Setting Real Expat Goals (From Someone Who's Been There)

Sunday Global Note: Week of January 5th

Happy New Year! As I sit here in Doha writing this first note of 2025, I'm thinking about where I was exactly a year ago - planning our move from London, wondering if we could really make Qatar work for our family.

Here's what I want you to know about setting expat goals: They don't have to be perfect, just practical.

Our Qatar move wasn't part of some grand five-year plan. It started with a simple goal: save enough to buy a house back in the UK. That's it. No complex spreadsheets about becoming global citizens (though that's happening naturally with the girls), no pressure to "find ourselves" abroad. Just a clear financial target that could change our family's future.

Once we had that goal, everything else became surprisingly straightforward:

• Could we do it in 6 months? Yes

• Would the schools work for the girls? We found them

• Could my business handle the time zone shift? I made it work

Here's what our actual planning looked like:

Month 1-2:

• Schools researched and applications submitted

• Honest conversations with my clients about time zones

Month 3-4:

• House packed up into storage

• School acceptances secured

• Client work restructured around new time zones

Month 5-6:

• Move completed

• Girls starting school

• Business running across time zones

Was it perfect? No. Did we hit some bumps? Absolutely. (Ask me about the time I scheduled client calls during school pickup - rookie time zone mistake!)

But here's what I've learned: Perfect expat plans don't exist. Practical ones do.

As you set your 2025 goals, ask yourself:

• What's your real motivation? (It's okay if it's financial!)

• What's your actual timeline? (6 months or 3 years - both are fine)

• What's non-negotiable? (For us, it was good schools and internet speed for work)

Your expat journey doesn't have to look like anyone else's. It just has to work for your family.

For those joining us at the Your Expat Life Summit on January 18th - I can't wait to share more detailed strategies and help you create your family's practical roadmap to living abroad.

Here's to practical plans and real progress, Sonaya

P.S. Reply and let me know your biggest expat goal for 2025. I read every response!

Your Expat Reading List

The Truth About Starting Over

[$25,000 Mistake] Don't Move Abroad Without Reading This First

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YEL Events

Join Us at the Your Expat Life Summit | January 18, 2025

I'm thrilled to be hosting this summit alongside incredible experts like Amber Aziza and Franszika Luxhøj, who'll share their insights on creating successful lives abroad.

Together, we'll show you exactly how to:

• Choose the right international schools

• Build a location-independent income

• Create community in a new country

• Give your family the global life they deserve

One day, it could change your family's future. Register now and get:

• Live expert sessions

• Real-time Q&A opportunities

• 12 months of community support

• Complete session recordings

• Comprehensive resource library

Let 2025 be the year you stop wondering "what if" and start planning "what's next."

Here's to your family's global future, Sonaya ♥️

P.S. Don't let another year pass, wondering, "What if?" Join us at the summit, and let's make 2025 the year your family's global life begins.