This Expat Life

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 [email protected].

Links & Resources:

 📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @amandamaxime 

 💌 Share your reflections with me: [email protected]

 🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

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!

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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

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!

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

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 [email protected]. 

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 June 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: [email protected]

 🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

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 [email protected].

Links & Resources:

 📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @amandamaxime

 💌 Share your reflections with me: [email protected]

 🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

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 capable of, and how open you are to connecting in new ways.

I share my personal experiences learning Dutch, English, Spanish, and Portuguese while living across different countries — and how each language unlocked a new part of me. You’ll hear about the mindset shifts that made learning easier, the moments I got it wrong (including a funny story involving Brazilian lyrics 😅), and how curiosity and connection made all the difference.

If you’ve been feeling stuck, frustrated, or disconnected because of language barriers, this episode will help you reframe that experience — and maybe even start to enjoy the process again.

Links & Resources:

 📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @amandamaxime

 💌 Share your reflections with me: [email protected]

 🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

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 eventually… peace.

In this episode, I take you behind the scenes of that decision: how it arrived, why I chose to trust it anyway, and what happened after I did. I also share how this experience completely changed my relationship with hard work, receiving, and self-trust.

If you’ve ever felt stuck between what’s working and what’s next or you sense something bigger waiting for you but don’t know how to make space for it, this one’s for you.

Links & Resources:

 📸 Connect with me on Instagram: @amandamaxime

 💌 Share your reflections with me: [email protected]

 🌐 More at: amandamaximecoaching.com

Here are all the questions I've been getting from you, plus answers:

- What is the format?

- When do we start?

- Can I do 1:1 coaching instead?

And so much more!

We have started boarding and are really taking off this Monday with our first live call. If you hurry, there's still time to join!

https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/the-co-pilot

Still doubting? There is a 60 day money return guarantee :)

Such wonderful people are joining The Co-Pilot and I CAN'T WAIT to get started. Maybe you've been thinking about joining too but you have some hesitations.

Here are the 3 most common questions (or variations of them) I get about The Co-Pilot - and what may be behind them. I answer them in this episode!

1. Is now the right time to join? I'm busy, so maybe it's better to wait till the next round? Will there be a next round?!

2. Should I invest in this (now)? In a few months I'll have more time so I can make use of The Co-Pilot more. Will the price go up? (yes)

3. My situation is so unique and specific.. Will this really work for me? Maybe I need 1:1 coaching.

And if you're ready to join The Co-Pilot, step inside the cockpit here: https://www.amandamaximecoaching.com/the-co-pilot 

Or book a 15-min call with me: https://calendly.com/amandamaxime/boarding-call