What to do When You Feel Homesick
- May 6, 2021
- 5 min read
Written by: Veerle Beelen, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Do you ever feel like you miss home so much that you can’t even enjoy your new surroundings anymore? You’re not the only one! It’s actually very common to feel homesick sometimes while transitioning from one place to another one. Whether it’s for temporary travel or whether you move to another place or new country.
When you feel homesick, it doesn’t mean you need to jump on the first plane back home, though!
It usually has not much to do with the home as a place itself, but it is more a wave of emotions caused by the fact that you need to adjust yourself to a new place.
However, the most important question is: what can you do about it?
Here are some tips on things you can do when you feel homesick:
Let’s get started!
Like waves, these feelings will come and go.
The good news is: like waves, these feelings of homesickness will come and go! Homesickness is not a disease. It’s a temporary feeling of discomfort. Even though you might sometimes feel like it will stay with you forever, that is not true. It will pass, and you will feel better.
Visit a place that feels familiar.
When you notice feelings of homesickness, it helps to visit a place in your area that feels familiar to you. For example, a coffee shop that you can visit regularly or some other place makes you feel comfortable. After a while, this can help you feel more attached to this place, which can help to beat homesickness. Homesickness is often caused by feeling detached from wherever you are, and that makes you miss home and the things that were familiar to you in the past.
Create a new home away from home.
Besides visiting new places regularly to make them feel more familiar to you, you can also start exploring your new surroundings to create more attachment and eventually a home feeling. The more you find out about your new neighborhood, city, or country, the more comfortable you will feel. This also comes with making new connections. Try to connect with some locals or other travelers or expats, who can tell you more about your new place of residence. Perhaps you can form some new friendships with them, which can help you feel more connected.
Focus on the present moment.
When you have feelings of homesickness, this often shows itself in some form of anxiety, sadness, depression, or stress. People experience it in different ways, but it usually has to do with longing for the past or thinking about the future instead of being connected with yourself in the present moment. When you feel homesick, it’s easy to compare everything in your new surroundings with what you had before, even if your current situation might be better in terms of housing or career or something else. Comparison puts you into a negative spiral and makes you feel even more disconnected from where you are. Tools like meditation, journaling, or exercise can help you connect with yourself and feel more present in your current surroundings.
There is nothing to be ashamed of.
As I said before, feeling homesick is completely normal and common among people who travel or live abroad. Don’t feel ashamed to talk about this with someone. You might feel that other people who haven’t left home won’t understand you. Talk to someone you can trust and who listens to you. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing these feelings with your friends or family, you can always connect with other travelers or expats who might be going through the same experience. More often than you would perhaps expect, people will show empathy and understanding for what you are going through because they have had similar experiences. You can also hire a coach who can help you get through this transition phase and focus on your mindset.
Do the things you love the most.
Try to do activities that you enjoy. Whether you do similar hobbies as you used to do at home or try out something new that you have always wanted to try out, it doesn’t matter. In my case, when I moved to Australia, one of the first activities I did was taking surf lessons because it had always been something I wanted to try and felt really excited about.
Doing an activity that you enjoy can help you get out of your mind and focus on something more positive. Besides that, it can offer a great opportunity to connect with like-minded people, feel more comfortable and connect with yourself on a deeper level.
Be compassionate with yourself.
Self-love is always important, but even more in situations like this when you’re transitioning into a new place and might feel homesick sometimes. Feel compassionate for what you are going through, and don’t criticize yourself for feeling this way. The more empathy you have for yourself, the easier it will be to deal with negative thoughts. When you feel like you got your own back and feel happy in your own company, you can start enjoying yourself more and shift your mindset towards positive outcomes. Practice with positive affirmations whenever a negative thought comes up. When you train your mind every day to focus on the positive, you will become more aware of your negative thought patterns and turn these around into a brighter outlook on life.
Are you ready to beat homesickness and create a feeling of home away from home?
To summarize the above, it’s important to realize that feelings of homesickness are like waves. They come and go.
Visit places that feel familiar to you, explore your new surroundings, and make new connections.
By focusing on the present moment without comparing the past or worrying about the future. You can create a safe space for yourself in the now. Do the things you love to do most and enjoy trying out new activities that make you feel more excited about your current place.
Be compassionate with yourself when you experience these feelings, and don’t feel ashamed to talk to someone else about it. Try to connect with people who may have gone through the same experience or help you shift your mindset towards a more positive outlook.
If you found this article interesting, feel free to connect with me and let me know how this has helped you in any way or if you need any support so that you can really thrive abroad in every area of your life.
Veerle Beelen, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine
Veerle Beelen is an Internationally recognized Certified Travel Coach. As a Travel Coach, she empowers travelers to have transformative travel experiences and focus on their “Travel Mindset.” Her goal is to help expats, and other travelers transform their personal lives and careers through their travel experiences, guide them through the preparation process of moving abroad and coach them through the transition process of living in a new country. Besides that, Veerle inspires people to use travel as a tool for personal growth, self-awareness, reflection, and to boost their overall wellbeing. She has been featured in various online media publications and guides her clients during their journey through her eBook, blog, online videos, articles, and personalized coaching sessions.
