If It Doesn’t Give You Energy, Stop Giving

One of the fastest lessons you’ll learn abroad is that energy is your most valuable currency. Every new country, every relocation, comes with a flood of responsibilities: paperwork, housing, visas. And yes, none of that will give you energy. That’s just part of the deal.

But beyond the bureaucracy, there’s another kind of noise: the restless buzz of people, habits, and routines that don’t serve you anymore. Moving abroad gives you a rare opportunity, a fresh start. Yet here’s the truth: no matter how far you go, you’ll always bring yourself, your thoughts, and your patterns.

That’s why learning to identify what brings you energy, and what drains it, is everything. The friends who lift you up after a long week? Keep them close. The habits that make you feel strong and centered? Double down. The connections, routines, or obligations that only weigh you down? Respectfully, let them go.

Try this: quick energy check-in

• Make a list: Write down the top 5 people, routines, or commitments in your week. Next to each one, mark a check if it gives energy or a cross if it drains you.

• Track your body’s cues: Notice how you feel after a call, meeting, or event. Energised or exhausted? That’s your signal.

• Respectfully edit: Say no to one draining commitment this week. Use that time for something that fills you instead.

• Double down on the good: Choose one energising habit (a walk, journaling, connecting with someone positive) and commit to it consistently. Here's our downloadable tool to help you get started.

  
  

Your international journey isn’t just about where you live; it’s about how you live. Protect your energy as if it were gold, because it truly is valuable. The more you stop giving to what drains you, the more space you create for what lights you up.