Moving to a new country can be an exciting adventure, offering the promise of new experiences and opportunities. However, along with the excitement comes unique challenges, particularly for expat partners who often find themselves navigating unfamiliar territory personally and professionally. In a recent conversation, we delved into the three “I’s” that shape the expat experience: Identity, Isolation, and Influence. Identity: One of the fundamental challenges expat partners face is maintaining a sense of identity in a new environment. The familiar roles and routines they once had may no longer apply, leading to feelings of disorientation and loss. As one participant highlighted, the influence they once held may diminish as they adapt to their new surroundings. However, finding ways to redefine […]

Moving to a new country can be an exhilarating adventure, but it comes with its fair share of challenges. As an expat, you may navigate unfamiliar environments, deal with language barriers, and cope with homesickness. Amid all these changes, it’s easy to neglect your mental well-being. That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive guide to help expats prioritize self-care and maintain their mental health while living abroad. This guide covers everything from practical tips on finding local support systems to strategies for managing stress and anxiety. Whether you’re a seasoned expat or just starting your journey, we believe that taking care of your mental well-being is essential for a fulfilling and successful expat experience. So, grab a cup of tea and […]

“Lifestyle Expats,” as I tend to call you, are an essential factor in today’s global landscape, and the evidence suggests that the phenomenon is on the rise. Despite a polarized worldview and political efforts to curb immigration while protecting local labor markets, highly-skilled professionals and subject matter experts are now able to access a global job market, particularly visible in “Expat Hubs” such as Amsterdam, Berlin, Dubai, Singapore, and Zurich (A to Z, there are more obviously…) Global Mobility Managers are increasingly involved in recruiting international talent. This makes a lot of sense when you consider that they have the knowledge and skills to address most of the challenges posed by hiring people from other countries. However, since we are […]

Did you have another day where you cleaned up your desk, wondered what you had achieved today, and got home to a stack of dishes, a pile of clothes, and a crying son? Did you spend last night driving your daughter to SCUBA class, squeeze in a conference call, and forget that it was your mother’s birthday? Did you then, at 11 pm, sit down thinking, “Why am I not moving on with my life?” Often, we think we are too busy to do the right thing—the book we want to draft, the Ph.D. we want to start, the Master’s thesis we want to finish. We keep putting the start off until we “are ready.” “We do not do what […]

When you feel like you need to increase your Executive Presence, you can learn these five basic methods I teach in my coaching practice. Executive presence is often described as an elusive “it factor,” but strip away the corporate buzzwords, and it comes down to a simple truth: Executive presence isn’t how you see yourself—it’s the unspoken signals you send that make others think, “This person has got this.” When people say someone has executive presence, they aren’t reading your résumé in real time. They are reacting to your composure, your posture, and your focus. They see calm in the storm, clear communication, and someone who owns their space. But let’s be honest: Many of you don’t seem to be […]