Here’s how you can learn more about our private NZ Ahead community and join us: www.nzahead.com/free
Welcome to 2026! If this episode doesn’t inspire you to say “enough is enough” and make your dream of moving to New Zealand a reality, we don’t know what will.
Two questions for you:
How long have you been dreaming of moving to New Zealand?
How long do you intend to keep “dreaming” about moving to New Zealand?
If this episode doesn’t inspire you to make 2026 the year you put yourself first and move your NZ status from dream to reality, then we don’t know what will!
Happy New Year, lovely people, see you on the other side!
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These are some of the lovely families who we have helped move to New Zealand from all over the world…Scotland, Belgium, USA… They all met via the private NZ Ahead Slack group, and now they are here! Sharing Christmas Day together!
The Power of Watching Dreams Become Reality
Liz: We host these podcasts once a year at the beginning of the year to inspire you to ask: Will 2026 be the year that you make your dream of moving to New Zealand a reality?
I know because we did a live Zoom last year, and there were four or five families or partners all moving over around the same time in early January, wasn’t it?
Around the 15th to the 24th because everyone was desperate to get here for the new academic year or because jobs were starting then. It just proves the point that people are doing this and making their dreams come true.
We did one last year that was similar, and this will be different but… we’re a year older, Bri. We’re a year wiser.
Brian: That’s what I was going to say. Like, what have you done in a year that’s different?
Liz: You know, January comes around, and you’re like, “Still doing the same thing. Still on the treadmill.” I’ve not been able to jump off it and move forward.
That’s what we wanted to talk about: having those feelings of, “When am I going to do this? When am I going to change what we’re doing?” and having that dream of wanting to move to New Zealand.
Brian: And is 2026 going to be that year?
Our Privilege: Guiding Your New Zealand Journey
Liz: You know, we are in such a privileged position.
We’ve got the best job in the world because we run our private community of people moving to New Zealand. And by doing so, we get to sit back and listen and watch and observe people making their dream come true.
Can you imagine how that feels?
To be able to see people right at the beginning of their journey… they come and they join our community and they reach out. I love it so much because they are always, without exception, at that stage where they say, “I really want to, but I don’t know if I’m going to be able to.”
Brian: Yeah. And 99.9% of the people that come to our community come to New Zealand, arrive, and go, “Oh my god, I’m here. We made it happen.”
The “While You Wait” Journey
Liz: You know, we’ve got this channel called “While You Wait” on the Slack community, and people put in there what they’re doing. “Oh, this week I’m applying for my work visa.” “Oh, this week I’m applying for a job.” And then you see it happening. “I got a job offer.” “We got a great Airbnb.” “We’ve shipped the dogs over.” “I’m here!”
It makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck. It’s watching people make their dreams happen.
Brian: It is. And you see the amount of energy that people are putting into it. But they get something back out of it, which is the great side of it. You think, “Oh my goodness, I remember that family starting out,” and before you know it, 18 months later, it’s all fallen into place.
It Doesn’t Just “Fall Into Place” – You Build It
Liz: And it doesn’t just fall into place. No, it certainly doesn’t. It has to be put into place. And that’s what we want to talk to you about.
Later on, I’ll share a story about a particular couple I’ve been in awe of. But this is about that moment when you say, “Right, enough is enough. I’ve been dreaming about this too long.”
We’re talking from experience here. This is exactly how we felt.
There’s a cut-off point, and the new year always tends to be that. There’s a thing that goes off in your head that says, “Right, this time next year, I’m not going to be sitting here one year older thinking, ‘I wonder what it would have been like if we’d really made the effort.'”
Brian: Yeah. And that’s the pain. This time of year is for reflection. Sometimes it’s painful to look and think, “Oh, I’m still in the same position.” It’s about how painful it is to think about it, versus actually doing it. The pain you go through to do it is less than the pain of thinking about it again and again.
Make Room on Your Plate
Brian: And the way I’ve always looked at it, being a tradie for many years, is you can only do so much. You have to imagine your plate is full. There’s no more room. So you think, “How am I going to do these extra things?”
You need to take something off the plate so you can put something else on. You have to reassess your life. “What am I actually doing? I haven’t got any more hours in the day.” It’s something very simple. You get up, it’s a rush, you go to work, you come home, and the day’s over.
You’ve got to stop and think: What am I doing in my break times? In my lunchtimes? Am I just scrolling? Could I be doing something more positive? You have to put something down. Whether it’s the phone and you get the computer out and say, “Right, how do I get my documents?”
You make that first step. Just one little thing. But you have to put something to the side.
