Getting out of a comfort zone is usually a rather daunting step which can bring about feelings of insecurity and uneasiness, often accompanied by fear of the unknown. And moving to a new town or city, far from the comforts and the familiarity of our current homes, means a move many steps away from close family, good friends and pleasing daily routine to keep us sane.
Every person reacts differently when subjected to an abrupt change: some people try desperately to cling on to their past and can only find sense in their new post-move life by looking back over their shoulders, while others develop exactly the opposite strategy to get back on track – they will do anything in their power to keep their eyes fixed on the immediate future in a forceful attempt to forget their pre-move past.
And, regardless of whether you view your local move or the cross country move as a happy event of renewed hope or a despairing occurrence of forced misfortune, you are bound to palpably sense the effects of moving to a new town or city.
Effects Of Moving To A New City Alone
Moving to a big city alone is a unique experience and it’s entirely up to you to benefit from the new once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that you can find there. Believe it or not, it’ll be the way you process the whole situation in your mind that will determine how happy or how miserable your life in the new place will be. Yes, the new city happiness is inside your head and you’re holding the key in your hand. What will you do?
Friends
Remember that to be alone doesn’t necessarily mean to be lonely.
You will probably be missing your old good friends and use every presented opportunity to keep in touch with them. To not sever abruptly your meaningful old relationships when moving to a new place is, of course, the right thing to do, but you shouldn’t be afraid to create inspiring friendships either. Making friends in a new city will give you a brand new outlook on life and will help you redefine who you really are and what you really want.
Freedom
A move to a new city alone is the perfect opportunity to get the freedom you have always wanted and embrace it with your arms wide open. The world is as big as you make it, and if you open up your mind to the endless possibilities that await you in the new location, then you can step out of your own restricting shell and shake off the relocation blues. You can grow and develop as an individual without having the weights of your old life pulling you down.
Rediscovery
When you move to a place where nobody knows you, you’ll realize that your fresh start will go hand in hand with a number of advantages for you as well. The people you meet won’t have any expectations of you, so you can become the person you’ve always wanted to be and they won’t know any better. A crazy hair cut or a tattoo? Sure, why not! You’re free to change the way you look and the way you act without being afraid of disapproving stares from your old friends or family members.
Self-reliance
As you have probably figured it out by now, alone doesn’t always mean lonely. After moving to a new town or city, it’s likely that you’ll learn to enjoy your own company. After all, you will be the master of your time and money which is a huge step towards satisfying independence and rewarding self-reliance.
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Moving to another part of the country without having secured a job first is a bold move that can either prove to be a stroke of genius or a total disaster for you. And yet, no matter how adventurous you are and how much you love real-life challenges, you’re strongly advised against just packing your household and moving to a new location without properly researching its job market first.
Research your options
Failure to research your job opportunities before deciding to move to a city could get you in a monstrous trouble.
If you intend to move to a new place without a job, you’re going to need additional planning and some good pre-move strategies in order to survive out there. You should at least have a rough idea of what your destination will be like and what kind of job opportunities you’ll be presented with once you get there. It’ll be extremely useful if you have reliable contacts in the new town or city – people who can help you out when you’re making your first wobbly steps in the unknown area. Contacts are even more important to guide you through your job search and later help you sort out your job opportunities.
Mind your budget
Unless you have the hunch that your special skills will get you a good job really fast, you should have enough finances to last you for a minimum of three months, or even six to be on the safe side. If the math doesn’t add up and your initial budget seems rather thin to begin with, then do your best to find employment before the move.
Have a backup plan
And while relocating without a job to a new city in a new state may sound appealing for true adventurers, most people would rather play it safe and secure a job beforehand. Either way, you must have a backup plan and an exit strategy if things just don’t go according to plan. You may have to re-think the whole situation in order to turn the tables in your favor. Keep the communication channels wide open with your old friends and coworkers, and even bosses, and be ready to make a step back in order to move forward.
Effects Of Moving To A New City On Children
There is no question that a move to a new town or city will be really tough on parents, for the latter will be responsible for its organization, financing and execution. However, a move to an unknown place can also turn out to be rough for children, and the effects of moving house on children usually depend on their respective age, personality and general view on life.
“Daddy, I don’t mind this strange place too much as long as you’re holding my hand.”
When it comes to moving to a new city with babies or toddlers, the parents’ main concern should be to keep their routine as unchanged as possible. As a rule, babies will not mind the pre-move commotion, moving day chaos and post-move adaptation too much, and as long as they keep getting their food on time and receiving the love and attention of their moms and dads, things tend to be just fine for them.
Although not fully understanding why their parents are moving to another strange place, most toddlers have a much better idea of what’s happening around them during a move and will react accordingly. Be prepared for certain changes in your toddler’s behavior and reactions, and be quick to tackle each issue as it comes along. Every child reacts differently so you have no way of knowing how your kid will be affected by the unfamiliar sounds, sights and smells of the new town or city until after the move is complete. What you can do to alleviate the stress of that transitional period is to explain to your toddler how things stand at the moment even if you feel that they do not understand you very well.
