One of the hardest things about moving to a new city, or a new state, and especially to a new country is having to say goodbye to your friends and family members. Starting over in a place where you don’t know anyone can be very scary. If you are doing it alone, it can be even scarier.

While leaving everyone that you love behind may seem unthinkable, there are situations that you cannot control that will force you to pick up everything and relocate to a new place. Even if it isn’t really what you want to do.

Whether moving was your decision or something that you don’t have much control over, saying goodbye to your loved ones can be extremely difficult. Below is a guide that can help you to get over the pain of missing your family when you leave.

Get Involved In Your New Town

The best way to combat loneliness and homesickness when you move is to keep yourself busy. You should look into joining clubs, groups, the gym, a sporting team or volunteer organizations in your new city. You can start looking into these things before you move. You can do research on your new home to see what they have to offer.

If you love to hike, you should find out where the best hiking trails are located. If you love to read, find out where the libraries and book stores are in the area. This will give you a chance to keep busy when you get to your new home so you won’t have time to think about everyone you left behind.

Surround Yourself With Memories Of Your Old Life

When you move, you should hang photos of your friends and family members all over your new home. You should keep their photos on your desk and use their photos for the wallpaper on your computer and cell phone. When you see their faces each day, it will remind you of how close you were and the bond that you share.

It will remind you that you still have a bond, regardless of the distance. If you have any sentimental items from your friends and family member, keep them around. Make sure that you can see them every day. These items can brighten your day and ease some of the loneliness.

Plan a Trip Home

One way to cure your homesickness is to plan a trip home. If your budget allows it, you should start planning the trip once you get settled into your new home. Anticipating a trip to see everyone you have been missing can help with some of the pain.

If you didn’t move too far, you should plan regular trips home to see the ones you love. The more you can see your loved ones, the easier life will be in your new home.

Take Advantage of Technology

While it can be difficult to move away from those you love, you are living in the best time to do so. There are so many technological advances available now, you can feel close to your loved ones even if you are hundreds of miles apart.

You can keep up with your loved ones through email, text messages, and Facebook. You can even have face to face conversations through Facetime and Skype. These are two great ways to keep in touch in real time.

Set Aside Time For Communication

When you get to your new home, it is easy to find yourself busier than ever. Starting your new job, hanging out with your new friends, and trying to stay busy to keep from being lonely can make it hard to communicate with everyone back home.

To keep from letting too much time go by without speaking, you should schedule a time each week for phone calls, online chats, or video chats. These interactions will give you something to look forward to each day. Also, it can make you feel less homesick.

Finally, when you keep up with your friends and family members, you won’t feel like you are missing out on everything that is going on back home.