Moving is stressful. Whether you’re moving down the road or to another continent, you’re probably going to have some moments where you question the whole process. And if you are moving abroad, you have to worry about visas, possibly a new language, and a new culture on top of it all. It takes some effort to focus on the good parts of your new move.

In this post, I’ll share a bit of my current story and also the tools that I’m using to manage stress when moving. Managing stress when moving abroad is a rather personal thing. Everyone has a different way of effectively dealing with stress, so in sharing my own story I hope to inspire anyone who might be looking for a way to feel better in the process of their move, and while they’re in their new homes.

A personal story about moving

As I write, I’m surrounded by half-packed boxes. So far, I’ve lived in five different countries and have moved more times than I can remember within each of them. I’ve done short-term rentals, long-term rentals, last-minute Airbnbs, and bought and sold apartments abroad. Anything involving a new set of paperwork, stamps, apostilles, and translations has always brought along an intense level of stress, which managed to pull me away from some of the more important things in life (work and health, for example). And when visas were involved I lost patches of hair. Yeah, it’s stressful!

Now I’m in the process of another international move and I’ve been working hard on gathering paperwork for a visa application and trying to secure an apartment without visiting it in person (that’s a first for me!).

But let’s talk about stress. A few weeks ago, I found myself in a strange pattern. I realized I had spent about 10 days working at my desk and/or sitting on my couch in a more-or-less catatonic state watching shows on Netflix that didn’t require me to think too much. Sure enough, my back started hurting (I’m getting old!), which happens to me whenever I stop doing regular strength exercises and start sitting around too much.

Then there was a sign at work. I happened upon an article during the week talking about new research that uncovered how mindfulness meditation is a powerful way to reduce anxiety and I realized it’s time to “get back on the horse”. Since incorporating mindfulness exercises into my daily life, I’ve still felt stress (there’s no such thing as a stress-free life) but I understand how to control it better. I’ve been living my day-to-day differently and want to share my process with you today.

Tools to manage stress when moving abroad

Here are four tips that I found useful in my own moving process and a bit of context about why.

1. Mindfulness meditation

Meditation is something I’ve had experience with in times of stress, but building it into your daily routine can be a bit more challenging.

I’ve always had a pretty strict morning routine that involves taking a walk, going to a coffee shop and chatting with people, then walking back home and starting my workday. Intermittent walks are how I deal with long workdays, too, giving me a chance to clear my mind and shift gears between projects. In fact, some of my best ideas happen on the move.

Mindfulness, for me, has involved incorporating breathing and appreciation into walks, no matter where I’m headed. I also do regular body scan meditations in the morning, which helps me start the day with more awareness that I’m a living, breathing being (and not a to-do-list machine)!

If you’d like to incorporate mindfulness into your life, learn more about the Mindfulness for Stress Management course I run virtually. It’s a great intro for the uninitiated!

2. Gratitude practice

I’m a big fan of gratitude. I regularly speak on the topic with my mother, who is an Executive Coach. I have a gratitude notepad on my desk and I use it to write down the things I am grateful for that day — especially on busy days.

Keeping a list, jar, or journal of things to be grateful for has a range of health benefits and helps you focus on what’s bigger than your current moving tasks. Especially in the case of moving, there are often a lot of factors at play that we can be grateful for, such as a new job opportunity, an opportunity for change, a fresh start, a new language, future new friends… the list goes on. As you move and when you arrive in your new home, try to make an effort to focus on building a small, easy-to-do gratitude practice to keep your mind focused on the positive side of your move.

If a gratitude practice sounds like something you’d love to have in your life, get more inspiration on gratitude on our main website.

3. Physical activity, sleep & self-care

I personally am a big fan of classical ballet for this, thanks to the structure and consistency of the classes. Yoga is another activity that is highly recommended for stress management. Many people find the consistent movements calming — plus, it’s a good way to get into a groove and see progress along the way.

As I mentioned, when I was stressed, my first physical reaction was increased couch time. Once I got past that hard bit, I found that the workouts really lifted my spirits during the week and gave me something else to focus on besides “work” and “immigration”. It gave me a chance to focus on myself and my body…and just be in the moment rather than constantly obsessing over the future.

I also noticed that longer nights of sleep once in a while helped me greatly, especially after the days when everything felt like it was moving extra fast. It’s easy to let a racing mind keep you up at night, so try to make your pre-sleep routine as relaxing as possible and disconnect from your busy day.

4. When possible, make sure you have support

Talk to your friends, family, therapist, or coach about your move. Talk about what you’re going through and share your excitement with friends and family. With a coach, talk about what’s important to you, determine what you want to achieve abroad, and work on how you plan to achieve it.

If you have the resources, rely on an immigration lawyer or other professionals (real estate agents, movers, etc.) so you can minimize the amount of time required in the moving process. It took me a few moves to really understand the value of these services, rather than expending copious amounts of energy trying to avoid these services and do it all myself. (But, hey! There’s no single “right” way to do things. If you have the time and you want to do it yourself, enjoy the process!)

Move on to the next big thing!

If you would like to speak to a coach for support throughout the moving process or have a partner to help you achieve your goals in your new home, book a discovery call with me, here.