I have been following Linda Janssen’s blog for a while now and I was happy to meet her at the Families in Global Transition conference this last spring. She has been supportive of my book and my writing and is an engaged interested interesting expat. She has just published “The Emotionally Resilient Expat: Engage, Adapt and Thrive Across Cultures”.

The blurb on Amazon says:

Living abroad offers enriching experiences of growth, broadened perspective, enhanced cultural understanding. Yet its transition-rich, change-driven, cross-cultural nature can place considerable demands, leaving us stressed, disconnected, our identity in flux. Building on existing literature and benefitting from recent developments in psychology and brain-body connections, The Emotionally Resilient Expat: Engage, Adapt and Thrive Across Cultures shows the key to successful transitions and beyond lies in emotional resilience to adapt, adjust or simply accept. Linda A. Janssen combines candid personal stories from experienced expats and cross-culturals, with a wealth of practical tools, techniques and best practices from emotional, social and cultural intelligence, positive psychology, mindfulness, stress management, self-care and related areas. 

“Using personal story and solid theory in her groundbreaking book on emotional resilience, Linda A. Janssen guides those facing the challenges of cross-cultural living to dig under the initial rocky surfaces of overseas life to discover – and use – the rich gold of their own experience. A great resource for expats of all backgrounds.” Ruth E. Van Reken, Author, Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds.

I was honored last year when she asked me to write some personal anecdotes that illustrated resilience in my own expat life.  My stories show up under the chapter “Connecting Externally: Find Your Tribe or Build Your Own; Make an Effort”.  Before Linda approached me I had always thought of myself as a survivor.  I had been through some tough experiences and had some trouble adjusting but I had always been able to come out okay in the end.  I worked to find a way to fit in, to find my niche, to entertain myself, to make friends, to learn.  I had never used the word resilient before. When she started talking about resilience, some things started to fall into place for me. It made me think of bouncing, bouncy. Like I was floating along and sometimes I would go under but was always able to come up for air. Because of Linda resilience has now become part of my story.

I immediately went out and bought this book. It looks like it will make a good companion to Ruth’s book Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds and I will be reading it again and again.

Thanks Linda.