Packing Up And Moving On

Why is moving so hard? Well, for starters, it’s the third most stressful event in a person’s life, behind divorce and death. Really! Perhaps it’s because moving happens unexpectedly sometimes (you or your significant other are relocated for work, for example.) Maybe the fear of the unknown gets us in the gut—what’s it like there? who will my friends be?—that we can’t seem to move through it. And then there’s the solitude. Even if you are moving with a partner, you just don’t expect to feel so lonely when you arrive in the new place.

Fortunately, for every negative side there is to moving, there’s a big positive looming in the change. Here are 5 things you won’t expect, and 5 hidden benefits to moving to a new city.

You Won’t Expect:

1. To love it.
There’s a freedom in arriving at a destination unknown. Everything is a blank slate. This is your canvas and you can’t wait to break out the paints!

2. To spend so much.
It’s very important to account for all expenses not just for the physical move but in the few days after. You’ll find all those things you tossed in a hurry you now need again (like lightbulbs, pillows or even strappy slingbacks for the first party you’re invited to.)

3. To feel strong.
You should! Moving is a very independent decision that can build tons of confidence. Knowing that you can survive this means that you can survive just about anything.

4. To be homesick two or three months in.
Once the whirlwind of moving and unpacking subsides there can be a latent sadness or depression. Be ready for that and know it’s totally OK. Have a good friend at the ready to listen and reassure you that you’ve made a good choice.

5. How long everything will take.
You’re learning a new place-expect to get lost or make silly mistakes. Give yourself extra time to get around, and get some rest (with lack of sleep comes poor choices.) It also takes time to make friends. Most experts say it takes two years to really feel rooted, make friends, and not feel like a newcomer anymore.

Want to find out the five hidden benefits of packing up and moving on? Read the rest of this article at First30Days.com.