Spring is here, and with it comes a delightful chaos. One moment, the sun is shining, casting a warm glow over everything, and the next, a quick rain shower sweeps in, turning the streets into a little puddle-filled adventure. And then, just as unexpectedly, the sun returns, as if nothing ever happened. Spring in all its glory – unpredictable, messy, and wonderfully chaotic.
A little (or a lot) like life abroad. As expats, we often start our journeys with an idea of what life should look like – everything perfectly in place, settled in smoothly, with all the right answers. We have this vision of ‘getting it right’ in our new country, managing careers, making friends, and building a life that fits within this image we’ve created in our heads. But then life throws in a curveball – visa issues, cultural nuances, language barriers, or just the general exhaustion of adjusting to a new home.
“Do it messy. Do it scared. Do it imperfect. Do it ANYWAY.”
That quote by Bari Baumgardner resonates deeply with what so many of us experience. The temptation to ‘get it right,’ to have it all together, can be overwhelming. After all, you made the leap to live abroad, right? Maybe you left behind family, a stable job, or the familiar. And there’s this quiet, almost subconscious pressure to make it work, to succeed, to prove that you didn’t fail yourself or anyone else who’s rooting for you.
But here’s the truth: we all need to stop chasing perfection. It’s mentally exhausting, and it can lead to burnout. Yes, expat burnout. We may feel we have to prove something, like every decision must be calculated and flawless. But this constant push toward perfection can rob us of the joy of the experience itself.
This spring, let’s take a step back and embrace imperfection.
- Laugh at the mistakes: When you misstep, laugh. Life abroad isn’t about being flawless; it’s about learning, growing, and sharing the moments that make us human.
- Prioritize your well-being: Pushing through mental exhaustion isn’t sustainable. Take time to rest, recharge, and care for your mental health. Giving yourself space to breathe isn’t weakness – it’s strength.
- Embrace the present: Instead of focusing on where you “should” be, appreciate where you are right now. Right here, in this messy, imperfect moment, is exactly where you need to be.
Let’s stop trying to perfect our expat lives and embrace them as they are – messy, chaotic, unpredictable, and absolutely beautiful. Let’s dance in the rain, celebrate the small victories, and trust that it’s okay to not have it all figured out. Just like flowers, we’re blooming.
And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay. It’s perfectly human. We don’t need to have it all figured out, and we certainly don’t need to be perfect. If spring teaches us anything, it’s that beauty and growth often come from the messiest, most unpredictable moments.
The rain makes the flowers bloom. The clouded skies let the sun shine brighter. And our expat journeys? They’re no different.
Maayan and Gal, life abroad experts, sisters, founders of Smoozitive and creators of SYLA app, are expat experts currently living in France. With Maayan’s mindfulness experience and Gal’s positive psychology coaching, they guide people to have a simple, smooth and positive life abroad.
