A free mini-journal

Your First 7 Days Abroad

One small page a day, for the week you land.

Created by Stephanie Johnson, LICSW · The Grounded Expat

You just arrived. Before any of the big questions, this is a gentle companion for your first week — one small page a day. It won’t fix everything; it’ll just help you land.

Your writing saves automatically on this device and stays completely private to you. Use Print / Save as PDF to keep it, or Download my writing to export it.

This is an educational, self-reflection resource — not therapy, diagnosis, or a crisis service. If you’re struggling beyond what journaling can hold, please reach out to someone you trust, a licensed professional, or local emergency services. You deserve real support.

Day One

You’re Here

You don’t have to feel at home yet. Today, the only task is to arrive.

Where are you, right now, as you write this? Describe the actual room — the light, the sounds, the temperature. Let yourself be exactly here.

One thing that already feels okay — even something tiny:

Day Two

Your Body First

Your nervous system reads ‘new’ as ‘unsafe’ and works overtime to keep up. Settle the body before the big questions.

What is your body asking you for today — rest, food, air, movement, stillness? Name it, and give it one.

Day Three

One Anchor

Abroad, routine is medicine. One familiar thing, repeated, is how your system learns it’s safe here.

One small daily anchor you’ll keep — a coffee, a walk, a song, a stretch — starting today:

Day Four

Step Outside

A small, low-stakes exploration. Not the whole city — just a little further than yesterday.

One small thing you’ll go see or do today — and afterward, one good thing you noticed:

Day Five

Reach Out

Connection is a regulator. One message — here or back home — genuinely counts.

One person you’ll reach out to today, and what you’ll say:

Day Six

Name the Hard Part

Naming a hard thing shrinks it. Whatever you’re finding hard is normal — and allowed.

What’s been hardest so far? Just name it — no fixing required.

Day Seven

One Intention

You made it a week. That’s not nothing — that’s the hardest part, begun.

What do you want the next stretch to feel like? One word — and one small step toward it:

Seven days down.

Be gentle with yourself — you’re doing the work just by showing up. When you’re ready to go deeper, the full Relocation Journal walks the whole arc of life abroad. You’re on the list, so you’ll be the first to know the moment it lands. 🌿

The Grounded Expat

Created by Stephanie Johnson, LICSW · thegroundedexpat.com