Often when people talk about the issue of relocating abroad and making the final decision to go they talk in terms of what pulls them towards their new life:

• The better lifestyle and quality of life.
• The new experience of living and working in a different culture.
• The benefit of gaining international experience.
• The weather (often a big pull factor for Northern Europeans)
• Better pay and conditions

There are also factors that push them:

• Poor economy in their home country.
• Bad weather, long winters.
• Boredom with what is familiar.
• Career dissatisfaction.

In focusing on what is pushing and pulling it is easy to forget to consider what is also good about our current lives. In every situation we win some things and lose others, and this is no different when relocating abroad.

Often expatriates talk about the sense of loss they feel, sometimes even a sense of bereavement at what they have left behind when they move abroad, leaving loved ones, friends and the familiarity and comfort of their established lives ‘back home’ can be difficult and upsetting.

It is impossible to plan to prevent this feeling totally but we can help ourselves to rationalise it by thinking carefully through what we are leaving behind and likely to lose. This prepares our mindset and helps us to recognise why we feel as we do in the early stages of a new life abroad.

It also ensures that we have analysed carefully what we are giving up because by working through this process we may decide that we do not want to give it up after all and choose to ‘stay home’. A life abroad is not always right for everyone.

So before you decide to say yes to a relocation abroad, ask yourself:

What areas of my current life am I happy/satisfied with right now?

What areas of my current life am I unhappy/unsatisfied with right now?

How will moving abroad help me to improve on my current situation?

Where may I lose parts of my life that I am currently happy and content with right now?

Is this something that I am prepared to accept as a consequence of moving abroad?

Are there things that I can do in creating my new life abroad that will help to minimise the loss?

If you want to better understand the challenges involved in moving abroad

If you are struggling with the question: Is a life abroad the life for me?
Then come and join my FREE Tele-seminar, Overcoming Your Move Abroad Dilemma, on June 24th at 8pm GMT – a content packed 60 minute session on how to make the best relocation decision – Hope to see you there! click here to sign up!