“For how long you have been living in Stockholm?” I asked my friend originally from Boston.
“It has been 8 years that I moved with my husband. I thought learning the local language would help me to adjust into this place. But, I don’t feel as if I belong here.” she said.
The sense of not belonging is felt by almost every expat. I am an expat too and get it. For past 5 years I have been living in Stockholm, and I still have the feeling of non-belongingness. In 2015, I moved out of my country with a hope of creating a better life, and fulfilling my dreams. With 2 moves already in the past, I defined all my plans and strategies for an easy sail into this new country. I wanted to make this move as hassle-free as possible. I thought, I was quite aware about most of the challenges I could face. I put in extra effort of cushioning for everything that could go possibly wrong. I made excel sheet with plans, even back-up plans to keep everything smooth. And as life is, there are always different plans defined by Universe. I met with all the surprises and challenges. Although this time, I definitely did a better job in settling in.
I do not feel being part of this place completely, and that’s a wishful thinking I need to let go. As an expat my roots belong somewhere else, so I might never get a complete sense of belongingness. The best i could do is make healthy, ever-lasting connections, and accept the way things are, instead of comparing with what I had.
As a Wellness Coach, I concentrated more on my mental and emotional wellbeing instead of pushing it aside as an excuse for lack of time. I always believe that “challenges suddenly seems to be smaller, when in right mindset.”
Few things I would like to list down to help you achieve a healthy emotional and mental state whenever settling as an expat are:
- Make writing your pal
- Get regular with your walks or exercises.
- Meditate as frequent as posible.
- Connect more with your friends and family through video calls.
- Eat more of natural, unprocessed food to stay healthy
You can pick any activity or define a combination that feels right. Do share your strategies that you used to live a life of an expat. I LOVE the feedback that I keep getting in the comments and reviews, so please keep’em coming!
I am an Author and a Holistic Wellness Coach for overwhelmed and stressed moms who are ready to find balance, health and joy. Wellness is about functioning at your best and that’s impossible if we are not finding joy somewhere in our everyday life. My book I Love Myself- Discover a life through self-love inspires to fight negative mindset and empowers to live a fulfilled life.
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