" Why should you make it easy for yourself when you can make it complicated?" is a saying in Germany that is used to ironically tell the other person that something can be solved more easily. Well, the easy, quick way is not always the best - seeking discomfort means consciously stepping out of your comfort zone to learn and discover new things. Incredible, exciting, but perhaps also sometimes unpleasant things that you wouldn't have got to know otherwise. What does this actually have to do with life as an expatriate in another country? - Expatriates are people who (usually) leave their country, their culture and their familiar surroundings for their job and move to another country to work there. This requires curiosity, but also a great deal of courage: everything will be new - the circle of colleagues, the work tasks, the way to work, the apartment or house, the children's school, perhaps even the language and last but not least, but often underestimated: the culture of the new country.
Not leaving your previous environment means security. With all the good and bad things that exist there. That is the easy, safe way.
Leaving this familiar comfort zone means that we have to push ourselves to try new things, take risks, and face challenges. We can expand our horizons, build resilience, and discover our true potential. We will have a lot of new experiences, some might be good, but some might be no so enchanting. Embracing discomfort can broaden our perspectives, lead to a better self-esteem and make us happier and greater satisfaction in both professional and private aspects of our lives. It is all about pushing boundaries and embracing the unknown. At first, it is a step into the uncertain. In the long term, it is a change to a firstly new but then familiar world.
So, are you ready to seek discomfort and unlock new aspects and possibilities in your life? If you need guidance in this crucial phase don't hesitate to get into contact with me.
photo / source: Manakar 118 Kuala Lumpur; (own caption)