Episode Summary
What do you do when the life you built no longer fits who you are?
In this episode of Your Expat Life LIVE, host Sonaya Williams speaks with Vivian Najib, author of The Expat Diaries, about her bold decision to leave behind a legal career and the familiar rhythms of life in the U.S. to start over in Portugal.
Vivian shares what it’s really like to move abroad in your 40s, how she navigated the emotional weight of reinvention, and why she traded law books for linen bins as a professional home organizer. From visa stress to unexpected peace, this episode explores the quieter but deeply powerful side of building a new life beyond borders.
If you’ve ever asked, Is this all there is? Vivian’s story will remind you that it’s never too late to choose differently.
Guest Info
Vivian Najib is the writer behind The Expat Diaries, a Substack where she shares personal reflections on starting over, slowing down, and finding freedom in simplicity.
After a successful career in law and a life she once thought was “set,” Vivian made the bold decision to move to Portugal solo in her 40s. She now works as a professional home organizer, helping others create order and intention in their physical spaces while doing the same in her own life.
Vivian’s journey is one of quiet courage, thoughtful reinvention, and choosing herself at a time when many feel stuck. Through her writing and work, she shows that it’s never too late to create a life that feels like home.
Episode Outline
00:00 – Welcome + Why These Stories Matter
Sonaya opens the show
How The Expat Diaries and Your Expat Life intersect
Preview of today’s conversation with Vivian
4:10 – From Multicultural Roots to Expat Life
How growing up between cultures made global living feel normal
Her first move abroad after college
10:40 – The Moves Keep Coming
How one international opportunity led to another
The mindset of saying “yes” before you feel 100% ready
Choosing the U.S. to be closer to family—and why it didn’t feel like home
19:15 – Parenting Abroad
Sonaya Shares about Raising a family in the Middle East and Europe
Sonaya talks about how her kids adapted to new cultures and schools
The challenge of building community over and over again
28:20 – Identity, Belonging, and the Pressure to “Settle Down”
Why being an expat can feel like an in-between life
Letting go of the idea that success means permanence
“We may not be in one place forever but building something solid.”
36:00 – Financial Planning + Long-Term Decisions
Budgeting for moves, schools, and relocation costs
The importance of flexibility and planning
Why being proactive not reactive matters abroad
41:50 – The Expat Diaries: Writing as Reflection and Connection
How Vivian’s Substack began as a personal outlet
What she’s learned from sharing stories publicly
The surprising DMs from people walking the same path
49:00 – Final Thoughts: It’s OK If It Doesn’t Make Sense to Everyone Else
Embracing a nonlinear path
Advice for families considering their first move
Why “home” is about values, not geography
Follow Vivian
The Expat Diaries – theexpatdiaries.substack.com
