Join me for my chat with Andrea, who shares her inspiring journey from the Philippines to New Zealand.
Andrea Halal is a marketing leader, storyteller, and founder of Big Leap Energy, a platform that empowers women to show up bigger, bolder, and braver in their personal and professional lives.
Originally from the Philippines and now based in New Zealand, Andrea took her career to new heights through personal branding and community, embodying her belief that confidence creates opportunity.
As Marketing Head at Ideqa and community builder at The Marketing Club and Auckland Expat Girlies, Andrea helps others embody authenticity, courage, and clarity, all of which are the essence of Big Leap Energy.
Andrea opens up about what it really takes to trust yourself, take big leaps of faith, and face the emotional ups and downs that come with starting over in a new country. She talks about the power of preparation, networking, and having a supportive family during major transitions abroad.
We also dive into the realities of navigating microaggressions, building resilience, and creating a new sense of home and belonging from the ground up.
Tune in to learn:
✨Connect with Andrea:
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreahalal/
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jheanandrea/
→ Substack: https://bigleapenergy.substack.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=online&utm_campaign=ybla
✨ Connect with Mary Martha:
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarthakipcak/
→ Book a free 1:1 Chat: https://calendly.com/coachwithmm/30min
In this episode of Your Best Life Abroad, I sit down with Megan, an international career coach, to talk about what it really takes to build a global career without losing sight of yourself along the way.
Megan shares her journey of working across 10 countries (yes—10!), and what she’s learned about the power of networking, staying persistent, and crafting a clear story around your career.
We also get into the real stuff—like the myths of remote work, how to handle challenges when the path abroad doesn’t go as planned, and why being present and flexible can make all the difference when you’re creating a life and career you love abroad.
✨ Connect with Mary Martha:
→ LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarthakipcak/
→ Book a free call:
https://calendly.com/coachwithmm/30min
✨ Connect with Megan:
→ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/megancassel
→ Free resource "How to move abroad without starting over": https://subscribepage.io/DmKhKn
→ Book a free 1:1 chat with Megan: www.calendly.com/megancassel
In this episode, I sit down with Vivian from FTB Home, a professional home organizer, to talk about the deep connection between home organization, personal identity, and life transitions.
Vivian shares how creating a living space that truly reflects your desired lifestyle can make all the difference—especially during big life changes like moving abroad. We dive into the emotional side of decluttering, the importance of letting go of belongings, and how to start defining a vision for your next chapter.
Vivian also shares some really practical tips—like her “five-second rule” for making quick, confident decisions when organizing or deciding what to keep.
Together, we explore:
✨ The emotional and practical sides of moving abroad
✨ What it means to let go of the past and create space for the future
✨ The challenges of downsizing and the emotional weight our belongings can hold
✨ The power of digitizing memories
✨ How to make thoughtful furniture decisions that align with your best life abroad
✨ Get in touch with Vivian on LinkedIn:
→ LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-najib/
✨ Resources & Connect
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarthakipcak/
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachwithmm/
💻 Curious about coaching with me? Book a free consult call!:
https://marymarthacoach.com/booking
Learn more about 1:1 coaching:
https://marymarthacoach.com/sales
Anyone who's ever felt alone in a sea of people knows:
Making friends abroad doesn't always fix loneliness.
In this episode, I dive into my take on why making friends doesn't always fix the loneliness you may feel in your life abroad. I share my story of being so busy with what felt like a thriving social life that I didn't make time to connect to myself - and what I did to reconnect with myself and stopped feeling lonely.
✨ Resources & Connect
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarthakipcak/
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachwithmm/
💻 Curious about coaching with me? Book a free consult call!:
https://marymarthacoach.com/booking
Learn more about 1:1 coaching:
https://marymarthacoach.com/sales
Tune in to learn 3 of my go-to micro mindset shifts to make the challening parts of expat life a bit lighter.
& Stay until the end to hear a special bonus one!
✨ Resources & Connect
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarthakipcak/
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachwithmm/
💻 Curious about coaching with me? Book a free consult call!:
https://marymarthacoach.com/booking
Learn more about 1:1 coaching:
https://marymarthacoach.com/sales
In this episode, I explore the emotional and practical challenges of feeling torn between two places, drawing from my personal experiences of living in Chile and Spain.
I share insights on how to navigate the 'should I stay or should I go' dilemma, emphasizing the importance of aligning decisions with personal values and life goals.
✨ Resources & Connect
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarthakipcak/
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachwithmm/
💻 Curious about coaching with me? Book a free consult call!:
https://marymarthacoach.com/booking
Tune in to learn the one thing you need to move & thrive abroad. That no one is really talking about - but they totally should be!
✨ Resources & Connect
→ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marymarthakipcak/
→ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachwithmm/
💻 Curious about coaching with me? Book a free consult call!:
https://marymarthacoach.com/booking
Dealing with friends & family not supporting your move abroad?
Then you can't miss Episode #31: The move abroad advice I'd give you if I weren't afraid of hurting your feelings
The move abroad advice I'd give you if I weren't afraid of hurting your feelings.
