a very personal story - one that honestly still feels a little raw. Out of nowhere, during an ordinary bike ride home, I got the clearest intuitive nudge: “Pause one-on-one coaching.” There was no plan, no logic, no strategy behind it - just a deep knowing that it was time to let go of something that had brought me so much success. What followed was fear, tears, doubt, and e...