The hardest part of moving away is bidding farewell to your family and loved ones. Starting over in an unfamiliar place is intimidating and doing it alone can be even more frightening.
While leaving family and friends behind may seem inconceivable, there are uncontrollable circumstances that force us to relocate and start anew. Whether your long distance move is your decision or the result of outside factors, saying goodbye to those you love can be depressing. However, there are many ways in which you can help heal the pain of missing your loved ones after you leave.
Get involved in your new town
A great way to battle loneliness and homesickness when you move to a new area is to keep busy. Join a social group, club, volunteer organization gym or sporting team in your new neighborhood. Partake in activities you enjoy and make new friends at the same time.
Before relocating, do some research and find out what your new town has to offer. You may even want to consider picking up a new hobby or taking classes as these are great ways to meet new people and learn more about the area.
If you love hiking, find out where your town's best trails are located. If you are an avid reader, find out if there's a cozy bookstore or coffee shop in the area. This way, when you arrive you will already have some ideas of how to productively spend your free time, rather than just brooding about how much you miss home and your loved ones.
Surround yourself with photos and keepsakes
Place photos of your friends and family throughout your home, on your desk at work and even the wallpaper on your laptop or phone. Seeing their faces throughout your day will remind you of the bond you share no matter how far apart you are.
If you have any treasured possessions given to you by your family or friends, keep these sentimental items on display in your house or workplace to brighten your day when you are feeling especially lonesome or alienated in your new city.
Understand it's not the end
While the distance between you and your loved ones may seem like a huge barrier at first, it doesn't mean you stop caring about one another. Distance won't stop you from seeing each other again. It only means that you won't be able to spend as much time together as before. You can still be a part of each other’s life despite the distance.
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Plan a trip home. The best way to combat homesickness is planning your return. Begin planning a visit home as soon as you are done settling into your new place. Looking forward to seeing your loved ones will be an effective tactic to diminish the feeling of missing them. Depending on how far away you moved, you could try to plan trips as often as possible. Alternatively, they can visit you as well. The more often you can schedule time together, the shorter the distance between you will seem.
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Call and text as often as you can. Keep in touch with your loved ones by calling or texting them as much as possible. This way you can share the experiences in your new location with the ones that matter to you most. If you're feeling homesick, hearing the voices of your loved ones can help. Your friends and family are also there for when you need advice or feel lonely.
Set aside time for communication
Everyone understands that life can get hectic. Your new living situation may cause you to become immersed in a time-consuming new job, social life and/or school schedule. However, you should never let that detract you from setting aside time to connect with your loved ones back home.
If you fear your schedule will make it difficult to reach out, make it a point to schedule specific days and times for interaction via phone calls or online chats. While keeping busy is an excellent way to distract yourself from missing your family, connecting with them frequently will ensure that you never get the chance to miss them at all.