Mindful Expat Episode 18: Learning from Our Emotions (Part II): Learning to Listen to Yourself

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What you’ll hear in this episode:

• A continuation of our last discussion about how our emotions can actually give us useful messages about our needs — if only we can learn how to listen and decode the messages they’re sending us!
• Some of the reasons why many people have learned to distrust their emotional signals — and how we can begin to practice listening to them again.
• An exercise for you to practice listening to your own inner voice and begin to tune in to your own needs more effectively. Read More

Mindful Expat Episode 7: Diving Deeper into Mindfulness & Balancing Acceptance with Change

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What you’ll hear in this episode:

• A discussion of the different attitudes of mindfulness — beginner’s mind, non-judgment, acknowledgment, non-striving, letting be, self-reliance, and self-compassion.
• That acceptance and commitment to change and growth are not in opposition to one another and can, in fact, coexist.
• About my plans to attend the FIGT conference next week!
• A sneak peek at what’s coming up in next week’s episode.
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Embracing Change & Going With the Flow

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streamHeraclitus (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

Cultural Adjustment, Part 5: Wrapping Up & Food for Thought

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adventureIn the last several posts, we’ve been discussing various aspects of the cultural adjustment process that many expats may experience when moving abroad.

We’ve discussed the experience of culture shock, reviewed some models of cultural adjustment, looked into the experience of repatriation (moving back home after time abroad), and covered some topics specific to moving abroad with kids or teens.

While these articles have only begun to scratch the surface, I hope that they have given you some things to think about as you prepare for your international move or as you try to make sense of your current experiences living abroad.

I’m sure this won’t be the last blog post on cultural adjustment, but it is the final post in this Cultural Adjustment Series, and I wanted to leave you with a few take-home points.
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Welcome to Inner Journeys — A Blog for Those on a Quest for Both Inner & Outer Adventures!

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hikerDid you move abroad full of excitement and a spirit of adventure but now find that you’re feeling a bit lost and disconnected from yourself?

Or were you a reluctant adventurer, coming along with your parter — and now your relationship is feeling strained from the stresses of life abroad and your shifting roles?

Or perhaps you’re generally doing well and enjoying this expat adventure, but you’d like to make more space for balance, authenticity, and groundedness — and to deepen the sense of meaning in your life.

Wherever you are in your journey, I’m glad you found your way here. I hope you will find this blog to be a source of both information and inspiration as you navigate your own inner and outer journeys! Read More