In this epsiode I talk about:
✨ Resources & Connect
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
Tune in to learn the one step that you can't skip if you want to move abroad!
(That's not another move abroad checklist).
✨ Resources & Connect
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
Today I’m breaking down 8 questions to ask yourself before choosing your new country.
This episode is for the person wanting to turn their dream of moving abroad into a reality to current expats planning their next move.
These questions will help provide you clarity on what countries are for you, & which ones aren’t.
So that by the end of answering these 8 questions you’ll end with a narrowed list of countries that could work for you so you can start taking the steps to make your move a reality! Yay!
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
Have you ever found yourself wondering "Is it me or is it the country?"
Everything about the country you’re living in “doesn’t work”
You find yourself saying things like “In my country x works better, we do it this way” or thinking “ugh if only the food were different, the people were different, the social culture was different” etc etc etc.
This episode is for you if you’ve ever been in a major rut living abroad - and finally want to get out of it!
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
After 9 years overseas and working as a certified life coach for expats, I've learned that good mental health abroad isn't about having it all figured out or forcing gratitude for your "dream life."
It's about having simple, reliable habits that keep you grounded when everything else feels uncertain.
Tune in to learn my 6 simple mental health habits that I keep going back to:
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
Living abroad isn’t always the dreamy highlight reel we see on Social Media (and that doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong)!
In this episode, I’m sharing 5 simple but powerful mindset shifts that have helped me feel more grounded through the uncertainty, identity shifts, and messy growth living abroad brings. These are the reminders I come back to whenever I’m feeling lost, stuck, or like I should “have it all figured out by now.”
Whether you’re in your first year abroad or your ninth (like me!), this episode is your reminder to meet yourself where you are - and to know you’re not alone.
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
You have your go-to coffee shop, you know how to navigate the public transportation system & they know you at the grocery store.
But something still feels off?...
Maybe, you’ve stopped sharing the hard parts with your friends & family back home. Maybe you’re afraid of looking like you’re complaining all the time, failing at living abroad or not thriving abroad.
Whatever the reason it is - there are some clear signs that you need more support as an expat to thrive abroad.
Tune in to learn the 5 warning signs that you need support as an expat - so you can finally start thriving (instead of surviving) abroad!
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
If you've ever thought "I'm an experienced expat, this next move should be easy" or you're beating yourself up for struggling when you feel like you "should know better," this one's for you. We're getting real about why experience doesn't always equal easy, and why that's totally okay.
I talk about:
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
Birthday's can bring up a lot of emotions. Especially when you're navigating the external challenges of living abroad.
In today's episode, I dive into the 10 questions I asked myself to turn around age anxiety abroad (hello 34!) & welcome this new year with a fresh perspective.
I talk about:
Redefining what "enough" feels like to me in this current season of life
Where in my life am I avoiding what's uncomfortable
Reflecting on the people in my life who bring out the best in me
Giving myself the kind of support I need right now - without holding back
What it means to "belong" to myself & creating belonging wherever I go
& lots more!
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
Let's get real for a sec. How do you feel about personal branding on LinkedIn?...
If growing your network, while creating a personal brand that's all you is something you want (but the idea of actually doing it feels too cringe) - then this episode is for you!
In today's episode, I'm joined by Juvi Rivera, B2B Marketer & Expat to dive deeper into what really goes into building a future-proof career abroad.
We talk about:
& lots more!
✨ Connect with Juvi:
→ Instagram: @juvi.eslie
→ LinkedIn: Juviand Rivera
→ Substack: Another Broad Abroad Newsletter
→ Check out Juvi’s guide to making LinkedIn work for your global career as an expat!
✨ Connect with Mary Martha:
→ Instagram: @coachwithmm
→ LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
→ Grab your free journal download!
As I'm preparing to make another move abroad... I've been thinking about all the things I wish I would’ve known before moving abroad.
Tune in to learn the 7 things I wish I would've known before moving abroad, so I would've been not just prepared practically but also emotionally & mentally.
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on → Instagram: @coachwithmm → LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call!
Tune in to learn my feelings on reverse culture shock, being the long-distance daughter/sister, going through different phases of life abroad (aka being a “real adult now”), & realizing that I never want to move back to the U.S.
✨ Resources & Connect
📓 Grab your free journal download: grab it here
🤝 Let’s connect on → Instagram: @coachwithmm → LinkedIn: Mary Martha Kipcak
💻 Ready for deeper support? Learn more about 1:1 coaching or book a free consult call! Missed last week's episode? Listen here!:
I talk about the messy middle, the grey area of expat life a lot. So when I jumped on to record this episode's podcast feeling more blocked than ever — I knew I had to share how I'm navigating my own messy middle in my expat life with you.
While I'm in the thick of it — not when I'm "safely on the other side". 💙
Tune in to hear my raw & unscripted share of how I'm embracing my own messy middle in my expat life. 👀
✨ Download My Free Journal Reflect gently and honestly with my free guided journal download.
📱 Let’s Connect Come say hi or share your messy middle moment with me on Instagram or LinkedIn!
💬 1:1 Coaching Support Ready to feel grounded and supported in your own transition? Learn more about working with me one-on-one here.
