LIFE & CULTURE

Living Overseas Is Good For Your Confidence And Career, According To New Study

It increases your "self-concept clarity"

There’s nothing like going on holiday to reenergise the soul, and how many of us have been on holidays and felt that desire to just ditch our return flight and stay forever?

Well it turns out that it could be a good decision if this new study is anything to go by.

According to researchers in the US who conducted six studies involving 1,874 participants, “living abroad increases ‘self-concept clarity’”, which basically means it makes you more confident in yourself.

“Our studies demonstrate that living abroad affects the fundamental structure of the self-concept by enhancing its clarity.”

The studies fund a link between the length of time spent abroad, rather than the number of foreign countries lived in enhances ones sense of self. 

“The longer people lived aboard… the more likely they are to develop a better understanding of themselves and have increased clarity about career decision-making.”

The study concluded that the benefits that come with this increased ‘self-concept clarity’ range from “greater life satisfaction to decreased stress, improved job performance and – as the new research shows – enhanced clarity about the types of careers that best match an individual’s strengths and values.” 

So if you’ve been thinking about taking the plunge, this could be the last bit of reassurance you need… 

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