How to Help Return Missionaries Adjust Life Back Home (Episode #163)

Helping of Happiness

When Jennie’s oldest son was getting close to coming home from his mission, she started to notice a lot of dread and anxiety about what his life should look like when he was done. She realized a lot of the tools she had acquired as a life coach, would apply to missionaries as they adjust to a different way of life.

The biggest struggle Jennie sees with returned missionaries is that they feel they don’t have a purpose anymore. After serving with a strict, busy schedule and a very focused vision of what they are supposed to be doing everyday, it can be a big adjustment.

Jennie teaches missionaries, and return missionaries how to be the observer of their thoughts. She teaches how to let go of perfectionism and that we have a choice to think something different about ourselves.

“The number one piece of advice I hear for Returning Missionaries is: ‘Stay really busy.’ But, what you do is not nearly as important as the confidence you feel while doing those things. In fact, just ‘staying busy’ for busy-ness sake, might actually have the opposite effect that you want it to.” - Jennie Dildine

Coming home from a mission earlier than expected adds even more to the mix. Adjusting is tricky on its own, but often when missionaries come home early, there is added guilt and shame. She says no matter when you come home, there is no wrong emotion. She suggests the missionaries get outside help to navigate their way through it. Some missionaries that come home early actually learn more self compassion than those who serve a full mission because of the things they have to work through.

Another thing to be careful of is “mirroring”. For example, if you are very excited, it usually rubs off on the people around you. It can be the same with other emotions. If you are acting depressed because your missionary is depressed, it can become a vicious cycle.

Jennie’s biggest tip is to create love around your missionary. Remember the amazing person they are and act with those actions in mind.

Where you can find Jennie Dildine:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennie.theldsmissioncoach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennie.theldsmissioncoach/

Website: https://jenniedildine.com

Free Video Series for RMs - 3 Tools to Help Return Missionaries in Their Transition Home: https://jenniedildine.com/3-tools-for-rms-opt-in/

Free Guide - 5 Tips to Help Any Returning Missionary: https://jenniedildine.com/landing-page/

Free Strategy Call: https://jenniedildine.com/schedule/

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