How to Deal with Leaving Loved Ones for a Move

Have you recently made a long distance move? Leaving friends and family behind is one of the hardest parts of relocating. If you find yourself longing for the familiarity of loved ones even after you have unpacked and settled into your new life, these tips will help you cope with the distance and stay in touch.

Keep busy
A great way to battle homesickness after a move is to fill your time with fun activities and pursue your interests. Join a social group, club, volunteer organization, gym or sports team in your new city to make new friends. Before relocating, do a little research on your area to find out more about what it has to offer. This way, when you arrive you will already have some ideas of how to productively spend your free time, rather than just moping about how much you miss your loved ones.

Plan a return trip home.
If your budget will allow, begin making plans for a visit home as soon as you settle into your new place. Anticipating a return visit will help you battle the sadness of missing loved ones. Depending on the distance of your move, try to plan trips home as often as your schedule permits, and be sure to invite your loved ones to come visit you in your new city too.

Use technology to stay in touch.

Technological advances in our day and age allow for much easier long distance communication with our loved ones. Social media, email, text messages, and even video chat make keeping in touch as easy as a tap of your smartphone. If you don't have time for an in-depth conversation, a quick text or Facebook comment to connect with your friends and family is helpful. When you have more time, using programs like Skype and Face Time allows you to communicate face-to-face with your loved ones, no matter how far away they are.

Make time to reach out.
Your new life may be busy, but don't let your jam-packed schedule prevent you from connecting with your loved ones back home. Make it a point to set aside specific days and times for interaction via phone calls or online chats. This will be appreciated by your family and friends, and it will diminish your loneliness and homesickness significantly. While keeping busy is a great way to distract yourself from missing your loved ones, communicating with them often will ensure that you hardly have the chance to miss them at all.