Our Story: We Had Every Excuse Too
Liz: I think as well, we tend to say, “Oh, but when we moved to New Zealand, we had two small kids. We were both self-employed.
We had a house with a mortgage up to our eyes, a massive garden, family living around us…” And like you say, you tend to think, “I’ll do it next year when I’m not so stressed, or when the kids have started school, or when we’ve paid off more of the mortgage.”
And it never comes. Unless you remove something and say, “Okay, we won’t let that certain thing consume us so much. We’re going to replace it with looking forward to our dreams.”
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
Liz: And I loved what you said: the pain of it not happening is actually far, far worse than the pain of telling your parents you’re moving, or selling your house, or applying for a job in New Zealand.
Moving to New Zealand is not easy. If it was, everyone would do it. I think the harder the things you want to do are, the ones you need to do. When something is hard, it’s almost a sign you have to get through it.
Brian: Or just shut up about it. Stop thinking about it altogether. Do something else.
Liz: But that nagging… “What if? I’d love to go. ” That little nag all the time is stressful. It hurts when you want to do something, and you’re not doing it.
I know it’s hard. I know it’s a massive change. But which is worse?
Is it worse to go through all that and start again? Or is it worse to sit there for the rest of your life thinking, “What if? What if? What if?”
That’s horrible. It’s painful.
Life Is Short – This Is Your One Shot
Liz: I always look back to 2009 when we decided, “Yes, New Zealand is the place.” You either do something about it, or you shut up.
Brian: Well, that’s exactly what I just said. That’s it, in a nutshell.
Liz: But we all put barriers in front, and it’s for that horrible word: procrastination. “Oh, we can’t do that because the kids are just about to move to the next level…” You have to stop thinking about that. You have to do it now. Because if you wait for the next bit, you’ll never start.
Those of you who know our story know the last year has involved a tremendous amount of loss in our family. It really brings home how precious and short life is. You get one shot. You get one life. This is it. Nobody knows what’s around the corner.
The Story of Trying (And That’s Enough)
Liz: We have someone in our community who came to New Zealand with her husband and kids, moved to Wellington, immersed herself, got a job, made friends… and then moved back to America after a year or two for her husband’s job.
She tells me how amazing it was that she did that.
That she came and tried and lived and experienced it. The big word here is living. Not wanting, not regretting, not longing, not hoping, not dreaming.
This is your life, and if you want to do this, you have to make it happen. No one else is going to do it.
Look to Where You Want to Be, Then Work Backwards
Liz: I was talking to our daughter, Tess, recently about a problem. She was stressed, asking, “What are we going to do?” And I said to her, “I don’t want to focus on the problem. I will only focus on the solution.”
That’s the answer. Yes, we have things to sort out.
But sitting thinking, “Oh, what are we going to do?” is no good. Look ahead. Look into the future. See where you want to be and what you want to be doing.
Now work backwards from there.
Brian: Yep. And that’s it. It’s one step at a time. It doesn’t all need to be done in one day. But it’s not an excuse. Even if it’s just one thing—picking up the phone, getting your documents in order, clearing out a room. Just the little things. Start with that.
Surround Yourself With the Right People
Liz: This isn’t a sales push, but let me tell you this: The people who join our community surround themselves with others who are doing what they want, who have similar dreams.
This is about being around people who are determined that this year will be the year. You don’t have to join our community; you can find a free Facebook group or go on Reddit.
It’s about surrounding yourself with people in the same mindset. Not the people who say, “Oh, but there’s a recession,” or “It’s really hard to get a job.”
Don’t let others tell you, “You’ll probably fail.” Don’t listen to that. Give it a bloody good go yourself. Surround yourself with people who will lift you up and say, “Yes, you can do this. You can make this happen.”
Real-Life Community Success Stories
Liz: And we have people in the community who have done it. They’re there to help. “Hey, try this. Do that.” They’ve all got jobs. There might be an opening where they work. It saves you hours scrolling on Google.
We have little mini-communities all over New Zealand. I just love it when I see them meeting up. They had a big meet-up at Christmas.
Brian: Exactly. Remember Stevie from Scotland? He messaged before Christmas and said, “Guess what? All the Tauranga crew are coming over on Christmas Day.”
Liz: Even talking about it now, my hairs stand up. He sent a photo—Chrissy, Lisa from Belgium, him and his wife, another couple with kids… they’re all there. They’re living it.
I remember Lisa’s fear when she first came. “It’s my first Christmas, I’m lonely, it’s a culture shock.” And here she is, three years later, in a Scottish guy’s house in Tauranga because of the Slack community. She wanted a better life for her daughter and was determined to make it happen.
