When the long-awaited opportunity for you to move home arises, you could jump at the chance. At last, you might think – a chance for you to live somewhere you love with a career you have always wanted, rather than settle for your humdrum job in your “boring” hometown.

Unfortunately, as you start putting the wheels of the move in motion, those enthusiastic feelings could dissipate – but relax! You haven’t necessarily made the wrong decision. Here are some ways you could keep those depressing, repeated thoughts of “why am I moving” at bay.

Remember that “if something doesn’t scare you, it’s not worth doing”

If you’re feeling slightly nervous about something, that’s a sign that you are pushing at the edge of your comfort zone – and that bodes well for your development as a person. This is a good attitude to adopt if moving home is starting to look like more hassle than it’s worth.

In an article for The Financial Diet, writer Laura Doolin recalled having second thoughts after deciding to switch her Chicago life for a new career in the US Midwestern city of Madison. However, one of her friends reminded her that “if something doesn’t scare you, it’s not worth doing.”

You don’t have to entirely leave your old life behind

Remember: moving home doesn’t have to be a complete clean break from your previous life, even if you might have been originally intent on this course when the opportunity for a home move first broke cover. It’s not too difficult to preserve a measure of continuity with your old life.

If you see the relocation as potentially temporary rather than permanent, this could relieve you of much of your stress. Simply knowing that there’s an exit door ready for you to use at any time can feel reassuring – even if you never end up actually using it.

If you do resist using it, that might be because you remember why you chose to leave your old town or city in the first place. If you can’t quite remember the reasons why you wanted to leave, you could make a list.

“If you’re struggling with loneliness or you’re feeling a bit lost, it can help to open up about how you feel to friends and family,” mental health professional Fatmata Kamara, a specialist nurse advisor with Bupa UK, has told Mashable. “Even if they’re not close by, they’re only a call or text away.”

Are you bringing kids along for the ride?

If so, the upheaval of the move could be difficult on them and their existing friendships, as acknowledged in a study published in the Journal of Social and Personality Psychology and mentioned by Psychology Today.

Such moves can be especially tough on introverted and anxiety-prone children – but, thanks to modern technology, kids can still maintain friendships even when moving. Apps like Skype and FaceTime could help there, while you could use another app for man and van hire in London or elsewhere in the UK.