The Bittersweet Truth About Moving Home and Starting Over

A few years ago, I moved back to Australia after spending eight years overseas. Honestly, when I first left, I could have never imagined that I would stay away for as long as I have. Living abroad just kind of… happened, I guess.  I thought that I would only go for one year and that one turned into two, then three, then before I knew it, nearly a decade had passed. It was an incredible experience and I wouldn’t change any of it, even the moments that really tested and almost broke me. But eventually, like many others before me, I started to hear a faint whisper, a little voice from within starting to stir. I started to feel this quiet, persistent pull to come home. This little pull lasted for 12 months before I finally made the big move – only to find out the bittersweet truth about moving home and starting over.

If I could’ve clicked my heels like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and whispered, “there’s no place like home,” I would have. That’s exactly how it felt – like I needed to go back and that I was done. Done with a city a had loved for eight long years, done with the places that I had made many amazing and unforgettable memories, and done with the house I had once called home, sweet home. It didn’t mean that I didn’t still love those places, people or things, but something just one day shifted. I can tell you now that shift was followed by lots of thinking, lots of doubt, waves of feeling lost and unsure of the future. Unsure of if I was doing the right thing by taking a leap of faith and following by gut.

Home… but Different

I knew coming home would be different. I told myself, “Things have changed. People have moved on and things would be different.” And logically, I accepted that. But no one really prepares you for what it actually feels like.

Because here is the thing – yes, some things had changed. But strangely, a lot hadn’t. Some people were still in the same places, doing the same things, hanging out with the same crowd. It felt like stepping into a bit of a time capsule. I felt as through to take a step forward, also at times felt like a step backwards. And while I had expected the world around me to feel unfamiliar, what caught me off guard was the realisation that I was the one who had changed and moved on, not them. That was the hardest part – coming home and realising what once felt normal and like home just didn’t quite fit the way it used to.

Outgrowing People, Places & Even Versions of Yourself

The truth is, living overseas and the experiences good or bad had shifted something in me. My values changed. The things I experienced had influenced me. The things I wanted shifted. How I saw the world – and myself – was just different. I had become a different version of the person, who once upon a time existed.

And that meant some things, and some people, some dynamics, didn’t feel right anymore. It’s not that they were wrong or bad… it’s just that they didn’t fit me anymore.

And yeah, that was hard. Because I honestly thought some friendships would last forever. That we’d always be in each other’s lives. But I have come to learn that life doesn’t always work like that. People grow in different directions. And sometimes, you have to let go of what once felt safe – even when you don’t want to and it hurts.

If You’re Starting Over, You’re Not Alone

Starting over isn’t just about packing boxes or booking flights. Sometimes, it’s emotional and stressful. It’s that internal shift when you realise something isn’t working anymore, and you have to choose yourself – even if that means letting go.

So, if you’re going through a season of change – whether you have moved back home, ended friendships, or are just figuring out what’s next – I want you to know it’s okay.

It’s normal.

It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means you’re evolving and going through a season of change. And yes, it can feel sad, and at times, like your world is ending. But, know this, it also means there’s space for new places, people and things. And maybe, it’s even better than what you could have imagined.

Starting Over Doesn’t Mean Starting from Scratch

What I’ve come to realise is that starting over doesn’t mean forgetting the past or pretending it didn’t matter. It just means choosing to grow and you’re trying something new.

You can honour where you’ve been and still move forward.

So, if you’re feeling a bit lost or in-between right now, take a breath. You’re not alone. And more than anything – know that you’re allowed to start again. If you are in a space feeling low also know that the good news is that the only way is up.