Adjusting to the necessity of letting go

To be happy as an expat living in Japan requires the ability to let go. This is can be extremely difficult, but once accomplished, life improves by leaps and bounds. Letting go is about more than accepting that certain things are out of your control. It is about letting go of the Japan you thought you would find and accepting the Japan that is.

One thing that I have found helps people let go of what Japan was suppose to be is by grieving the loss. The ability to accept the Japan that is can become obscured by feelings of disappointment and regret. These feelings can be best overcome through a grieving process. It is important to grieve the Japan that could have been and the future that will never be. This is a painful process because it comes on the heels of a lot of loss.

The greatest loss when moving to Japan is generally of a sense of equilibrium or the ability to gain your bearings, but once the grieving process is completed, life in Japan is amazing. The best way to move forward is to take a moment and stand still. Be still in the pain. Being still in the pain will provide the space and time needed to regain a sense of self. Without yourself, it is near impossible to build for a future. Once the sense of self is regained, building a future in Japan is possible. Whether you are here for one year or 30, your experience can be a joyous one.

Posted on Thursday: 02 July, 2015