Evergreen Reads to Empower Your Mind
The Standard Sister
Issue no.5
The Relocation Issue
Jan 31, 2025
Image by Rodney Smith, Holden Luntz Gallery
Relocating Yourself
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, relocation is "the act of moving or moving something or someone from one place to another, or an example of this."
Relocation, whether physical or mental, is movement—a change that always carries the weight of stepping into the unknown. We often use this term to describe moving from one place to another, but isn’t it true that major life changes, like breakups or career shifts, can also feel like a form of relocation? Ultimately, it’s about transitioning from one chapter of life to the next.
In this issue, we explore relocation in all aspects of life: love and breakups, places, habits, and even the movement of the stars—the pros, the cons, and, most importantly, how to embrace change with empowerment, bravery, and strength.
This issue is dedicated to all the women moving toward something new, something better. In other words, moving forward.
If you find this uplifting, please share this link with a woman you love.
Image From Pinterest
Relocate Your Feelings
If you search “how to move on from a breakup” on Google, you’ll find endless results—blogs, TED Talks, YouTube videos, self-help websites—all offering advice on how to heal your broken heart as quickly as possible. While many of these approaches are valid, we’re big fans of Jay Shetty—a British podcaster, author, and life coach best known for his podcast On Purpose, where he shares wisdom on living a balanced, meaningful life and interviews extraordinary figures like Joe Biden and Oprah. Although Shetty’s Wikipedia page highlights some questionable facts about his life journey, we believe in focusing on the power of now.
In a short yet impactful 4-minute video posted a few years ago, Shetty shared five tips to help you process your emotions and step into the next chapter of your life. While these tips aren’t groundbreaking and won’t act like a magic wand, they’re powerful reminders to help you not only move on from a breakup but also navigate any emotional challenge. Of the five, the first and last tips resonate with us the most:
1. Jot it in a journal
Shetty emphasizes the importance of creating distance from your endless loop of thoughts. Writing everything down on paper is a simple yet effective way to do this. Journaling not only helps release bottled-up emotions but also offers a fresh perspective on your feelings.
2. Let them go
The hardest part of moving on is releasing someone from your life for good. Shetty reminds us that the struggle often lies not in letting go of the person, but in releasing the possibilities we projected onto them. These imagined futures were never reality, and holding onto them prevents us from embracing the opportunities that exist in the present.
Shetty also highlights the Japanese art of Kintsugi, which dates back 400–500 years. This practice involves repairing broken pottery with Urushi tree resin mixed with gold powder, emphasizing the cracks rather than hiding them. The philosophy of Kintsugi is to honor an object’s history and resilience instead of discarding it for its imperfections. Shetty uses this as a metaphor for our emotional wounds: after we’ve healed and moved on, there’s no need to deny or hide what we’ve been through. Every emotional challenge shapes us, strengthens us, and teaches us invaluable lessons about ourselves and our resilience. The cracks in our hearts aren’t flaws—they’re proof of growth and survival.
Ultimately, the power of change is one of the greatest strengths we can embrace in life. You have to actively engage with Shetty’s tips, implement them, and make space for transformation. Time will inevitably become your best ally, but by using these tools, you’ll also become the best ally to yourself. And remember : "You can't reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday's Junk" (Louise Smith- The first lady of racing)
"Oh Chad" Image by VeryRealFantasy
Expanding, Not Escaping
If moving to a different neighborhood, city, or even country has been tickling your brain for a while now, here’s something to consider: some of the most iconic women in history did exactly that. They moved, chased bigger dreams, and reinvented themselves in new places. But it’s important to understand they didn’t relocate to run away. They moved to move up.
Image From Pinterest
Take Audrey Hepburn. Born in Belgium, raised between the Netherlands and England, she eventually landed in Hollywood and became one of the most celebrated actresses of all time. But her move wasn’t about escaping—she had already survived war, hardship, and uncertainty. Audrey’s relocation was about stepping into her future, embracing new opportunities, and transforming into the legend we now know.
And then there’s Madonna. A girl from Michigan who packed her bags for New York City with $35 in her pocket. She wasn’t fleeing her past; she was chasing her inner feeling that aimed for something exceptional. That hunger, that drive to break boundaries and redefine herself—that’s exactly what made her an icon. Madonna didn’t just move—she conquered.
Time doesn’t stop, and none of us are getting any younger, so big change like relocation—no matter your personal situation—married, single, complicated, or straight-up desperate (yes, we’ve all been there)—seems sometimes pretty scary, because we already have something to lose. Therefore, it’s crucial to check in with yourself: Why do I want to move? Am I running away from something, or am I running toward something? Is fear guiding me, or is it hope? Whether you’re relocating alone, with a partner, or with family—own your reason. Own it like a queen. But remember: making a move (or staying put) out of fear or scarcity will never lead to the outcome you truly want.
