Whether you’re moving to be closer to family, to pursue an exciting professional opportunity, or just to embrace a new adventure, moving can be one of the most stressful life experiences you face. It can leave you feeling not only physically exhausted but also emotionally and spiritually depleted as well. However, there are several things to help you stay both sane and spiritually healthy, even during the most difficult of moves.
Only Connect
No matter how positive relocating may be for you and your family, it can also be accompanied by loss. After all, you are saying goodbye to the people and places that have been your home. This process can take a tremendous toll on your spirit.
Transitioning to your new hometown will require you to begin reconstructing your feeling of home and belonging, even if you already have friends and family in the area. A great way to gain your bearings and develop a sense of spiritual connection with your new community is to make an effort to get involved with your new neighbors.
Volunteering in your adopted community, for instance, can be an ideal way to help you adjust to your new environment. Not only will you meet new people, but you will experience the spiritual fulfillment that only helping others can provide.
Creating a Spiritually Nourishing Environment.
Although saying goodbye to old familiar faces and places is a painful part of the process, finding the strength to let go also means making room in your life for new blessings, new comforts, and new opportunities. That is as true of your physical space as it is of your spiritual and emotional space.
Your new home, for instance, isn’t just a house. It’s also a chance for a fresh new start, and that means you have the perfect opportunity to create an environment that supports your spiritual well being. The good news is, you don’t need tons of space or Bill Gates’ bank account to do it.
The key to decorating your new space on a budget is simply to focus on what inspires you most. Look for ideas in magazines, on television, or the internet. Consider the places in your former hometown that you’ve loved, places you turned to when you wanted to soothe and uplift your spirit. From there, select color palettes, textures, and objects that remind you of those nurturing spaces.
While you are in the process of transitioning to your new home, try to focus on bringing these soothing elements into your space first. You may even choose to start setting up your house by first creating your own little meditation space, a small room, or even a secluded corner where you can retreat to when things begin to get overwhelming.
Above all, remember that one of the best things you can do for your spiritual health during stressful times is to simply get outside. If you have the outdoor space, then there isn’t a better way to cope with the stress of a move than to plant a garden. Working the soil and tending to your plants is the perfect way to practice mindfulness. Connecting with nature helps you to recharge an exhausted spirit; returning you to the source of life and health, and serenity.
Practice Self-Care
One of the most difficult aspects of moving is the chaos so often involved in the transition. The simple logistics of packing up one home and setting up another can be physically and mentally overwhelming. During this process, it can be very easy to forget about your self-care.
So, to stay spiritually healthy, it’s imperative to prioritize your physical and mental health as well. This should include eating healthy and getting enough sleep at night. In addition, making time for rest, whether it’s a nightly bubble bath or a weekly night out with your loved ones can be exactly what you need to keep yourself healthy in mind, body, and spirit.
But practicing self-care during a stressful move also means recognizing when you are struggling. For example, highly stressful events can lead to significant anxiety, though it’s not always easy to recognize the signs.
You might, for instance, experience insomnia or difficulty concentrating. You might lose your appetite or conversely, you might find yourself eating or drinking too much. You may become irritable or experience feelings of dread or hopelessness. Unless you recognize and address the signs of anxiety, not only will your physical health suffer, but so will your spiritual well being.
Fortunately, there are many strategies for combating anxiety, from meditation to mindfulness. When lifestyle changes aren’t sufficient, some medications may be prescribed on a short-term basis by a licensed psychiatrist to help manage symptoms through the most stressful period of transition.
The Takeaway
No matter the reason, moving is always a highly stressful experience. It can inflict significant harm on your spiritual health. However, there are steps you can take to nurture your spiritual wellness as you move into this new stage of your life.