School, of course, should have taken a center stage in the life of your school-age child and the effects of moving to a new place on your little angel will be on a par with their school life. If they are generally satisfied with their educational institution, happy with their studies and have good school friends, the relocation news will most probably be ill taken and you need to sit down and discuss openly the move with them. Explain patiently the reasons behind the move to a new city and point out all the great benefits that will be awaiting them there, such as a better school, new good friends and most importantly, exciting adventures. Also, if you do have a control over the scheduling of the move, book your relocation after the school year ends so that your child won’t have to go through a painful midyear disruption.
When the move is complete, be on your guard for obvious signs of post-move acclimatization troubles your kid may be experiencing. Sudden changes in their established behavioral patterns should be noted duly and addressed without delay. Time will be your best ally in such troublesome transitional periods, but do not hesitate to look for professional help if things start getting out of your hands.
Talking about the upcoming move with your teenager won’t always be smooth sailing.
What are the effects on teenagers when they move to a new city? It’s hard to say for sure. Teenagers’ minds are usually preoccupied with thoughts of how to find and keep the right friends, and how to fit in the social group that will help them define who they are. It’s all about the friends they have and the fun activities they do together. Teenagers in their late teens tend to be involved in romantic relationships either, so expect your teen boy or daughter to react strongly against a possible move to another part of the country.
The mere thought of leaving behind the things they have worked so hard to obtain will be frightening for them, and things at home may easily escalate to a rebellion, battle or even war. So, the best course of action is to sit down with your teenager and have a serious conversion about what they want, what you want and what will happen nevertheless. One thing is certain – you will have plenty of tough decisions to make, so be sure to gather and analyze all the necessary data before reaching your final decision – a decision that ought to be in everyone’s interests.
Cats, dogs and birds, as well as some other types of pets, are highly sensitive creatures and a move to a new place will most definitely have an effect of them in some way or another. However, the post-move effects will depend on the breed of your pet and the measures and cares you take to make this stressful period easier for them.
Most pets will understand that something big is about to happen as early as they notice the sudden accumulation of moving boxes in the house. Questions like “What are these rectangular containers for? They don’t seem like toys to me. And what are my owners so excited about? What’s going on? ” will be racing inside their heads and you surely won’t miss their increased anxiousness and confusion. If only you could explain to your pet in plain English what all that fuss is all about! But you can’t, so what you can do is to not neglect their needs and shower them with even more attention and cares than before.
Don’t expect your pet’s trip to your new home to be 100% problem-free. Take your loved one to their vet for a complete medical checkup and don’t forget to take some objects of their old world (favorite blanket, toy, food, etc.) to comfort them while on the road. Moreover, if you’re transporting your pet in your own vehicle, it’s a good idea to have frequent stops, especially if you own a dog, and plan your route well, especially if you’re planning to spend the night at a hotel or motel.
Give your pet some time to acclimate properly to the new surroundings.
The acclimatization period for your pet will start as soon as you move into your new home. Naturally, the first few days will tend to be really difficult for them. The post-move period is exactly the time when you need to show your dog, cat, bird or any other pet you may have how much you love them and how much you care for them. It’s normal for them to experience signs of stress, disorientation and separation anxiety at first, so be sure to devote more time to them until they regain their routine and confidence.
As a rule, the effects of moving to a new town or city reach their peak a few days after moving into your home. The adrenaline of moving day will still keep you going through the first day and maybe well into the second 24-hour period. Then there are the immediate tasks that you will need to take care of (unpacking and arranging your home, finding a new school for your child, choosing a new family physician, etc.) before allowing yourself some breathing space. And it’s not until you officially enter the acclimatization period that your life can finally return to some semblance of normality.
If your post-move adaptation period seems to be taking too long and you fail to see its end in sight, take advantage of the following proven moving tips for settling into a new city:
Look around you: Closing the outside door of your new home and spending the majority of your time inside is the wrong approach altogether that won’t help you much to adapt to the new unfamiliar settings. New home, new neighbors, new neighborhood, new city, new state – where have your excitement and curiosity gone?
Be fearless: You shouldn’t let the fear of the unknown environment hold you back – be open to new friendships, explore your new city and don’t be afraid to say “Yes!” to exciting and inspiring adventures.
Design your comfort: Your move to a new home will be your perfect opportunity to rediscover the masterful designer in you. Decorate your apartment or house completely to your exquisite taste so that you become the king of your unconquerable fortress.
Remember your old pals: Yes, you will make new friends and some of them may even become lifelong friends of yours, but do not commit the mistake of turning your back on your old pals. Nothing can melt the new city blues away like hearing the voice of your childhood friend or reading a letter from your favorite neighbor.
Patience, courage, optimism and a touch of resourcefulness will help you avoid the uncanny new city blues.
It’s a complicated question and only sufficient time after your cross country move will provide you with a satisfactory answer. No one knows what tomorrow will bring, but as long as you have the courage to leave your comfort zone, you’ll feel, as if by magic, how that same comfort zone widens and expands into the new city until the moment comes when you get that overwhelmingly familiar and highly welcoming sense of belonging.
And it does feel nice to belong somewhere, doesn’t it?
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