How much Self-Care are you administering in the midst of the Re-entry or Relocation Journey?

Time and again, I end up in conversations with people – mostly women I have to say – who are simply working on auto-pilot and tending to everyone else’s needs while quietly whining inwardly.

Ultimately, that bubble bursts out, often at inopportune moments: What will it take? How bad does it have to get before we build ourselves a bubble of nurturing self-care.

The following list came from a group of women who juggle families, travel and careers. It might behoove each of us, whether recently arrived or a veteran of Re-entry, to try one or two tiny habits on for size and then examine the results.

1. Start to develop friends and your tribe by aligning yourself with people who have either navigated this journey or have experience in moving.
2. Find people to laugh with at the absurdity of what you are going through, or people who understand your tears, fears and frustrations – online communities, IAAT or others.
3. Make the details of life easy – use Amazon Prime, have stuff delivered.

4. Drop several of your daily tasks – replace them with some sort of pleasurable activity; I recently took up Pickleball – which meant I had to give up something else, but I found a new tribe who are more interesting.
5. Meditate in the morning and when you feel like the world is crashing.

6. Keep your best mates around the globe up to date with your life…with technology we can still meet face to face on Facetime.
7. Schedule your hair, makeup and nails…..put them on the calendar for months ahead;

8. Consider getting coaching or counseling through the darkest moments;
9. Do only what is required – nothing extra;
10. Distance yourself from toxic people and their problems,

11. Join a Mastermind group….allow yourself to be supported;
12. Get sufficient sleep;
13. Work – pause – take time off, play, then work again….give yourself time and space;

14. Allow yourself to grieve – build in some time for it on your calendar – yes, really, really!
15. Simplify your commitments;
16. Develop a sanctuary for your soul. A comfy chair, a cozy corner, a favorite journal, give yourself a safe space;

17. Eat on schedule, work out, make your bed a haven of comfort and joy!
18. Imagine yourself being the person who has successfully navigated Re-Entry and won;
19. Listen to books on tape, only read positive materials for a while;

20. Travel with comfy socks, a satin pillow-case and lavender oil – I call these my trifecta of travel;
21. Pause – when you are about to react, go off the deep-end or lash out – just pause, take a deep breath;
22. How much water are you drinking?

23. How many steps per day is your goal? – they say that sitting is the new smoking;

24. Visit your vision every.single.day;
We all have unique signature-care-taking patterns – whether we are aware of them – or not. What are yours? And if you are about to embark on the journey of Re-entry or Relocation or are in the midst and riding the waves of instability or insecurity, write down some of your very best self-care practices – then take action to do them – all in one day if that’s what it takes to feel better, or sprinkle them throughout your week.


What if this could be easy, way easier than you thought?

I don’t know about you, but I find when I am in Re-entry (several times a year right now with international travel), I notice that I need to take much better physical care of myself. Going back and forth between two “home cultures and countries” I am constantly subjecting myself to tiny mini-doses of Re-entry.

I notice that when I give up my good habits, my preferred environment and things like eating on schedule, working out and sleeping in my own bed, the disruption can spiral out of control and affect my internal sense of well-being.

Whether you are big time into Re-entry or moving to a previous culture and country that you once called “home”, a Re-entry Reset will happen – no matter what. Be prepared to manage it with better self-care. Imagine yourself into greater self-care and beyond regular health, but in magnificent vibrant health.

Don’t forget to drink water, get 10,000 steps or as close as possible every day. I listen to positive books on Audible at every available opportunity, I travel with comfy socks, a silk pillow case and real French lavender oil from an abbey I recently visited in France. I smell it first thing in the morning and last thing at night, it helps me calm my thoughts and collect myself.

Simple signs of self-care give your subconscious mind signals that you are serious about taking care of yourself and putting yourself first.

Deliver some good self-love into your system when you are mid-Re-entry, Relocation or travelling anywhere – you will be glad you did.

Here’s to the BEST Re-entry You Can Possibly Dream Up!

Posted in Reentry Rockstars