The Expander Effect – Surrounding Yourself with What’s Possible

Have you ever noticed how being around certain people makes you feel bigger, bolder, and braver, like suddenly things seem more possible for you, too? That’s the Expander Effect. I’m like you I’ve never heard of this until recently.

In simple terms, it’s when you surround yourself with people who live freely, authentically, and unapologetically, it shifts something inside of you. You begin to see not just who they are, but who you could be. I’ve been experiencing this through my content creation journey. I see people who’s just as regular as me that I admire and it definitely shifted something inside of me.

And living abroad has a way of putting you right in the middle of this transformation.

Why Living Abroad Creates Expanders

When you live in places like the U.S., life can start to feel scripted. Everyone is playing by the same unspoken rules:

• Work the 9–5 grind

• Buy the house, the car, the stuff

• Save your dreams for “someday”

But when you step outside that system, you meet people who live completely differently. Digital nomads, expats, entrepreneurs, artists, families who moved for freedom, not just for survival. These people become “expanders”, real-life examples of what’s possible beyond the age old script.

I remember meeting a woman running her online business from a café here in the Dominican Republic. She was earning enough to live comfortably while working 20 hours a week. Just seeing her lifestyle proves to me that what once felt impossible is actually normal for someone else.

That’s the expander effect in action.

How Expanders Shift Your Mindset

Being around people who break the rules you thought were unbreakable has a ripple effect:

1. They normalize freedom. What used to feel like a wild dream (like working remotely or living in another country) starts to feel achievable. I use to feel like this. I didn’t think it was possible, now I think just the opposite.

2. They stretch your imagination. You realize there are 100 ways to live a life not just the one you were taught. Being an entrepreneur and living in this space for the last 4 years, I’ve realized there are so many ways to make money other than working a dead end 9 to 5.

3. They inspire action. Instead of asking, “Can I really do this?” you start asking, “If they can, why not me?” I’ve always had this mindset.

It’s not about you copying other people’s lives and more about using their example to expand your own sense of possibility.

Real-Life Scenarios

• You befriend a couple who kids take classes online all while traveling through around the world. Suddenly, you see a new model of family life that’s not tied to one location.

• You share a cigar with an expat software developer who left the corporate world and now earns a living building and maintaining websites for businesses and it’s all done remotely. You realize creativity doesn’t have to be a side hobby.

• You meet retirees who live abroad on half their old budget, yet enjoy twice the quality of life. You see that wealth isn’t only about income it’s about geography and perspective.

Each encounter rewrites your definition of what’s possible. Listen, I’ve seen each one of these scenarios and many more.

How to Use the Expander Effect

1. Seek out community. Join expat groups, co-working spaces, or local events where you can meet people living in ways that inspire you.

2. Stay open. Instead of comparing or judging, ask: What can I learn from this person’s story?

3. Build your own vision. Use what you’ve witnessed as fuel, but tailor it to your own values, goals, and dreams.

4. Pay it forward. As you grow, you’ll become an expander for someone else who’s just starting their journey.

Final Thought

When you live abroad, you’re not just changing your address, you’re changing your circle. And that circle expands your mindset in ways that can transform your entire life. And its happening to me currently as I type this article.

The Expander Effect is proof that you don’t need to figure it all out alone (which was once my thinking). Sometimes, all it takes is seeing someone else live freely to realize that you can, too.

So if you’ve been craving more creativity, authenticity, and freedom, just look around. Your expanders are waiting.

Until then,
🌴 Live Your Best Life
Jay