Renee Maxine Haas

Writer and speaker on embracing change, uncertainty, and living authentically.

How I Got HEre

I started my career in tech as a web developer, building a life organized around stability, achievement, and long-term planning. For a long time, I was oriented toward a clear version of success that felt both structured and predictable.

A painting of two women seated outdoors, dressed in early 20th-century fashion. One woman is wearing a black dress and a large black hat, and the other is in a white dress with a wide-brimmed white hat decorated with feathers. In the background, a man in a light-colored suit and hat stands near an ornate black wrought iron fence, with trees and a park-like setting behind them.

Over time, that way of living began to shift. What once felt certain started to feel less sustainable, and I found myself moving through a period where the future was no longer something I could easily map out or control.

A painting of a dinner scene with several people, including a woman with clown makeup, a woman with her back to the viewer, and others sitting at tables, under hanging lanterns.

Everything changed when I made the decision to leave a career in tech and travel the world alone. What I expected to be an adventure became something much deeper.

A man with white hair and a surprised expression, wearing a dark hat and brown coat, with his hand raised in front of him.

As I navigated unfamiliar cultures, unexpected challenges, and moments of profound connection, I began questioning not only how I lived, but why. Slowly, I learned to let go of control, embrace uncertainty with greater trust, and move with life instead of against it.

A woman with brown hair in a braid wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a dark coat, a light sweater, and pants, holding a walking stick, standing on green grass with mountains and a cloudy sky in the background, painted in an impressionist style.

“I should work in tech for job security and because I like computers.”

— 13-year-old me

A portrait of Renee Maxine Haas with long wavy brown hair, wearing a black long-sleeve top and black pants, sitting on a black chair against a light-colored wall, smiling with her eyes partially closed.

where I am Now

Today, I'm a writer, speaker, and host of The Effing Audacity, where I explore the courage it takes to embrace change, step beyond comfort zones, and live more authentically. Through my memoir, podcast, and speaking, I share stories that encourage others to trust themselves, welcome the unknown, and create lives that feel true to who they are.

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A portrait of Renee Maxine Haas with long, wavy brown hair, smiling, wearing a black long-sleeve shirt, crossing her arms in front of her, standing against a plain white background.

Whether you're standing at the beginning of a life transition, questioning the path you're on, or simply feeling the pull toward something more authentic, I hope my work reminds you that uncertainty isn't something to fear. It may be the very place where your next chapter begins.

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Memoir

When two years of solo travel led to the transformation from control to surrender, planning to presence, rigid concepts of identity to embracing the evolving self.

Discover the Story

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podcast

Vulnerable stories of courage, self‑discovery, travel, and personal growth, inspiring those to step out of the comfort zone and into the authentic lives they were meant to live.

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