S1/E11: #Lost in Transition? - The Impact of Global Mobility on Identity with Anna Seidel

Show notes

Are you wondering who you are? Are you questioning your sense of self or your identity? An identity crisis often occurs due to big changes in our lifes, such as the onset of puberty, graduation from high school or college, marriage, the birth of a child, death, losing love, …and when transitioning to another country. In this episode, Frauke and Marie-Christine are exploring what exactly happens to our identity when we are moving abroad.

Episode Highlights

(00:05:16) Culture Chat: Frauke and Marie-Christine welcome Anna Seidel to discuss the impact of global mobility on how we feel about ourselves in a new environment. Anna is an experienced Global Mobility Trainer who supports families in their transition when moving abroad. Understanding that our personal identity is always evolving is key to be able to embrace the phases we are going through. We might question our basic understanding of who we are and may feel agitation or dissatisfaction with life. We might even try to change ourselves in order to fit in and to suit the new environment. Resilience and self-love are needed by anyone trying to cope with the challenges in today's VUCA World. VUCA stands for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity. It describes the situation of constant, unpredictable change that is now the norm in our fast-paced world. Consequently, the need to adapt and to evolve does not exclusively apply to the specific challenges globally mobile persons are facing.

„Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly.“

• Proverb –

References: VUCA is an acronym coined in 1987, based on the leadership theories of Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus, to describe or to reflect on the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of general conditions and situations. Bennis, Warren; Nanus, Burt (1985). Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge.

Our Interview Guest: Anna C. Seidel – Global Mobility Trainer Born in the USA, she left for her first international experience at a young age and has since lived on four continents. Anna Seidel has decades of experience moving and adapting to new places herself and supporting other women and their families through international transitions. Links: Website: https://globalmobilitytrainer.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/global_mobility_trainer/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-seidel-expat-coach-trainer-global-mobility/ Email: contact@globalmobilitytrainer.com

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