Imagine uprooting your family to seek a new life in a new country.

What challenges might you face?

Financial insecurity – Unless you’ve already lined up a job, have substantial savings or multiple streams of income, this is the thing that will give you sleepless nights.

Emotional upheaval – Saying goodbye to loved ones and a familiar and safe environment, starting from zero, managing the tears and fears amid the excitement.

Cultural acclimatization – Feeling that you don’t belong, because even if you speak the official language of your new country, you might still miss out the nuances, cultural references, jokes and colloquialisms that only someone born and bred there would understand. Acclimatization is an ongoing process and can take years, especially if you come from a very different culture.

This September, I celebrate my 14th year of migrating to Australia.

The biggest encouragement I can offer if you are on this journey is to cultivate a growth mindset. (This TED talk by Dr. Carol Dweck explains it well.)

See the potential and the possibilities.

Dwell on all the wonderful things that will now happen for you and your family because of your courage.

Try something new each day.

Make friends across many cultures and backgrounds.

Leave what you know behind.

Because your past does not need you.

Your future does.