We all have some sort of dreams and desires within us, whether it be a career that we feel is too late to try, a hobby or sport we are a bit too nervous to get out and try, or even picking up and moving abroad. Deep down many of us have a bit more inside of us that we fantasize and daydream about.
If moving abroad is something that lingers inside your heart but you just aren’t sure it’s right for you, don’t give up all hope just yet. It really is something that can become your new reality and to be honest, if I was able to do it, I am pretty sure just about anyone can do it!
What stands in our way is usually our doubts and fears and the what if’s…what if it doesn’t work out, what if I made the wrong decision. Well, you really won’t know until you try! Do you want to live your whole life never knowing if there was more out there for you than settling for the routine and walls of fear you have created?
They say that one of the top regrets of those that are dying is “I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me” and “I wish I had let myself be happier.”
Detach from Your Job, Everyone Can Be Replaced
At 40, I took the leap and stopped wondering what if. I had a very good job with the government, wonderful family and friends, and lived in a beautiful town. But Costa Rica had always been calling since my first visit in 2012 and immediately knew it was where I wanted to be living abroad.
Something I wish I had come to realize was that everyone is replaceable at work. I kept coming up with reasons why I needed to be committed to my position at work and felt guilty if I were to leave. But in the end, you are only holding yourself back and coming up with excuses. The time is right when you want it to be and then everything seems to just fall into place when you make the decision.
As the world continues to evolve and adapt many positions can even be done remotely. This is something I wish I had thought about before moving abroad. It would have been a lot easier to have had an agreed-upon remote position before leaving my home country instead of searching for one once I was living abroad.
Let Go of Your Possessions and Find Joy in the Experience
The best way to begin your journey of moving abroad is to start downsizing by selling and donating your possessions. You will start to learn how little you need and how much is unnecessary. Filling yourself with memories and moments is where happiness comes from, the new friendships and adventures.
Putting the possessions, you don’t want to part with in a storage rental can provide you with the comfort of knowing not all is lost if you are still unsure. Hang on to it until you are ready to move abroad or have the security of keeping some of your treasured possessions safely tucked away while living abroad. Once you are confident it is where you want to stay permanently after time in the country abroad then make your final decisions on the rest of your things.
I wasn’t quite ready to let go of all of my possessions that I thought I treasured so much and couldn’t possibly part. I kept some things that I didn’t want to bring with me just yet safely stored away in my home country. Only to find out that over time you detach and realize they are just taking up space. It was only the memory and feeling I had attached to them. It is a wonderful and freeing feeling to just let things go!
Travel and Rent in the Country Abroad First
Moving abroad doesn’t have to be permanent, that is one of the biggest misconceptions that many people have. There are several different ways one can live abroad. Yes you can sell everything you own, have property bought and off you go….but why put that stress on yourself? Moving abroad is supposed to be fun and exciting.
First, the most important thing is to go visit the country that you dream of moving abroad to, getting to know the ways of daily life. Travel to different areas that spark your interest and spend a bit of time there. Often where you think you want to live is truly much better as a vacation spot and you may find yourself falling in love with a different part of the country.
Rent first when you go abroad. Don’t lock yourself into an investment before you have spent some time in the country. Renting gifts you the opportunity to live like a local giving you a first-hand look at how your life will be. This was the best thing that I have done living in Costa Rica. From living at the beach and discovering the higher price of living that comes with tourist areas to smaller towns and the challenges of transportation.
Believe in Yourself and Your Dream
Moving abroad opens up a whole new world of experiences and reignites one’s joy in living. We are all much stronger than we give ourselves credit for. When we go through something such as moving abroad we come to realize how resilient and adaptive, we are and there is such a reward in that feeling.
Perhaps you might not know the language or the ins and outs of the county. But think back to when you started a new job, you didn’t know the ins and outs of how to perform it but after you put the effort in each day you became more comfortable and confident. That is what moving abroad is like. At first, you might feel a bit overwhelmed but as you adapt and discover the new ways of life it becomes your new normal.
Now my only regret is why I waited so long to move abroad and held myself back from such an amazing life that was out there waiting for me.