And English isn’t even her first language!
A Special Story: The “Older Couple” from Canada
Liz: I promised a story about a particular couple I’ve been rooting for all year. They’re an older couple from Canada.
We’ve watched them from the beginning—when they didn’t think they could sell their house, didn’t think they could find a job. They had wobbles. “Oh, is this for us?”
And they’re here. They made it happen.
This is personal for me because they’re like our age. You see people in their 30s and think, “You’ll be able to do it.” But this couple… I’ve got a real soft spot. I really wanted them to see their dreams come true.
And to see them now in New Zealand, on Zoom calls saying, “We’re here”… it’s very special.
Brian: Yeah. And it’s a big transition. It’s hard at times. It’s one of the hardest things you can do. You put so much energy into getting there that you almost run out of steam when you arrive. But eventually, it starts to become the norm again.
This Is a Beginning, Not an Ending
Liz: I need to stress this: This isn’t about “move to New Zealand and all your dreams will come true.” Everything won’t be perfect.
But for us, and for people in our community, I can’t imagine what our lives would have been like if we hadn’t moved. We never would have homeschooled, lived under a volcano, started this community, built our own house… I don’t think I would have been an author. We wouldn’t have traveled the world. There are so many things.
So it doesn’t end with you moving to New Zealand. It starts with you choosing the life you want.
Brian: Yeah. Because if you can move to New Zealand from the other side of the world, if you are courageous and brave and determined enough to say, “I am going to make this happen,” then you can do anything after that. Everything will become easier.
Let 2026 Be Your Year
Liz: So let’s leave it there. Let you be the one we reach out to in 2026. The one we say, “Would you like to do a podcast to share your story?” Let that be you this year.
A Personal Note & Final Encouragement
Liz: A personal note: if you are suffering from loss and grief at this time of year, I know it’s very hard. I’ve written a book called You Won’t Just Cry When They Die. Our whole ethos is you don’t need to be alone.
Brian: And just reiterating what we’ve been saying: don’t wait. “I’ll do that next week when I’ve got more time.” That time never comes.
Just do it now. One little thing. Then two, then three. Before you know it, it’s one big thing.
Your life, one life. Make it count. Keep moving.
How to Join the Journey
Liz: Thank you so much for joining us. If you find this podcast helpful, please leave us a review wherever you listen. It helps others find this authentic, real resource.
If you want to join our private NZ Ahead community, you can get there by taking our free 5-day video guide about life in New Zealand. They’re homemade and free. On day five, you’ll learn how to join the community.
Go to: www.nzahead.com/free
We can’t wait to share this year with you. We have fabulous interviews and content coming.
Brian: Kia kaha.
Stay strong. Stay true to yourself. Inspire yourself to do the next thing.
You can do it.
Liz & Brian: Bye!
Today, we are here to encourage, push, support and beg you to make that massive leap and finally, FINALLY put into action that dream that’s been living at the back of your mind for far too long.
You can do it. You can move to New Zealand.
Thousands before you have done it. Thousands after you will do it.
Will you be one of those people?
Will you live your life to the full and never say the words “what if?”
We hope so.
Please know you are not alone. Let us help you make 2026 the year you put yourself first and move your NZ status from “dream” to “reality”.
Happy New Year, lovely people. We hope to see you on the other side!
Kia Kaha,
Liz and Brian x
LINKS:
Here’s how you can learn more about our private NZ Ahead community and join us: www.nzahead.com/free
🇳🇿If you are thinking of MOVING TO NEW ZEALAND and want to know more about the country, SIGN UP HERE for our FREE 5-DAY VIDEO GUIDE To Life in New Zealand. (This leads to details on how to join the private NZ Ahead Slack Community that we are talking about)
🛑 We are unable to give immigration advice, but NZ Shores Immigration advisors are the company we use, love and trust. Take the FREE NZ Shores eligibility test and see if New Zealand is possible for you.https://nzshores.com
💰 Transferring currency? We’ve teamed up with TorFX. We use them, as do many people in our community. If you want trustworthy, real people on the other end of the phone, along with the best rates, then TorFx is for you. These guys are FABULOUS! ➡️ https://itsadrama.com/torfx
If you are struggling with loss and grief, please know you are not alone. Liz’s new book, You Won’t Just Cry When They Die, will help you survive, cope and gently heal when your world turns upside down.
You can find her book here.
Do You LOVE New Zealand? Sign up below, and I will send you my FREE Moving to and Living in New Zealand Guide.
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