Still in the Process? That’s the Perfect Time to Share.
Week of June 22nd.
✉️ A Personal Note
I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of sharing your story while you’re still in it.
We often wait until we’re on the other side—of the move, of the decision, of the fear—before we speak up. But your story, right now, in the middle of the figuring-it-out stage, has value.
Especially to someone just a few steps behind you.
Whether you’ve already made the leap abroad or you’re still mapping the path—this space was built for you.
What’s one thing you’re currently researching, planning, or dreaming about when it comes to living abroad?
Leave a comment and share where you are in the journey. You never know who you might encourage by speaking up.
This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of sharing your story while you’re still in it.
Imagine this: you’re in the thick of planning a move to Mexico or Spain with your family. You’re sorting through visa requirements, school options, and trying to figure out where you’ll live. And then—you connect with a family who moved there just three months ago.
Suddenly, everything feels a little easier.
They’ve already been through what you’re navigating now. They know which neighborhoods are walkable, which schools are welcoming, where to get SIM cards on day one, and how long the residency paperwork actually takes. That kind of support can turn stress into clarity.
“Still in the journey—and that’s when connection matters most.”
We don’t have to wait until we’ve figured it all out to be helpful. In fact, when we share our story mid-journey, we open doors for someone else to walk through a little more confidently.
Whether you’ve already made the leap abroad or you’re still mapping the path—this space was built for you.
What’s one thing you’re currently researching, planning, or dreaming about when it comes to living abroad?
Leave a comment and share where you are in the journey. You never know who you might encourage by speaking up.
🎙️ Be a Guest on Your Expat Life Podcast
We’re officially booking guests!
Whether you’ve already moved abroad or you’re just starting to explore the possibility, we want to hear your story.
We’re talking to families, couples, and solo adventurers who are either living abroad or in the middle of planning their big move.
👉 Click here to share your story and be a guest
📺 New on YouTube
Build a Life & Business That Works—Wherever You Are
The Your Expat Life YouTube channel has officially relaunched! Every week, we’re sharing:
New podcast episodes
Tools for living and working globally
Stories from real families doing it their way
🎥 Subscribe to the channel here
🔗 What We Talked About This Week
On Freedom, Fear, and the Choice to Leave
A personal story on the real cost of staying stuck—and the moment I decided to choose safety and sovereignty.
Safety Abroad: What I Believed vs. What I Learned Raising Kids Overseas
What if the comfort of “home” is the very thing holding you back from something better?
An honest look at how my ideas about safety shifted once I moved my family abroad.
🎥 TikTok: Real Talk on Black Families & Safety
“Black families are not safe in America, and I needed to make a choice.”
💼 From The CEO Partner: The Hidden Cost of Scaling Without Systems
Thinking of building a business that lets you work from anywhere? Here’s where to start.
💼 Want to Work From Anywhere?
If your goal is to take your business global—or just make it more flexible—The CEO Partner can help.
We help women systematize, simplify, and scale without burning out. So your business supports the life you want abroad.
👉 Explore Notes from The CEO Partner
P.S. I really do want to hear from you. Leave a comment and tell me:
What’s one thing you’re currently researching, planning, or dreaming about when it comes to living abroad?
Let’s build this global life—together.
I want to live abroad when I retire and I want to take a sabbatical this year. I turn 55 in August. I'm married and my husband wants to work 10 more years at his state job. I have been working on my move since I got back from Egypt in 2022. My original departure date was 60. But after the election, I really want to move sooner or have residency in a second country right away. My plan has changed several times. I was considering Peace Corps when I turned 55. But, I don't want to deal with anything that is dependent on the US State Department. Then, I started taking a TEFL course and now I am certified to teach English as a Foreign Language. My next plan is to teaching English overseas and online. Along the way of finding that class, I learned about Spanish language ambassadors (NALCAP) and now I plan to do that in the fall of 2025 (this year). My current job allows for several options to take a leave, FMLA, Short-term disability, LTD and even a 12 month unpaid leave. Back in 2024, I was planning to take a month leave to take my TEFL course in January 2025 in Costa Rica for 4 weeks but my supervisor denied my request.
Now, I'm actually glad she did because now I know to go the paid route and use HR and my therapist to obtain my paid sabbatical. Live and learn. I would love to country date until I can collect social security (at 62) and retire outside of the USA, I'm considering several countries, Mexico, Panama, Belize, Uruguay, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Thailand. (I probably missed a couple of countries that I am considering.)
I feel like I am behind schedule because I don't have enough money in my 401(k) to tell my job to kick rocks and I still have some credit card debt but I am not letting debt stop me. Debt is just a situation that I am managing. I'm tired of being a wage slave for capitalism. I was exploring using the Rule of 55 (or 72t) to get access to my 401k without penalty but the math wasn't mathing. I'm just trying to stay on track even though I feel like I'm doing this without my husband's support.
My husband and I definitely want to live aboard for a few years. The issue is looking at more options. I think a retirement visa would be good to start and move for a few year but my spouse doesn't want to that. It's the mindset of continuing to work when we can afford to take a break. I hope that makes sense.