Why Creating a “What Ifs” List Helped Prepare Us For This Move Abroad
Most People Are Held Back By Uncertainty
As mentioned in multiple newsletters previously, we had been planning our relocation for quite some time leading up to our actual departure this past April. We planned, prepared, saved, packed, sold, inspected, and learned for months and months while we navigated our transition from Ontario to Belize. Despite our extensive preparations, we knew we’d be faced with unexpected challenges, so, on top of everything else, we committed to the mindset of not only being open and accepting of the uncertainty that faced us but also trying to prepare for the potentially tricky situations we may have, and still might find ourselves in during our journey abroad. This week's newsletter will focus on why it was essential for us to create a “what ifs” list to help better prepare us for uncertain situations. We’ll also talk about how most people shy away from uncertainty, ultimately holding them back from living extraordinary lives.
Relocating to a new country opens the doors to a world of uncertainties. We recognized this early on, and so we wanted to come up with a strategy to potentially reduce the number of uncertainties that could come our way. Our solution to this was to create a “what ifs” list. This list included as many things as we could think of, which then allowed us to be prepared in the event that a worst-case scenario came up. Below are just a few of the things that we had on our “what ifs” list;
What if we can’t secure an apartment long-term?
What if we get laid off from a job?
What if Jameson wasn’t adapting to his new environment?
What if we can’t access our money from the banks down here?
What if we need to renew our passports while we’re abroad?
Our list is relatively extensive, but I won’t bore you with that. We also aren’t going to dive into the answers to these questions on our “what ifs” list because the answers will differ from person to person and experience to experience. This newsletter is simply here to inform you that it would be wise to spend some time making a list like this prior to relocating from one country to another. You’ll be much better prepared when one of these situations comes up. And trust us, they will.
On the flip side of all this is the fact that it’s human nature to want to avoid uncertainty. Most people can’t handle uncertainty. Most people choose to live within their comfort zones. Most people don’t want to take risks. Because of this, most people are being held back. Held back from pursuing a dream. Held back from doing something awesome. Held back from experiencing something truly life-changing. Taking a risk to achieve a goal requires courage to face the fear of uncertainty. No matter the outcome, either way, we grow through the process and become more resilient and confident. Choosing to live outside of your comfort zone will humble you, but at the same time, it will reward you over and over and over again.
Our journey from Ontario to Belize has been an incredible adventure filled with challenges and rewards. We knew that we’d possibly be faced with a number of uncertainties, which is why we created our “what ifs” list. This strategy allowed us to anticipate potential challenges and be better prepared for them. While we shared a few examples, your list will be unique to your circumstances.
So, we will leave you with this—we encourage you to step outside your comfort zone and open the door to a world of remarkable opportunities and rewards. Embrace the unknown; you’ll find it’s the key to living an extraordinary life.
