The year 2020 was for many people a disaster. Many people lost their income and a large part of the year restaurants and cafes could not open their doors to the public. Kids changed to home schooling and university students had no choice than to study online. You could not travel unless it was essential. Several countries closed their borders, and many citizens were on waiting lists to return to their home country.
We stopped hugging and kissing, started wearing masks and dozens of people got ill. For some having Covid was a breeze while others are still fighting the aftereffects. The year 2020 – a year that many wish to forget and instead set our hopes for future years to come.
The year 2021 was not proving to be much better. Where I live, we were still wearing masks and cafes and restaurants seemed to be eternally shut. Non-essential shops closed, re-opened and were forced to close again. Certain parts of big shops were a no-go area.
The year 2020 seemed to go on……
We thought the pandemic was more or less over, but the little corona critter is a champion at mutating. More contagious corona strains were waiting to spread as soon as borders loosened their restrictions. Some countries kept their borders closed but in Europe it seemed that travel, albeit under certain conditions started to become easier.
It was understandable as for instance South European countries were close to bankrupt. They needed tourist income, and the hospitality industry all over needed a huge boost. Certain age groups have been vaccinated while others were still waiting. Test labs were churning out the PCR test results as many countries required that as a condition of entry.
Where is everyone?
The fact that travel would be easier was an attractive thing but also very worrying. The next mutation of the virus was only one flight away from entering Europe.
It must be very hard to be a leader nowadays because whatever they decided to do, it could be the wrong decision. The bottom line is that many people had had enough and were ignoring the restrictive rules more and more. Yet the danger of corona spreading further is not a thing of the past.
It is also interesting to see how Europa suddenly has become a continent with individual countries again. Every country seems to have different rules and criteria. Restaurants were open in one country while others are still in lockdown. In France, even in 2022, you still have to wear a mask when entering medical practices and hospitals.
How to adapt your lifestyle
Despite all what happened in the year 2020 and seemed to continue to some degree in the years after, you had the option to make the most of it. When you couldn’t sit on a terrace, you could always have a picnic outside instead. If there was a curfew, you could do things during the day. When the travel limit was 10 km, you could find a nice hike within that distance.
There is something to say about seeing the positive sight whether you agree or not…..
Having a picnic outside instead of a meal in a cafe
During 2020, we all learned to adapt and to live under different conditions even if we did not like it. Although many people managed to handle this forced lifestyle relatively adequately there are countless of people who suffered. Especially the elderly, but also young people and students who feel they have lost a few years of their lives. I also know of a few people whose relationships started showing cracks during lockdown.
In fact with a bit of imagination and following the rules, we even managed to fit in a few housesits!
Yet in the big scheme of things, the covid pandemic is by many seen as a thing of the past. However the little critter is still out there and only time will tell what is the impact…
Are you dreaming of moving to a different country? Chances are you are perfectly happy where you are, but sometimes you can’t help craving the idea of a life abroad.
Longing for a different and better life for yourself and your family is often the initial inspiration for a move abroad. Maybe you like a cultural or climate change, want to immerse yourself in another language or just crave an adventure.
Reasons for moving to a different country
Many people from the ‘New World’ countries have a romantic presupposition about moving to older cultures. For instance Australians tend to see spending a period in France or Italy as the ultimate dream come true. While many retired Americans move to France for a longer period to find out whether such a move could be off permanent nature. British people have a reputation of seeking out a new beginning in many South European countries.
Such moves are all driven by positive motives. However nowadays more critical reasons come into play on a regular base. War, recession and wanting to escape a political regime are amongst those reasons why people consider moving abroad.
The hidden dangers of moving abroad
Aside from the romantic notion, the practical consequences of ‘moving abroad‘ can be daunting. Settling in another country could strip you from all your professional credibility and your qualifications may not have the same status as they have at home.
If your new country has a different language, it is likely to cause you severe stress. It will frustrate you that you don’t know how to do things. Your new local community might not immediately accept you or with great hesitation. These are just some of the ‘issues’ that may arise after settling elsewhere.
Whatever your motives are for moving abroad it is wise to spend time reflecting on a few essential things. Firstly moving to a different country requires a lot of preparation, organisation and the willingness to start from scratch. Secondly take your time to prepare yourself mentally and physically. Above all be willing and prepared to adapt to habits and customs in your new country.
Consider this before moving to a different country
Take time to assess your big ‘WHY. Brainstorm your motives, emotionally and rationally. Assess the things you will lose or gain and how you and your family will handle that.
Plan a temporary move. Rent a house in the country of your choice and live the local life for 6 months and see how you fit in.
