So many expats and travellers feel that at one point in their life they have to choose. Between the travel and adventure that they love. And the more conventional way of life that they feel they should ‘grow up’ and settle down in. Most of us have a basic need for certainty and stability that will eventually lead us to create a base or home somewhere, but what I want to touch on today is the power of choice in how we go about creating and designing our lives.
Much like the early pioneers on each continent of the world, we journey in a similar way today to seek and experience something new, create a life that suits us in a place that feels a little bit like home. Some people lead the adventure and come up with most of the ideas and others are curious to come, but not adventurous enough to lead the charge. This seems to be a pretty common thing in most expat couples and families I meet.
The key thing I always highlight to my clients is the power of choice. Because even though you might experience a struggle between what you want to do and what you feel you should be doing, you actually can choose the path in between. And the two key things that stop most people from choosing what they want are actually quite basic.
- The vision: If you don’t have a compelling vision of the lifestyle, home, relationships, family and other key things you want in your life – you will not get what you want. You owe it to yourself to really paint a picture of what you really and truly want. Do you want a family home in the country you now live in with plenty of space for people to come visit for longer periods of time? Do you want a small apartment/house in your country of origin so that you can go back to visit regularly and still have your own space? Or do you want to just rent your house out, pack up your family and live in a camper van for the next few years. Your vision is yours and in the world today you don’t have to choose either this or that. But you have to choose what you want now and in the long term. The mind and the universe can’t help you build anything if you’re not clear on what you want.
- Take action. Once you have a clear (or rough) idea about your vision, you must start taking action to make it happen. This is where most people give up. Because sometimes it’s hard to be judged by others for the decisions we make. But the clearer we are on our own path, the less it matters what other people think. Other people’s judgement can also be a test for you in terms of how committed you truly are. Taking action involves a massive commitment from YOU (because it’s your vision and your life after all), but there is no need to go through it all alone. Involve others in your plans. Connect with friends and family and find that common ground where you actually realise that in some strange way you actually want the same things. And prepare to be resilient. The road to great is a lot harder to walk than the road to good or ok. But it’s worth it ten times over when you get there.
When we stand at a crossroads we often only see the two paths. The ‘either this or that’ type of situation. But if we truly listen to ourselves and clean out the clutter in our mind, a third or fourth path often emerges. The two greatest steps to the life that you want always come from a strong and beautiful space within you. Make sure to bring forward your vision and start doing something about it. Now isn’t that a beautiful thing to do for yourself?
If you need some help on the way, make sure to take up my special relocation support offer before 30 June.