Greek philosopher Heraclitus once stated that “the only constant in life is change.” And, although it might sound like a paradox, in actuality, we are constantly evolving, disrupting our lives in search for something better. However, as humans our mental health can become extremely fragile during these times, making falling into a negative mindset much easier.
Here are my top tips, that I have personally used, to embrace the change that comes with moving.
- Lock your old life in a drawer.
Something that I find important is to be able to finish everything I had left incomplete during my old life in a place. Even having closure with certain people helps, as it provides positive feelings that come with leaving misunderstandings behind. This way, one can start fresh in a new place without having any preoccupations or regrets, just focusing on what’s ahead. - Don’t lose yourself.
Although a lot of things might be changing and one might be feeling lost, it’s key to remember to keep up your hobbies and passions. Having certain elements in my new life that also used to be part of my routine at home was beneficial since they became a safe space and did not make all the shifts seem so traumatic. - Allow yourself to have down days.
Let’s be real: we’re all going to have horrible days, nostalgia is going to pop up and everything will seem dark. It’s important to allow ourselves to have these moments, to let ourselves be sad once in a while, but it’s even more important to make sure that these feelings are temporary. If you feel like they are becoming more and more recurrent, please reach out to someone (whether it be a professional, a friend, family member or a significant other). - Lastly, have a positive mindset.
Everything about the consequences of moving, in the end, comes down to our mindset – faking it until you make it works, in this case. Positive change has to come from you in the first place; be curious and open about a new place, a new life, new experiences, and new people, because they can do nothing else but enrich you as a person. I believe that everything happens for a reason, even what seems terrible at the beginning, and that has got me through a lot of things. Take moving as an opportunity to make yourself a better human. Even if one place does not work out, there are still millions of other options.
Photo credits: The Telegraph
