Moving is rough. It’s stressful, and chaotic, expensive, and physically exhausting. Not to mention moving often means leaving comfortable routines and good friends behind, and going forward into a new life that’s full of the unknown. Even if you’re moving because you want to and your reasons are full of happiness and excitement, undoubtedly at some point the moving blues will get you down. When they do here are a few ways to fight them off:
- Remember that change is inherently good. It’s a fundamental law of the universe that things cannot stay the same, so you might as well go with it. Embrace change, with all its ups and downs, as an adventure to look forward to. Breaking free of old patterns and expanding into new territory is good, even if only as far as you can say you tried it. And if things really end up bad remember: everything changes!
- Focus on best-case scenario It’s all too easy to get caught up in negative “what ifs” so limit yourself to dwelling on worst-case scenarios for only as long as it takes to make a disaster plan, i.e. “If the house is on fire we all run out this way and then meet at Jenny’s house down the street.” Once you know what you’ll do if the moving truck breaks down or your new job is a big flop don’t let yourself dwell on it anymore, but instead focus on all the wonderful possibilities — the awesome new walking trails you’ll find and the friends you’ll make that have hot tubs and spare tickets to all the big games. You are what you think about — positive visualization is a real tool.
- De-stress and take care of yourself Moving is hard, both emotionally and physically, and there’s no need to be a hero. Take time out for yourself on a regular basis to de-stress, relax, and regroup so you can make the most of the experience and get through it in something other than a state of total misery and exhaustion — if you don’t take care of you no one else will!
Moving.com
