What you’ll hear in this episode:
• The benefits of practicing gratitude (to our emotional, psychological, and physical health!).
• What it even means to “practice” gratitude. (And how doing so can help you experience more spontaneous gratitude as well!)
• A short gratitude practice that you can incorporate into your daily routine that is supported by a bunch of research. Read More
What you’ll hear in this episode:
• I ask you to reflect on whether you’re waiting on something to really start living and encourage you to think about how this may present a barrier to living in the present moment.
• We discuss how to allow yourself to start really living right now, even as you may also be working toward your goals or trying to overcome obstacles.
• We discuss how gratitude practice can play a central role in being more fully present in our daily lives. Read More
What you’ll learn in this episode:
• How change is an inevitable part of our lives — especially when we’re living abroad — and how accepting and even embracing change (rather than resisting it) can allow us to be happier.
• Some tips for learning how to accept and embrace change in your life — including practicing being fully present, recognizing that this too shall pass, welcoming change (or relaxing into it), practicing gratitude, and practicing self-compassion. Read More
Today’s Mindful Expat Guest is Amel Derragui!
Amel is the host of the amazing Tandem Nomads podcast, which is a wonderful resource for expat partners. An adult third culture kid (TCK) and expat partner herself, she has a wonderful, inspiring perspective on the unique challenges and opportunities faced by global nomads. Amel has built a portable career for herself as a freelance marketing and communications consultant, and she now helps other global nomad entrepreneurs develop businesses that feels satisfying and meaningful to them and that work for them in their lives abroad.
What you’ll hear in today’s episode:
• About Amel’s own journey as a third culture kid (TCK), expat partner, and global nomad entrepreneur.
• Some of the common challenges faced by expat partners — especially around issues of personal and professional identity.
• Amel’s philosophy of turning the challenges into great opportunities! (And some tips for how to make this mental shift.)
• The importance of routines and building structure into our lives abroad.
• The importance cultivating gratitude in our lives.
• The importance of expressing our appreciation for our partners (even about the small things). Read More
Heraclitus (an ancient Greek philosopher) wrote, “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.”
I love this metaphor.
The moment you step in the water, it has already moved on, constantly flowing, constantly changing.
You may look at the river and see what looks like a single entity, but, of course, its very nature is constant change.
And, as Heraclitus so rightly points out, so is ours.
“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” —Heraclitus
Both we and our lives are constantly changing. Our bodies are changing. Our perspectives and even our personalities are growing and evolving, responding to the flow of our experiences. Our values may change. What we want may change. The circumstances and events of our lives are in a constant flux. Our emotions are ebbing and flowing from one moment to the next.
When we try to hold on to the moment, to prevent things from changing, we often feel out of control, desperate, afraid. Sort of like trying to hold on to water as it flows through our hands. Read More
Fall is upon us!
The leaves are changing colors. The air is crisp. There’s the smell of fall in the breeze.
For those of us from North America, this time of year means Thanksgiving — Canadians just recently celebrated theirs, and those of us from the US are gearing up for ours later this week!
Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, why not use this time of year as a reminder to step back and reflect on all the things in your life for which you feel thankful?
It’s easy to get focused on what’s frustrating or stressful, what we miss about life back home, or just on the daily grind. But taking the time to actively cultivate gratitude and appreciation for the gifts in our lives can have enormous benefits — to our emotional wellbeing, our physical health, and our relationships with those that matter most to us.
Sometimes we just need reminders. And a little practice.