After the move, you might be impatient to start your new life in a new town, or beginning your new job, and start living in a new way. There is always a great hope that this time the things will be different; that you can live a life that is more aligned with your expectations. 

After a few weeks, when you’ve already done all the tasks and finished decorating your new home, a post-move blues might sneak in unnoticed. It usually surprises many people, because hardly anyone, especially people who haven’t had a similar experience, can predict the cold grip of the post-move depression. To help you beat the moving blues, your local movers from New Haven, Connecticut, share the following insights. 

Why does it happen?

When you move to a new place, you replace all familiar sights, smells, friendly faces, and a sense of security with unknown things, strange people, and unfamiliar background. If it is your first move, you might be stunned by the size of change. You may miss things from your old life that you didn’t know they even exist. You may feel nostalgic and homesick, waiting impatiently to hear from your people about the life you’ve just left behind. Melancholy, sadness, and grief may make you withdraw and stop exploring your environment. And this is the worst you can do to yourself.

If you find yourself struggling with sadness, emptiness, and indifference, you might feel the first symptoms of depression. One of the ways to cope with the coldness of depression is to prepare yourself in advance and take the steps to prevent and minimize its negative effects.

Focus on the goals you want to accomplish

When you look back at your old life, what do you miss the most? Many people believe that their sweetest memories are what make their lives worthy and meaningful. And all these memories include people that you loved and enjoyed spending time in their presence. Having that in mind, your main goal may include creating a strong network in your new town as soon as possible.

However, making a new network is not an easy process and can take a lot of time. According to Katherine Loflin, “The City Doctor,” it takes approximately 3 to 5 years to adjust to your new place and feel like home. Because of that, keep up your strength and prepare yourself emotionally for this long process. And most importantly—don’t lose hope.

Open yourself for novelty

Keep your spirits up and start exploring your new place with curiosity. First, you may want to visit places that you naturally feel most comfortable with. For example, if you like reading books, you may want to visit your closest bookstore and get your drink. Try making it your ritual. By spending time regularly at your favorite places, you will create safe spots that may remind you of home. Once you make a couple of those locations your safety zones, you may continue exploring and widen your sense of security and comfort in a new town. 

Take baby steps

One of the most effective strategies to create a new habit is a mini-habit method. The method promotes creating a new routine by maintaining mini habits. The power of this method reflects the fact that it is not the quantity but the frequency of chosen activity that matters the most. Ten minutes a day every day will eventually lead to a turning point and help you establish a new habit.

To apply this method, you may commit yourself to explore the area little by little and do it every day. It is also important to continue if you skip a day or two. For example, you may decide to drink your morning coffee in your nearest café to meet locals. In the beginning, it will be enough just to appear for a fifteen-minute break. Just remember to do that every single day. Once you get accustomed to this habit, you will naturally prolong that time and most likely, meet some of the locals. 

Furnish your new space like an old home

One of the quickest ways to feel like home in a new place is to make it resembles your old home. To do that, arrange furniture in the same way as you did before and surround yourself with familiar things that make you comfortable. 

You may also want to add family photos that remind you that you once had a life. By hanging the pictures from various phases, you’ll get a sense of continuity. It is especially helpful when you select pictures captured at different places. The diverse backgrounds usually show that life is bigger and more meaningful than moving. And once the post-move blues fades away, you will finally settle down again.

Be proactive

Once you find your safe spot, whether it is your nearest gym, some local organization, or your hobby classes, be proactive and initiate contact with like-minded people. Just be wary—don’t overdo it. Have in mind that different people have different pace when it comes to building relationships. Thus, respect their boundaries and follow your instinct. When you are relaxed and spontaneous you won’t risk looking too aggressive or too desperate. That may only turn away people from you. 

Stay connected with your old people

For the sake of your well-being, stay connected with your relatives, family members, and friends who continue their lives in your old town. By making regular contact with them, you’ll minimize the effects of the post-move blues. Their love and support will help you stay emotionally stable and content. That is the true antidote to the insecurity that may result from facing an unfamiliar environment. Keep it frequent while you are trying to adjust to a new place.

If you have any questions and doubts regarding your forthcoming move, you can always ask our commercial moving team  from New Haven, Connecticut.