Let me ask you something. Have you ever tried to grow a plant in the wrong kind of soil? No matter how much you water it, no matter how much sunlight it gets, it just… doesn’t thrive. Now imagine the plant is you—an expat, a trailing partner, trying to find your roots in foreign soil. Sound familiar?
Today we’re talking about why growth feels so uncomfortable, especially for expat women. If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you’re no stranger to the emotional rollercoaster of life abroad—loneliness, guilt, shame, and maybe even the nagging feeling that you’re just… not enough.
But here’s the thing: Growth hurts. And that’s a good thing.
Let’s start with the reality check.
You’ve followed your partner abroad, and while they’ve got their work, their structure, and their people, you’ve been left trying to make sense of a new life. It’s isolating. You sit in a café, surrounded by the hum of a language you barely understand, and it feels like the world is moving without you. You look at the other women—chattering effortlessly, smiling, belonging—and you wonder, “What’s wrong with me?”