Recovering from expat burnout: How to rebuild your resilience 

You can’t take a vacation from expat burnout. You live here. The cultural pressures, the visa anxiety, and the social isolation won’t just disappear if you take a week off. 

True recovery isn’t about resting; it’s about rebuilding. It’s about “meeting yourself again” and creating a new, sustainable strategy for your life in the Netherlands. This is how you move from just surviving to actually thriving. 

1. Stop “Adapting” and Start “Integrating.” “Adapting” is about fitting in; it’s a one-way street where you do all the work. “Integrating” is about belonging as your authentic self. This means setting boundaries. It’s okay not to go to every borrel. It’s okay to admit you’re tired of speaking Dutch. Integrating means you build a life that works for you, not one that just looks right. 
2. Build a “Stability Plan.” The visa anxiety is real. You can’t eliminate it, but you can manage it. A coach can help you take control of the “controllables.” This means: clarifying your legal status, building an “emergency fund,” and always keeping your CV and network “warm.” This proactive plan quiets the “what if” panic. 
3. Find Your Real Support System. Social isolation is gasoline on the fire of burnout. You must create a new “chosen family.” A coach is often the first confidential person you can talk to, but the goal is to build a community—a mix of locals who can “decode” the culture and other expats who just “get it.” 
4. Reconnect with Your “Why.” Your original “why” for moving here (the exciting job, the adventure) is being drowned out by the daily stress. You must find it again, or create a new one. What do you value, right now? Is it learning? Connection? Stability? Your recovery will be built on these personal values, not on the pressure to “live the dream.” 

Grow the skills, gain the trust. 

You’ve seen how to build a recovery plan. But this strategy requires you to set boundaries, be vulnerable, and challenge your own “must be perfect” mindset. 

• Is it hard to set boundaries when you’re worried about your job security? 
• Are you struggling to find your “why” when you just feel numb? 
• Does building a new support system feel like just one more exhausting task? 

This is the final piece of the puzzle. You are a highly-skilled professional. You just need a sparring partner to help you trust in yourself again. 

A Gort coach for expats is your mirror. We help you find your authentic voice, build a practical plan for stability, and reconnect with your core values. 

Coachable is the new confident—and leading your own life back to health is the most important role of all. Plan your free, no-obligation orientation call today.