Expat Skills: How To Find Clarity And Direction

Posted on 29. Apr, 2009 by Emmanuelle Archer in Blog, Tools & Resources
2 comments

As an expat, you need to constantly wrap your head around a huge amount of new information, especially right after moving to a new location. Everywhere you look, there is something unfamiliar or even downright puzzling to observe, process and learn.

In this context, the ability to keep your focus and stay on course becomes an essential survival skill.

How do you find clarity and direction when your brain is in constant overdrive?

From my experience, two fundamental tools are particularly effective at saving you from overwhelm:
- Being aware of your inner chatter
and
- Clarifying your values

I love combining these two tools. Not only will they get you re-focused on demand, they will also allow you to exercise different parts of your brain.

The inner chatter exercises are about awareness – they will require you to go within, observe for a while and notice any patterns.

The value exercises are a nice mix of inward and outward, intellect and intuition, and they are best done with a pen and paper handy.

Here are some links that will guide you through these exercises step by step:

Inner Chatter: When It Gets Too Much
The Inner Critic Knows No Borders
Dealing With Your Inner Critic
Dealing With Your Inner Critic Part II
Expat Skill: How Well Do You Know Yourself?
Expat Skill: Identify Your Values
Expat Skill: Define Yourself From The Inside Out
Expat Skill: Whose Values Are These Anyway?

Emmanuelle