Karly & Chloé

Hello friend, we’re Karly & Chloé

With over 20 years of combined expat experience in seven different countries, we are well-seasoned expat women who understand the challenges and beauty of living abroad. 


We were once struggling expats who felt isolated, lonely and misunderstood in our new life.


After years of experience, multiple expatriations and lots of trial and error, we have turned into confident, fulfilled and integrated expat women - no matter where on the globe we land.


As certified NLP and Ikigai coaches, we are passionate about sharing our learnings and giving you the tips, tools and strategies that will help you live the expat life you deserve.

We are wives, daughters, sisters, mothers (one of us to children and one a cat mom), experienced expats, accompanying spouses, lifelong learners and intrepid travelers. Our life experiences have given us multiple perspectives from which we coach our expat clients.


As expat women, we know the feelings of isolation that come with living abroad. We have felt the heaviness of recreating our life from scratch, developing our new routines, and struggling with the local language.


We have yearned for a social network and community of like-minded people to share our time with and to provide support through the challenges.


We know very well the ups and downs that come with living this different kind of life.

"Have the courage to look deeply within yourself and get comfortable there. Be curious and begin to uncover and understand the things that make you vibrate. And when you find them, enjoy them, live them, be them. Ride the glorious wave of ikigai.”

Karly & Chloé

WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU. GET IN TOUCH.

Karly

For years I was going through the motions, bouncing from one thing to the next, always finding happiness in my work and activities but fleeting satisfaction.

As a long-term ex-pat, trailing spouse, and mother of two children, I have had the privilege of traveling the world, learning new languages, and having some beautiful adventures.

But it has also meant applying for new jobs every time we moved, finding myself alone A LOT, juggling work and kids in a new country and language, and needing to find the energy to recreate my social networks repeatedly.

We moved internationally six times in 11 years, and somewhere along the way, I had lost my sense of self. I had lost my why.

The things that had grounded me in my previous life seemed like distant memories. My family and friendship circles - where I found my sense of belonging and purpose - were no longer a part of my daily life. I found it hard to engage in my hobbies due to a variety of reasons, though none valid enough to mention.

And I wasn’t carving out the time to practice self-love and self-care; a story many of us moms can relate to, ex-pats or not.

I wasn’t taking the time to do the inner work, to stop and reflect on how I was changing, to deeply consider what I wanted, and to understand who I was.

Identifying this lack of ikigai in my life was the first step to finding it.

In my personal development journey, I have my pursuit of mindfulness to help keep me grounded. My practice of yoga to bring together my body, mind, and spirit with increased awareness. And the framework and tools of ikigai to help me show up as a confident and happy expat, no matter where I land. 

I started Vibrant Ikigai because I know what it feels like to have a strong sense of ikigai in my life, and what it feels like not to. Having ikigai helps keep me honest with myself, authentic and motivated in my work and activities, and profoundly aware of where I find joy and a sense of purpose in my life.

I believe understanding, knowing, and pursuing your ikigai changes everything.

I embrace this beautiful Japanese philosophy with every breath, and I feel compelled to share it with expat women in the world, like you, so that you too can show up confidently and joyfully in your new home and life.

This is what I can help you with.

- Karly

*Karly is the Founder and Director of Vibrant Ikigai

Karly is a certified Ikigai Coach & Master NLP Life Coach. She is a trained practitioner in mindfulness and is pursuing a yoga teacher training certification as part of her own personal development. She also holds a BA in International Relations & a Master in International Development.

Certified ikigai coaches, Karly & Chloé, offer services in French and in English.
*At Vibrant, Karly works with English-speaking clients. To learn about how Karly can help you, click here.

PS: If you made it this far, send us an email at [email protected] or a DM on Instagram (@vibrantikigai_expatcoaching) and let us know what resonates with you most. We’d love to connect with you personally!

Chloé

I know that being a woman, and especially an expat woman, can sometimes be hard.

We experience pressures from the people around us and society - find the perfect job, be a perfect wife or mum, get married or have children, buy a nice house, be the best version of yourself all the time, be always more productive…These pressures are hard enough to deal with as women, so when you add in being an expat woman, it can sometimes become an insurmountable wall.


I’ve been there.


I know we can sometimes (or often) feel disconnected from who we are and what we want from our lives. I understand what it feels like to be a people-pleaser. I have spent most of my life trying to fit in, not listening to my needs, and not living true to myself.

I worked for a big corporate company for five years as a geoscientist. I loved the technical components of my work, but I hated the (non) human part of the job. I had the feeling I was just a pawn, and I was working without any real recognition, purpose or meaning.

We moved to the US as ex-pats just before the pandemic changed the world. I was without a job or any professional perspectives, living in a foreign country without my cultural bearings, my family, or my friends.

These two events made me realize several things. My career path wasn’t aligned with my values, life goals and ambitions, and I had to start listening to my needs and set personal boundaries. I needed to live my life true to myself, for me.

Changes needed to happen.

I went through a few rough months.

This period of my life pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to meet and understand who I really am. This was one of the biggest turning points in my personal and professional life.

Vibrant Ikigai was born out of this period of change and personal growth during my expatriation.

Through the authentic Japanese philosophy of ikigai, you go on a journey into yourself, to meet and understand the person you are.  This inner journey helps you discover your values, understand your strengths and appreciate what makes you vibrate in your life, helping you to regain your confidence and self-esteem.

This unique philosophy will help you to flourish in your expat life. You will make the right choices for yourself. You will be in control of your life and have the power to go in the direction you decide.

This is what ikigai and expatriation did for me. It changed how I see my life and how I live it.

I am happy and grateful to share my knowledge of the ikigai philosophy and my personal experiences as an expatriate woman to help you have the most fulfilling and happy expatriation possible.

- Chloé

*Chloé is the Co-Founder and Community Manager of Vibrant Ikigai

Chloé is a certified Ikigai Coach & Master NLP Life Coach and is in the process of obtaining her certification in Positive Psychology to add another tool to her coaching skillset. Chloé has been studying personal development for over 10 years. She also holds a Master in Geology & a Ph.D. in Geosciences.

Certified ikigai coaches, Karly & Chloé, offer services in French and in English.
*At Vibrant, Chloé works with French-speaking clients. To learn about how Chloé can help you, click here.

Karly and Chloé are two of only a few certified ikigai coaches who are trained in the unique and powerful ikigai coaching framework and methodology approved by Japan’s leading ikigai authority, Clinical Psychologist Professor Akihiro Hasegawa, and developed by Nick Kemp of Ikigai Tribe.


At Vibrant Ikigai, Karly and Chloé use the ikigai philosophy to help expat women in need of support during their expat journey, and believe the philosophy of ikigai is a game-changer for the struggling expat.


Our clients are often: newly arrived ex-pats, trailing spouses, diplomats, digital nomads, moms... 


We also work with international companies and associations looking to provide support to their expat communities and employees. If you are interested in learning more about how we can help support the expatriates in your organization, please send us an email.

WE'D LOVE TO MEET YOU. GET IN TOUCH.

In line with our core values, we are members of 1% for the Planet and give annually to environmental organizations.

Additionally, we support girl’s education, equity and empowerment. Some of the organizations we donate to each year include but are not limited to: UNICEF Equity for Girls, Malala Fund, and Girl Up.