The Trials Nobody Tells You About When Moving Away
Moving house is a tough process on two planes. On the one hand, you have the actual relocation, the stressful event that is preceded by a long period of packing and planning and creating a moving checklist, and then followed with saying goodbye to your home for a new one. And on the other hand, you have what comes next. You can never be prepared for the latter as nobody tells you anything about it. You have expectations and wants and needs, but eventually what you get is a series of trials that you have to go through before you find the final peace of mind to enjoy your new home. Of course, in order to beat those trials you will have to identify them and find a way to fight them off. Trial of guilt Face it, moving house is an egotistical choice. It’s not a good or evil one, it’s just something you decide to do for yourself so that you can grow as a person. But the thought that you have left everybody behind will gnaw at you. Yesterday’s problems are no longer your problems – they are the problems of the people you left behind. Don’t feel guilty about it as you will have your own issues to deal with.
Trial of nostalgia Nostalgia is a normal symptom of going away. You will want every now and again to return things to how they were and you will long for the cosiness of your old
bedroom. But nostalgia is a door to the past and what you need to seek is the one to the future. Look ahead and not behind so that your relocation can have meaning and so that you actually see a future to reach.
Trial of the unknown When the moving company drops you off at your new location, you might not immediately cure the stress and anxiety. But there is a difference – now they are created by the fear of the unknown. You have no idea what you will face tomorrow, and that terrifies you as you stand alone in facing it. But that is no reason to worry. That is a reason to explore. Replacing that fear with a healthy dose of curiosity for what comes next is how you handle this stress.
Trial of acceptance Of course, one of the things that happens to you when you move to a new location is that you essentially become an outsider. There is no escaping that fact. All you can do is strive to talk to people, mingle with the crowd, make friends. Eventually you will be introduced to enough people so that the stranger and outsider labels no longer apply to you. This trial goes away with time, so don’t think too much about it.
Trial of disappointment And, of course, the biggest trial of all. The horrid question: “Did I make the right choice?” And here is the simple truth: it doesn’t matter. You did what you did, going back and overthinking it only sets you back. So adopt the moto “Whatever happens, happens” and move ahead without lingering on choices already made. Dealing with these fears will complete your relocation and you will be able to fully enjoy the independent life. So don’t get too stressed and too nervous about it and just take life as it goes. Fretting about things is useless.