Successfully adapting to another culture can feel much easier if we not only view the transition positively but also speak about our plans with a ‘can do’ attitude.
Trailblazing spouse
We have written before that ‘trailing spouse’ is an outdated term. If you ever meet someone who still uses it, perhaps you can playfully suggest that you prefer to describe yourself as a ‘trailblazing spouse’. But it’s no joke that we can program our minds with the vocabulary we use. So why not empower yourself with language? “Words are like nutrients for the mind and the quality of the thoughts that you feed yourself with make a big contribution to your mental health and emotional well-being,” writes author Liggy Webb.
Obstacle course
In other… um… words, there is a real, tangible benefit to using more positive phrases when describing our situation and future plans. Indeed, Webb warns that when we say ‘can’t’ and ‘won’t’, we are immediately creating excuses that can hold us back. Of course, when your expat life begins, you might easily see more challenges than opportunities: ‘I can’t speak the language’, ‘I don’t have any friends’, ‘I won’t be able to find work’, ‘I don’t know what to do with my life’. But we are far more likely to succeed if we have the mindset of a ‘possibilitarian’ – i.e. a person who is focused on what’s possible!
Seek support
If you are experiencing a lot of uncertainty about your expat life, don’t hesitate to drop your Global Connection consultant a line and see what support options are at your disposal. Over the years, we have seen scores of expat partners from our community turn their expat experience around 180 degrees with the help of a coach. They had been more focused on what they couldn’t do and saw themselves as a helpless victim. But once they had attained more clarity on what they wanted to do, and could do, they became energised and felt more like a hero on a quest, ready to explore all possibilities and conquer new heights.
Shoot for the moon!
Obviously using more positive language to discuss our plans can only do so much. But having a ‘can do’ attitude really does make a difference. To get you in the right frame of mind, we’ll leave you with a quote from Norman Vincent Peale, the father of ‘Positive Thinking’: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”
