My New Normal

"The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance." - Alan Watts

Stockholm, my new normal. Moving from Australia to Sweden involved so much change. A change in home, environment, time zone, culture, language and much much more. Usually I'm not a huge fan of change. I like things the way they are and I like my comfort zone. I don't think I'm alone in this! But this change was for new and exciting reasons and I jumped right into it. There were some teething issues at first, but overall I feel like I've settled into our new life really well. At first I tried to set up our lives here exactly like it was in Australia. But I soon learnt that this wasn't working and was leading to frustration. Once I figured out it was easier to go with the flow and embrace a new way of living, things got much easier :)Living in the city is completely different from living on the beaches. I used to drive everywhere I went, now I walk or catch the train. This way I get to see more of what's happening around me and I feel part of the city. I used to do my food shopping once a week. Now I walk to the shops every second day and only buy what I can carry! This has advantages. Like always having the ingredients I need for dinner. But I also buy more impulse items. There are so many new treats to try! My favourite recipes have changed. I don't have access to the same ingredients I'm used to. Lots of cupboard staples I always had on hand aren't available here and lots of food is imported. The flip side is that I'm always trying new things.There are pros and cons to all of these changes. But instead of trying to compare old vs new, I've just settled into my new normal. I enjoy living a different lifestyle in Stockholm and feel really comfortable and at home here for now. Of course there are still times that I feel completely out of my comfort zone and a little homesick, however I've learnt to embrace this feeling and look forward seeing what else this city has to offer.Cheers, Jess