How to keep a balanced mind and body during the stress of moving.
This is the time of year that expat communities world wide go through a bit of a makeover. New assignments have been announced, farewell parties are in full swing, preparations are made and belongings are getting packed up in time for global relocations.
It’s a time of transition in the expat world and whether you are going or staying, things are going to be different post your summer vacation as you settle down in your new location or feel the absence of friends that have left.
For those that are moving, it can be a challenging time with the physical and mental stress that comes with saying your goodbyes, packing up your house and dealing with the insecurities of stepping into the unknown.
And what often happens when you deal with stress is that you turn to food to find comfort or soothe your senses. Despite your best intentions to stay fit, eat right, and do your daily breathing practice you find yourself tempted by the chocolates on your hotel room pillow, dessert on the restaurant menu and that extra glass of wine to take the edge off.
You tell yourself it’s just this once, but you find yourself making exception after exception until you metaphorically throw your hands up and think “who cares, I’ll clean up my act when I have settled down.”
And while this is all very understandable and can help to temporarily make you feel better, by the time you are done with summer and you are faced with the business of unpacking these unhealthy habits may have started to mess with your energy levels or clouded your thinking at a time when you need your energy and clarity the most.
I know from my own experience that this is a potential pitfall and I see it with clients all the time. To make the most of your relocation and feel your best as your go through this exciting new adventure it makes sense to put some practices in place that help prevent turning to unhealthy food for comfort.
The first step is awareness. Which is really what this article is all about: calling out our human tendency to find comfort in food so you can recognize what’s going on when it happens to you.
The second step is to let yourself off the hook a bit. It is ok to indulge as long as you maintain a baseline healthy approach to eating. I call it the 80/20 rule and unless you are dealing with a health condition that requires strictly adhering to a particular diet for healing purposes it is possible to follow your ideal diet and lifestyle practices 80% of the time and step out and indulge for the remaining 20%.
My work with clients revolves around finding their unique non-negotiables that make up the 80% and those that have that foundation in place tend to be more able to stay balanced no matter the changes that are taking place around them.
The third step is to put in place some self-care practices that help to create a balanced mind, which is capable of dealing with the stresses of transition. As an example, just a few short periods of time in your day where you tune in to your body and quiet your mind can do wonders for resilience and positivity. I like the simple breathing practice 4-7-8 during which you breathe through your nose, inhaling to the count of 4, holding your breath to the count of 7 and exhaling slowly to the count of 8. Just 5 rounds of this helps to shift your body into a state of relaxation.
If you are on the verge of the next chapter in your expat life, I wish you lots of luck and happiness and if at any point you feel you need additional support in managing your health and wellbeing through these transitions, I’d be happy to help. You can always sign up for a free session with me here to talk about what that support would look like.
Be Well.
