🍎 Living Well Through Transitions Abroad
- Erin Frobenius
- Sep 10
- 2 min read
In my last post September Shifting I wrote about seasonal changes - cooler days, yellow leaves, it's dark earlier in the evening - and the return to routines after summer.
🌏 For internationals, September often means more than seasonal shifts:
· Returning from holidays in your home country
· Re-adjusting to a city that feels familiar but not fully your own
· Jumping back into work, school, or social routines abroad
🏄♀️ It’s natural to feel homesickness, grief, anxiety, or disconnection during this time. Acknowledging these emotions is an important part of moving through them.
Last week I encouraged adding movement to help with transitions.
Today, I have another suggestion for you:
💪 Focus on your strengths - resilience, adaptability, curiosity - all essential for life abroad.
Try this practice:
Each evening, write down one small positive moment. Then note the strength or action that made it possible.
Here is an example:
Positive moment: Chatted with a neighbor.
Strengths: Put phone away before leaving the house, stayed open to interaction (curiosity, vulnerability).
🏋 Notice how this one positive moment impacts your mood. At the end of the week, reflect on your moments and strengths, and carry the practice to next week - maybe even capturing 2–3 per day.
Now you have two ideas to help with transitions:
👟 Movement (my go to - keep walking!)
🏋 Focus on your strengths, write them down and reflect.
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Next week I’ll be back to wrap up this three part series about transition.
In the meantime, are you looking for more support during transitions? I offer one-to-one counseling. Let’s start with a free 20-minute chat - bring a challenge, and you’ll leave feeling supported and with a practical tip or two. I am here for you!
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Send me a dm to let me know how you feel after a few days of reflecting. I'd love to know how it's going.
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