Never too Early to Plan!

Ten Topics to Consider, Before Going Home

Your expat working life will come to an end at some point.?That is a ‘given’.?

Whether at a time of your choosing, or as dictated by circumstances, I am suggesting here Ten Topics that should be thoroughly considered, and discussed with your partner/family BEFORE that #homewardbound move is made.

1.??????Where do you want to live?

Location has a huge impact on your health and wellbeing. WHERE do you settle, after a life on the road, working in lands far and near??What excites you – the coast, or mountains??Villages & countryside or towns and cities?

2.??????Will you be starting afresh, or returning to somewhere you know?

Do you really want to go back to where you started, before your international career began??Or to where family are??Indeed, are both families in the same area (if you are not single)? Have you chosen this destination for the right reasons? Do you simply ‘go home’ without question, or is this an opportunity to move somewhere new?

3.??????What is your Purpose in life?

What do you actually want to achieve in your expat career, and is this building towards something greater ‘back home’??Or are you simply living day-to-day?

4.??????What work will you do when you go home?

Is your career one which will simply continue, when you go home??Or do you have to rethink what you do?

5.???????Who will you BE?

Once an Expat, always an Expat.?Does this new identity now define who you are and what you believe??How will this ‘new you’ fit back into your home-town environment??Or will you need to be in the company of a more international set of people with similar experiences?

6.??????What hobbies have you taken up?

An expat lifestyle might have given you access to new hobbies and experiences; is this something you want to continue when you move home??How will this impact your choice of location, or work?

7.??????Are you still an Expat because of a fear of ‘going home’?

Honestly, do you still enjoy your expat life, or has it lost its appeal??If yes, what is stopping you from make the move home?

8.??????What will you miss?

If you had to leave today, what will you regret not having done??Now is the time to do everything on your list (wherever possible, of course!)?You never know when this life comes to an end.?Don’t leave with regrets!

9.??????Are you and your Partner/Family on the same page?

Have you really talked through all your plans for the future??Have you come to a mutual agreement, or have you simply assumed that everyone else wants what you want?

10.? ?When will you go home?

Do you have a date in mind, or even a year??Or do you intend to keep going until someone or something else makes the decision for you??What circumstances play a part in making that decision?

So much to think about, yet so many hide their heads in the sand until faced with a very real exit date.?The further ahead you think about these things, the better able you will be to cope with the decisions that will inevitably face you at some time in the future.

Surely it is better to have thought it through, and be prepared, than to leave everything to chance?

I’ve been there & lived the experience.?I always had a vague Plan B to Z, but without detail attached. My own return home was not planned, and threw up all kinds of challenges that I would now like to help you to avoid – or at least to be aware of, and prepared for.

If you are interested in taking this discussion further, book a 30-minute call here , and let’s talk about how I can help you.?No obligation, no charge, and if you then decide you don’t want to take it further, no problem!?You have nothing to lose by booking that call – and peace of mind to gain.