Find out about feeling well in your body and mind when you move to a new area. By focusing on wellness for the best new start you will learn to embrace and love your new home.
Moving to a new area, whether it is all the way across the country, or just down the road, can stir up a mix of emotions. There is a lot of excitement for a new chapter in your life, but those can be matched with feelings of uncertainty that can be really difficult to overcome.
The entire process of moving will have also taken its toll. Mixed feelings about starting something new, the sadness of leaving the familiar behind, and the tiredness and drained feeling from all those late night packing sessions – it’s a big thing to go through.
For the reasons above it is so important that you step into this new chapter of your life with a focus on wellness. You need to take care of your heart, mind and body so that you can embrace your new home, and this new area.
Let’s take a closer look at how you can navigate this journey, so you take care of your emotional and physical well-being, and take the time to build strength, health and positivity:
Recognising loneliness and overcoming it
When you move to a new place it is common to feel a little bit isolated or lonely sometimes. It’s a new area, you’re in a new house – everything is a little bit different.
It is important you do look out for the signs of loneliness, though, as even though it is normal, it can be overcome and is not something you have to put up with long term. Identifying it means you can then take action to make things better. If you are lonely, you might find yourself:
- Struggling to sleep
- Feeling like you don’t want to do anything, even things you love
- Feeling a sense of missing out with friends and family from your previous area
- Struggling to settle into a new routine
- Finding that everything feels a little empty
- Feeling sad when speaking to old friends and family
The good news is that when you identify that you’re feeling a little lonely, there is so much you can do to combat this. You can start speaking to your neighbours, you can start to join local hobby groups, and you can go to local events to make connections with your new community. Or if you have kids, speak to other parents at the school gates and get to know them. It will all feel a little scary at first, but there are so many ways to build new support systems, and to make new friends.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to use technology to keep up connections you already have. You might be in a new geographical location, but you’re still loved just as much by your friends and family. Use virtual connections to speak to them and to be comforted by your engagement with them. It’s like having a little piece of home right there on your tablet or phone.
Recognising moving sadness
Moving sadness is a feeling that can often sneak up on you when you are in a new place. It goes beyond loneliness and feels more like a heavy homesickness, and a feeling of not belonging in your new place.
Often, this kind of feeling is triggered by reminders of things you used to love about your old place. You might visit a new park and think about the old park you used to visit and love, or you grab a coffee in your new village and remember the coffee shop baristas you loved chatting to on your way to work from your previous home, when getting your morning dose of caffeine.
Dealing well with moving sadness can be difficult, but there are practical strategies that help. Writing down your feelings is a great idea, as is sharing those feelings with your partner, friends and family. Do start visiting your local area more, so that the unfamiliar becomes familiar. So you build new, happy memories in this new place. Setting small, achievable goals can also be really helpful. Like going out on a walk, or visiting the local town. They can really build on your sense of accomplishment and help you to focus on the positive aspects of this new adventure.
Establishing and maintaining a routine
Having a daily routine can anchor you when everything else seems to be moving at speed. Keep it simple at first – set a time for getting up and going to bed, for exercise, eating and taking care of yourself. You can then start to add new things in as you build strength and wellness. A routine is a way to feel a sense of sturdiness and security, and it is one of the easiest things you can do to start to build your health and happiness in a new place.
Nurturing your wellness holistically after a move
Nurturing your overall wellbeing means taking care of all aspects of your life, for a balanced and healthy existence. This approach is how you can find true wellness after a challenging house move.
Physical Wellness
Keeping a balanced diet and staying physically active can make a real difference to how you feel, especially if you need to recharge after feeling fried from moving. Eat nutritious meals to boost your energy, and spend time in nature, which is known to make us feel better in lots of different ways.
Emotional Wellness
Your emotional wellbeing is central to overall wellness. It is so natural to go through stress and worry as you go through such a significant life change. Try to practise mindfulness and engage in activities that help you to relax, like yoga and walks. Engaging in hobbies that you enjoy can be another great way to encourage a healthy brain, and to experience plenty of positive emotions.
Social Wellness
Building a social support network is essential when you move to a new area. As we mentioned above, there are lots of ways to combat loneliness, and it is important to put effort into feeling less lonely. Loneliness increases our risk of all kinds of health conditions, and can even make it more likely we pass away if it is not dealt with. It’s important to build your social wellness in your new area, because your social wellness ensures you feel a sense of belonging and you feel a sense of support.
Embrace new beginnings: love your new area, love yourself
As you move onward, embrace your new beginnings with open arms. Love your new area, but most importantly, love yourself with a focus on physical and emotional wellness. Your wellbeing will help ensure this new start is not only good for you, but is the making of you moving forward.