Consider the practical and emotional consequences for you, your partner, your kids, your jobs and other essential things in life.
If the idea of a lifestyle change appeals to you, but you are unsure how to start, reach out and chat with me.
Suddenly whether you are positive about it or not, you find yourself in your fifties or sixties!
They say that ’60 is the new 40′ or ’50 is the new 30′! I don’t know what you make of such claims, but they sound attractive to me. I personally have never made an issue out of ageing and accept it as a natural and positive thing that happens to us in life.
It may be the practical Dutch woman in me, but let’s be honest there is not much you can do about ageing. We all grow older in years and honestly, we should be happy that we get the chance!
It is all in the mind!
You can’t stop time, but you can be in charge of HOW you grow older! After all you are the director of your ageing process and you can tweak your perception of it in any way. If you do happen to have ‘hang-ups’ about it consider WHY. I believe it is all in the mind and in the eye of the beholder.
So put your angst regarding ‘Life after 50’ to a stop, throw your negative thoughts aside and be open-minded for what could be waiting for you. Start believing that you can do anything at any age. Admittedly there are a number of health problems that may be restrictive. Yet one Google search will show you that many people with severe health issues manage to do the most amazing and inspiring things.
Dream or reality?
Making the most out of your later years is a wonderful positive thing we all should aim for. Whether you want to stay where you are, seek more adventure, move abroad, start a business – it is all possible!
You may have to assess your health, your finances and social connections before you start crushing such changes. However, if you dream of becoming a grey nomad, travel or buying a beach hut in Thailand, it is all within reach!
These things may seem like dreams, but they can become reality. It requires belief, patience, guts and courage but they can be a course of action! It ultimately depends on your mindset and your willingness to change and adapt. See it as an adventure and make the most of it! That attitude will eventually dictate whether it becomes a success or a failure.
On a positive note!
If you like to venture into such dreams, my advice is to start with some soul searching. Do this before you throw yourself into adventures that may or may not resonate with you. If you, after some self-scrutiny feel that you have an adventurous streak in you, say YES to it! Because if you don’t, you may regret it at a possibly ‘too late stage’!
Imagine yourself as a 100-year-old looking back at your 50+ year old and saying……If only!
If you still have your doubts, here is how we can assist!
Easy Done Change can help you to deal with change.
If you want to discuss this further, contact us to schedule a30 minutes FREE call
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Change is a fascinating topic and the prospect of change may not be appealing to everybody. It may excite some while it terrifies others. I personally thrive on change: it motivates me and causes me take initiatives.
Since 2017 my life has been full of change and I mean rather big lifestyle changes. I used to live in Brisbane, had a house full of teenagers and ran a garden business. I exchanged it for an indoor career, being an empty nester and moved from a big city in Australia to a small town in France.
Our lifestyle changes in a nutshell
This all happened within a few years. We made the decision, sold our house and rented instead, bought a house in France and turned it into a holiday rental.
When we set the date to leave, we sold most of our belongings as shipping them to France would be expensive. Also, we weren’t sure whether the furniture we had in Australia would be attractive in an historical French house. It was a curious process to sell things we had for years. Some were easy to leave behind while memories of others still give me a stab of nostalgia.
Some of the changes we made
I gave up a thriving garden business that I can’t replicate in France because of the differences in climate. Also, I feel that gardening professionally may not be a long-term solution for someone in their sixties.
We sold our car and made do without one for a year but realised that the limited local public transport was restricting us to make the most of the beautiful area we now live in.
In Australia we used suntan every day of the year and avoided the sun while in France we seek out the sun to soak up enough Vitamin D.
Brisbane gave us killer mosquitoes, sticky flies, plenty of spiders and huge cockroaches while in France we hardly ever see an insect. A huge difference is the birdlife – the sound of a flog of cockatoos waking you up is rather different than the soft tweak of the local French birds. I definitely miss the unique call of the Kookaburra.
In Brisbane we had two daughters and usually a home stay student or two living with us. A full dinner table every night with great meals and chatty cultural exchanges. Now we are empty nesters and have ‘Diner à Deux’ unless we socialise.
The prospect of change in retrospective
Lots of changes and a totally different life as a result. I am not saying it is better, but it is certainly not worse. It is different, exciting and on many occasions incredibly challenging because of the language.
Would I turn back the time or wish I had never made these changes? Only on occasions when French bureaucracy is playing games with us, but mostly not. Life has become simpler, cheaper and in many aspects much more pleasant.
So, if you feel the thrill of change knocking on your door, don’t ignore it but explore it!
If however, the prospect of change makes you feel uneasy, contact us for a FREE call to explore this further.
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