Back to the Grind

The time has arrived where the newness of (insert new country, school year, etc) starts to wear off and routines start to form. If you have recently moved or you work with families who have moved, I would recommend reminding yourself of the typical stages of culture shock by looking closely at this image_. ​

Understand that everyone experiences this differently. Keep new preschoolers and early teen students in mind as they tend to struggle most. Understand that trailing partners can find moves challenging so helping them set up a meaningful routine and make social connections can be helpful. Did you know that the happiness of the trailing partner often sets the tone for the family?  Let's face it, many trailing partners have put their own successful careers on hold. This is quite an adjustment.  Family issues (at 34%) far outweigh other key difficulties with international moves (Brookfield, 2012).  Make sure the family check-ins are happening.
Don't forget that schools have a culture all of their own.  How are new teachers doing?  Do they have a mentor, not only to help with school madness but with adjusting to a new home?  How are the new students being accepted? How well are their families adjusting?

To get you moving in a positive direction, I'll end with a few Positive Psychology based tips for helping you maintain balance. I'll revisit these regularly.
​1. Practice self care - This is something you do for yourself. For instance in Dhaka I played softball and tennis with friends and got regular massages. In Munich I rode my bike to work every day, regardless of the weather.

2. Practice mindfulness - You lose track of how intense working and living in a new culture are and before you know it, you are running through constant thoughts in your head when you should be working, relaxing, or sleeping. 

Getsomeheadpace.com and Simply Being are two of my favorite apps for learning to slow down thoughts by being mindful.

3. Share your gratitude - Missing someone that left? Send him a message. People helped you get set up in your new location? Write them a thank you card or tell them in person. You will at times notice a trend on Facebook where people are sharing gratitude for 5 days.  That's a start, although, it's not necessary for you to do this in a public forum.  Referring to a journal list of things you are grateful for when you are having a difficult day can give you a quick boost. 

4. Do random acts of kindness
Some examples:

• Buy a coffee for the lady behind you at the coffee shop
• Hold a door for someone
• Greet that individual who seems really excluded.

5. Exercise - There are apps for 7 minute workouts so you can't tell me you don't have 7 minutes for yourself a day.
Wear a pedometer all day and aim to improve your number of daily steps a bit each week until you hit 10,000 a day regularly. 
Smart phones have pedometer capability now.  Hit the pool or beach. Join ultimate frisbee, yoga, softball, etc., as these are great ways to meet people in a new location.

6. Sleep 7-9 hours a night. While you are at it, make your bedroom an oasis for relaxation.  Get the TV, gaming, and social networking devices out of your room.  For better sleep, you should stop using those devices well before you head off to your bedroom.  Keep your room nice and cool and dark.  Ahhh.....

7. Keep a journal of 3 things a day that went well. This will be especially helpful if you find yourself being a bit pessimistic. Before you know it, the positive events of the day are the ones you will give your attention.  I keep 3 things that went well and daily gratitude in opposite ends of the same journal.  I start my week with gratitude and end it with recording what went well.  All positive energy in that baby. Do each only once a week for the most benefit.

Photo links are active.

All of the 7 things listed above are natural defenders against depression (Akhtar, 2012). You get mood boosts and many other health benefits from being balanced. You will notice people who stay very even keel throughout the year. A good portion of the 7 things above are part of their daily living. I will end by saying that all humans have life events which seem to push us just that little bit too far. While we tend to seek help for physical conditions, we often categorize struggling with mental health as a weakness. Isn't that unfortunate? Make taking care of your mental health a priority.  Look after each other.
Take care, Sharon

Akhtar, M. (2012). Positive psychology for overcoming depression: Self-help strategies for happiness, inner strength and well-being. London: Watkins.
Global Relocation Trends (2012 Survey Report ed., pp. 14-15). (2012). Toronto: Brookfield Global Relocation Services.