The Comedown and How to Get Through It

Expatability Chat

11-01-2023 • 35 mins

How to cope with the comedown when you’ve moved overseas.

Not long after you’ve arrived in your new country, there comes a time when it suddenly hits you – ‘Oh, is that it? Now what?’ You feel quite down and flat and wonder if you’ve made a terrible mistake.

We all know that moving overseas is really exciting. It heralds great change, perhaps the hope of a better future and a better life. To most families it represents a new start in their lives both professionally and personally.

But many new expats are shocked that it isn't all happy days and paradise living and begin to second guess their decision.

It’s OK, this is a completely normal experience; and it can often hit harder after the holiday season, which is why I want to talk about it now.

Why does this come-down happen? And what can you do to get through this feeling? Yes, through is the word I mean, because it is a transient feeling; it will pass.

When it happens after you’ve moved, I call it the comedown, or the 6-month slump. And then we have the ‘expat blues’, which is a similar feeling, and is relevant to this time of year. See the links below for articles I’ve written about these.

So, listen to this episode to learn coping methods, and tips to help you get through it, and once you understand why this feeling happens, you’ll be better prepared to power on through!



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