Mindsets supporting your move
The mindset you adopt can make a huge difference.
Do you know what happens when you approach a race with the following mindset: I am too short, I will never run as fast as they do, i’m going to fail? You will likely fail!
Now, imagine the same race but you approach the challenge with this mindset: OK, i’m not the tallest but i’m going to try my best, i will at least go full speed over half of the track.
Succeeding or failing has a lot to do with the mindset you have decide to adopt.
Let’s go through some of the mindsets that we captured during our podcasts with real folks who moved. Do note that, for each mindset, the video and the text may give you slightly different perspectives. This is done on purpose.
It’s an adventure!
If you are planning to move or you are moving, you are going on a journey and you should approach moving as an adventure. You are going to break your routine. You are going to face unexpected opportunities and challenges. And this is fine because this is what an adventure is.
Adventures are made of good and bad days. You will remember good days and we will give you tips on how to turn a bad day into an opportunity.
You will meet new People on your adventure. Welcome opportunities and make use of critical thinking. If there are People you feel you should not engage with, don’t.
Don’t try to plan every single detail of your journey. You do not need to. Yes, you need to carefully plan your admin things (visa, house sale/purchase) but you do not need to go through every single detail of your journey. For instance, if you know that there is quite some choice in terms of short-stay rentals in the area where you will move to then you do not need to pre-book a rental for 6 months. Pre-book something for a week, up to a month, and explore the surrounding areas so that you can make a better choice. The context is changing so you want to leave your options open.
We are a team!
Why work as a team when we can work alone?
If you are moving, you are on a journey and you do want some support for this journey.
Yes, the system has taught you to compete against other People and has raised you into an individualistic mindset but this isn’t good for you. If you were to work as a team your move would likely progress faster.
If you move as a family, do involve the family members in the conversation about the move. Dinner time and weekends are a great opportunity to open up and have a conversation. Listen to what others have to say. Consider their viewpoint. Understand their concerns. Your kids may have some concerns related to leaving their friends.
Working as a team helps you to reduce misalignment between those who are part of or relate to this move. If you do not communicate you will have misunderstandings and thus may run into issues. “Well, you didn’t tell me humidity would be that high and that is an issue for me!”. Did you guys talk about the climate in this part of Brazil?
A team supports each other. On some days, some teammates will have low energy or low motivation and others are here to support them. Whereas if you were to work on the move by yourself and you have low energy because you already work long hours every day then the move may not progress as planned.
Now, if you move by yourself, this mindset can still support you. Why wouldn't you talk to your family, relatives, and connections about your move? Well, they are polarized or they don’t care. Simply let them know your plan. Plant a seed. Their mindset may change with time. As you inform People they may become interested in your story. They may ask questions or share ideas when they encounter challenges.
Working as a team is fundamental.
Problems are opportunities!
Most People see problems as problems which is a logical approach. Well, a problem is just an event. in itself, it is neither positive nor negative. You perceive it in this manner. So why not start to perceive these events are opportunities?
Your return flight is postponed to the next day. Alright, how can you turn this into an opportunity? Well, look at your options. Could you ask the airline to accommodate you in the nearby hotel and seize the opportunity to discover the nearby park or to progress some stuff you wanted to work on? Do you happen to know someone in the surrounding area?
Every time you encounter a problem, make it a habit to pause and look at how you can turn this into an opportunity. It is a counter-intuitive behavior as most People react. As you get used to pausing and looking at options your brain will naturally follow this path every time you encounter a problem. At some point, People around you will start seeing what you do and will adopt your behavior. Imagine if you were to develop this mindset among People who are around you: family members, friends, co-workers?
Problems are opportunities.
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Let go!
The sofa that you love to sit in, the painting on the wall, the stylish lamp you bought in Italy, the car you love driving, the campervan that took you on great adventures. The emotional attachment to stuff we own exists. If you have grown up in a society of consumption you are likely used to buying stuff. You have been conditioned to do so.
If you are moving, it’s an opportunity to let go of these things, especially if you are going to move to another continent, especially if the cost of moving all this is high.
The attachment to material things is really in your head and it is hard to get rid of these things.
Let me help you.
You are moving and although you may be leaving behind some stuff you like, you are taking with you your skills, your idea, your mindset and potentially People you love and care for. So even if you let behind all these physical things, you are actually carrying way more with you.
One practice you can get started with is to trim down on what you have. Start selling or donating things you do not need.
As you move to another place, you will access new things.
You will also have to let go of People. Neighbors, the shopkeeper you see every week, People at the local park. You can keep in touch with these People. They can give them opportunities to visit you. The place where you move to will provide you with opportunities to meet new People. If the local culture is different, it will be quite an experience for you.
Let’s be lazy!
Have you ever asked a lazy person how he would move a sofa halfway across the city? Well, you may be surprised by the answer. It may actually turn out to be the idea that requires the least energy.
If you are living in a Western society, you often overcomplicate what is actually simple. It's no surprise because the school system has taught you to do so.
So ask yourself, what is the minimum amount of energy that i need to use to reach my objective?
And so first thing first, what is your objective or goal or the outcome you are after? Once defined, ask yourself what is the minimum amount of energy (time, money, effort) that i need to use to reach this?
Sometimes we cannot accept that the solution is this simple but it often is. And so we went into endless analysis, endless thinking, and the solution was here all along. And you cannot accept that it is that simple.
Your time is highly valuable. It's about making the best use of it. Moving is simply a tool to reach an outcome (happiness, feeling of more sovereignty over your own body, ...). Spend the least amount of energy on moving while still reaching what you aim for.
Be flexible!
The idea consists of you being flexible and giving yourself flexibility.
Being flexible is not a mindset that may be natural to you, especially if you are going through the same routine every day for the past few years. You are used to doing things one way so if anyone comes your way and suggests you to do the thing that you do in another way you may perceive him as annoying... “Why would i do things differently?!?”
And your question is legitimate. Why would you do things in a different manner?
See being flexible as a welcoming option. You have the option of doing what you are doing in the way you do it. But, are you aware of the other options? Well, look at this option where you could potentially do the same thing but save half of your time. What could you do with this extra time?
And so as you start paying attention to options, you will start discovering options across multiple aspects of your life. You have one bank account with one currency. Have you looked at the option of opening another bank account with a different currency?
Giving yourself options means that you should be careful about anything limiting your options. Keep your options open, especially in a context where the situation is dynamic, especially if there are no requirements to limit your options. You are moving to Merida and you are not sure which neighborhood you would like to live in. Why would you commit to a 6-month rental? Simply book a short stay for a few weeks and discover the neighborhood so that you leave your options open.