Let’s be real—we’re not Audrey, and we’re definitely not Madonna, at least not yet. But we can take their boldness as inspiration.
Relocation is about saying yes to possibility, reinvention, and shaking up your world for the unknown—that can be both good and bad, like everything in life. But moving just to escape? While a bold move can help reset your life, it won’t magically fix everything. Running away from something won’t bring you closer to who you want to be. The real magic happens when you move toward something bigger than yourself—and then maybe you will find out ways to do it without even changing location.
But, if you still are thinking of relocating, ask yourself: Am I moving toward growth, or just away from discomfort? Because the best moves—the ones that truly change your life—are the ones that come from ambition, not avoidance.
After all, you’re not just changing your location. You’re changing your story.
From Knowledge to Wisdom
We all have that one habit we just can't seem to shake—whether it's smoking, drinking, overeating, or endlessly scrolling. These habits don’t serve us mentally or physically, yet we keep falling into the same cycle, repeating them over and over. So, what keeps us hooked?
Image From Pinterest
In his TED talk, which has amassed over 13 million views since its release eight years ago, psychiatrist Judson Brewer explores how curiosity can help us break free from harmful patterns, particularly those tied to addiction, like smoking or overeating. What's fascinating is that breaking these habits requires challenging one of the most fundamental learning processes wired into our nervous system.
Take eating habits, for example. Originally, eating was all about survival: seeing food meant calories, and calories meant life. This created a trigger-behavior-reward loop. Over time, our brains expanded this process beyond survival, applying it to emotional and social contexts. For instance, if you felt like an outsider in school, you might have started smoking to appear cool—another version of the trigger-behavior-reward cycle. Instead of hunger signaling us to eat, emotions like stress or sadness became the new triggers, reinforcing behaviors that provided temporary relief.
Here’s the tricky part: our prefrontal cortex—the more evolved, rational part of the brain—understands intellectually that these habits are harmful. It tries to help us resist them through cognitive control. But the moment we’re stressed, this same part of the brain is the first to shut down, making it even harder to break free.
Brewer suggests that instead of fighting the urge, we should approach it with curiosity. By becoming more mindful of the triggers and sensations behind our behaviors, we can interrupt the automatic cycle. The key isn’t to resist the urge but to explore it—like relocating an old habit to a new mental space. Just as moving to a new city forces us to adapt and rewire our routines, shifting our perspective on a habit opens the door for change. When we engage with our urges rather than fight them, we create the space to transform them.
Retrograding Facing Forward
We all know that sometimes, blaming Mercury retrograde is the perfect excuse for our extreme behavior. But what does it actually mean scientifically? And how does the movement of the stars really work?
Planets don’t actually move backward. Retrograde motion is an optical illusion that occurs because Earth and other planets orbit the Sun at different speeds. When Earth overtakes a slower-moving planet, that planet appears to move backward in the sky for a period before resuming its normal course. It’s like passing a car on the highway—it may look like it's moving in reverse, but it’s not.
Inner planets like Mercury and Venus retrograde more frequently because their orbits are closer to the Sun, while outer planets experience longer, less frequent retrogrades. In astrology, retrogrades are seen as times of reflection and reassessment. Each planet governs different aspects of life, so its retrograde is thought to influence that area. Mercury, the planet of communication and travel, is associated with misunderstandings and delays. Venus, linked to love, beauty, and finances, invites reevaluation of relationships and values. Mars, ruling action and drive, slows things down to reconsider ambitions. Jupiter, the planet of expansion and wisdom, turns focus inward for personal growth. Saturn, tied to discipline and karma, urges a review of responsibilities and commitments. Uranus, governing innovation and freedom, sparks internal breakthroughs and shifts. Neptune, associated with dreams and illusions, reveals clarity from confusion. Pluto, the planet of transformation and power, signals deep personal evolution.
Astrologers see retrograde periods as opportunities to pause, reflect, and adjust rather than push forward. Mercury retrograde, for example, is infamous for communication mishaps—but it’s also a great time to revisit old ideas and reconnect with people from the past.
Even though neither the planets nor we can actually move backward, sometimes it feels that way—especially when we’re in the process of changing our patterns. So, whether you follow astrology or not, these moments serve as valuable opportunities to slow down and reassess. But like every planet, we are always moving forward—sometimes fast, sometimes slow, but never truly backward.
