Family and friends were there for you when you left, talked to you throughout the experience and are now back in your everyday life. These people care about you and want to hear about your stories. Understand however, that they didn’t live through the day-to-day experiences so try to have patience and save the extra fine details for your personal memory bank. It is a difficult time for both parties involved. On the one hand, they want to hear about how you had the most amazing coffee at the coolest cafe with the most awesome barista in your favorite neighborhood….BUT, quite frankly, don’t want to hear about it every other comment.

Blogs, emails, Facebook, etc. are great for keeping everyone up to date while you are away. That way when you return, everyone feels a bit more connected and in tune with places and experiences you are talking about.

Things to note:

1)    Just as you have changed, so have many of your friends and family members. Don’t forget to ask about what has been happening/changing/exciting in their life as well!

2)    Talk about it, but just not too much.

3)    Surround yourself with positive and supportive people – they will be there for you through the ups and downs. Even if they    can’t empathize with you, they can offer a listening ear.