Relocation brings growth, that’s for sure. But, for better or worse, growth doesn’t happen without discomfort — and when living abroad, all of us face tricky situations and even hard times. Below you find 4 phrases that can help you stay grounded in the process.
Let the Country Unfold at Your Pace
There’s no one right way to understand a new place!
We often look for the “right” ways to adapt: reading blogs, comparing ourselves to friends and other expats…
But each everyone’s context is unique. We all move at our own pace, notice different things, and come up with different conclusions about the same place.
You Have the Right NOT to Fit In
Respecting the culture matters — but that doesn’t mean you have to accept or adapt to everything! Even among locals, you’ll find people who don’t fit the mold. And while it is really great (and big luck) to live in a place where you feel really connected and culturally aligned, it is also possible to find points of connection even somewhere we don’t feel quite aligned.
* How about you? Do you find yourself feeling connected to local culture?
You’re Doing What You Can — and That’s Enough
Relocating comes with so many challenges: from language barriers to everyday logistics.
It’s easy to downplay your efforts, especially when you’re comparing yourself to others — or to an imagined “best version” of yourself.
But the truth is: you’re already doing a lot. And this current version of you, while not perfect, is in fact managing to handle a lot! Here’s a mini-challenge:
Write down all the little and big hurdles you’ve encountered since you’ve moved. And feel free to get back at me in the comments!
You Can Live Your Values — Wherever You Are
Values are like your internal compass: they work wherever you go.
It’s not about big, lofty goals, but about the direction you want your life to take and the kind of person you would like to be.
Think of it this way: the goal is “to get a new job” and a value is something like “growing professionally”, or “contributing to society in X way” or even “feeling safe and secure”.
And if you are struggling to understand your values, to figure out what’s really important to you — fear not, there will definitely be an article about that soon!
In the meantime, what words have supported You?
Take care,
Katerina, Your Well-Being Consultant 🌍🤝
Katerina Sushko 