Relocating, be it to another part of the country or the world or even another neighborhood or school, can awaken seen and unforeseen challenges.

We might be relocating for a loved one, for work, for political or social reasons, for college, or for no reason at all other than a new adventure and fresh experiences. It can require from us to change everything suddenly at once from daily routines, new cuisines, traditions, people, customs, how we speak, what we speak, and right down to how we even move and dress our bodies.

It can also push us to part with things we don't really want to part with or discover unexpected things that we suddenly find ourselves missing: the details or routine of daily life we took for granted before, the seeing of friends and family, celebrations and traditions, ways people interact, the cultures and languages and a general sense and ease of "feeling at home'. All of it can suddenly unravel or put on some indefinite pause with a relocation.

Feelings of isolation, overwhelm, loneliness, disconnection, can surface especially when you're encountering people who have no relatability to what you're experiencing. Others might feel exhaustion, disorientation, longing, and homesickness can surface in ways you hadn't expected even when you might consider yourself a "seasoned pro" at relocating.

Oftentimes it's not as acute but rather an ongoing unexplainable mixed bag of emotions that can feel like a tugging at you all the while you're also seeking the new.

Strains on relationships can often be an unanticipated part of relocation. Some can break a marriage if there is insufficient understanding or support between spouses. Societal expectations and cultural differences can add more complexity to relationships as well. Other strains surface sometimes years into the relocation.

One takeaway with all relocations is that relocating requires more moves than you might think. Getting the right support can be crucial to creating better outcomes for everyone.