MANAGING RELOCATION STRESS
America
is a nation on the move with one in five Americans
moving each year. Most people move with the hopes of creating a better life.
They may be moving for a better job or
salary, better schools for their children, a
better climate, or to be closer to loved ones.
No
matter what the reasons are that people choose
to move, relocation can be a very stressful
life event.
This stress is primarily caused by so
many changes occurring at one time. In addition to changing your physical location, you also may
be starting a new job, joining a new church,
starting your children in new schools and possibly
adjusting to cultural differences. All of these changes together can be overwhelming, but if prepared,
there are ways to make this transition more
manageable.
Life
is a balance and for the most part, when there
is an ending of one phase of our life, we have
the opportunity to create a new beginning.
Moving to a new location is a perfect
example of this. The first step of this transition is to
acknowledge what you are losing as the result
of your move. You may be leaving wonderful friends,
family members, a rewarding job, your favorite
restaurant and familiarity with your surroundings.
Take time to acknowledge these losses
and experience the grief that accompanies the
loss. You may want to write your feelings in
a journal or talk with family, friends or a
counselor. Dealing with these feelings of loss will
make you better prepared for your move and new
beginning.
Upon
arriving at your new home, your stress will
most likely increase with all the things that
need to be done:
unpacking, finding your way around town,
starting a new job etc . Make sure that during
this initial adjustment to your new environment
you take time to care for yourself. Be sure to get 8 hours of sleep/night,
exercise regularly, eat healthy and take time
to have some fun. Be prepared for your emotions to swing
between excitement about being in your new location
and sadness about missing your old home and
community.
Understand that this is normal, and that
as time passes your emotions will begin to even
out. It
may be helpful to share your feelings with family
or friends. If you feel sad for more than 2 weeks
at a time, have lost interest in things you
used to enjoy, don’t seem to have the energy
to do what you need to and even have thoughts
of dying, you may be suffering from clinical
depression and should seek professional assistance
from a trained counselor or your family physician.
A
vital step in adjusting to your new home is
to begin to build a network of friends. There are many ways to do this, but the
most important way is just to be yourself!! Join a club that reflects an interest you have, invite neighbors
over for a cook-out, find a spiritual community
of your choice. As you put effort into building your base
of friends, realize that sometimes in the process
you may meet people you just don’t have a lot
in common with.
Don’t dwell on the relationships that
don’t work out. Remember how long it took you to build
a group of friends in your prior location. It will take time, but your continued effort in meeting new
people will pay off.
Perhaps
the most important thing you can do when relocating
is to keep a positive attitude. Keep a gratitude journal and at the end
of each day write down 3-4 things that you were
grateful for. This will help you to continue to see
the positive even in the midst of the stress. Keeping an optimistic attitude will help give you energy to
cope with the move and to be on the look out
for the benefits of your new location.
Good
luck with the transition to your new home.
Remember to take care of yourself, build
a good base of friends and keep a positive attitude.
Use this move as a new beginning and
as an opportunity to create the life you want!!
