This Is What Living the Shriya Way Means to Me

Moving countries—leaving the place where you were born, the country where you grew up, the place you always believed to be home—is a difficult decision. And no one ever really prepares you for it.

It’s much later—when the excitement settles, when the day slows down, when you’re sitting in a space that is technically your home, but doesn’t fully feel like it yet.

That’s when it hits you.

I moved from India to Canada in 2023 with my husband. I thought I was prepared for the changes. I thought I understood what those changes would look like—a new country, new opportunities, a different lifestyle.

But what I didn’t expect was how deeply it would shift me—not just externally, but internally.

There is still a version of me that exists somewhere between two worlds.

But what I didn’t expect was how deeply it would shift me – not just externally, but internally.

Of course, there is a version of me that still exists somewhere between the two worlds.

There’s a version of me, sitting on my bed, late at night, phone in hand, scrolling through old photos – family dinners, loud laughter, familiar streets, the comfort of knowing exactly where I belong. And then there’s this version of me, the one writing this, building a life that once felt distant and imagined. A life that is beautiful but is also layered with emotions that I didn’t expect to feel so deeply.

This feeling is very different. It’s not just about packing your life into suitcase or adjusting to a new city or country. It’s about stepping away from a version of your life that was already built – steady, familiar, and deeply rooted – and choosing to begin again.

It’s not just about soft morning, aesthetic routines, or building a life that looks good on Instagram. It’s about becoming someone new while holding on to who you’ve always been.

It’s about learning how to feel at home, in a place that didn’t raise you.

And this is what Living the Shriya Way really means to me now.

Leaving One Life to Build Another

I moved to Canada from India with my husband. We had our family here in Canada so there was definitely a sense of relief that we are not going to be alone.

When I moved here, I wasn’t starting from zero in life. I had a sense of identity, a rhythm, familiarity, a version of “home” that felt complete. This is why the move felt different. This move was not out of confusion or exploration, it was choosing change despite having comfort.

Having said that, it still is not easy. You leave behind family you’re deeply connected to, a life where things made sense, a belonging. And suddenly, you’re rebuilding – not because you had to, but because you chose to.

Moving abroad in your 20s often feels like adventure, but in your 30s it feels like a decision, a conscious, layered decision.

Moving Abroad With A Partner: Comfort and Complexity

One of the things that I am immensely grateful for is that I did not make this move alone.

Moving abroad with my husband means I always have my comfort, my sense of home with me. At the same time, I always have someone who understands this transition – not just intellectually but emotionally as well.

We’re both navigating a new country, new systems, new expectations, a completely new version of daily life.

And that shared experience brings comfort, but it is also accompanied by few complexities.

My husband and I have been extremely fortunate to have our family here, who welcomed us with warmth, love, and immense support. In the process of navigating our lives, we also know that we always have a family to go to, to celebrate, to spend time with, to have meals together, and in a foreign land this is nothing less than a divine blessing.

While going about figuring out our lives in Canada, my husband and I have grown together, not just as partners but as individuals too.  In doing so, the relationship has evolved very much. As a couple, we have learned to communicate more openly, support each other through uncertainty, build routine and stability from scratch.

It’s not always easy – but its deeply strengthening.

The Becoming

In between all the navigation of life, adjustments, chaos, silence and everything in between, something beautiful is happening too. I am becoming someone I probably wouldn’t have become if I had stayed. There’s a quite strength that comes from building a life away from your country, in a new land, away from the familiarities.

Creating a Soft Life – Intentionally

Before moving, I used to think that a “soft life” meant ease. Now I understand that it’s something you create – especially when life feels unfamiliar. For me, building a soft life means being intentional about comfort.

It looks like:

• Creating a home environment that feels warm and calming

• Cooking meals that remind me of my childhood, my mother, my hometown

• Building small daily rituals that ground me

• Allowing myself to slow down without guilt

• Going on impromptu dates with my husband like we used to

• Doing things what we did before together

Because when everything around you is new, those small moments of familiarity become everything.

A soft life isn’t about avoiding challenges. It’s about choosing gentleness in how you move through them.

Living Between Two Identities

Being an immigrant often feels like living between two identities.

You carry your culture with you – your values, your habits, your ways of seeing the world. But you are also evolving.

You’re adapting to a new environment, new ways of thinking, new expectations. And sometimes, it feels like you don’t fully belong in either place.

You’re not the same person you were back home. But you’re still not completely settled here either.

But maybe that’s where growth happens – in the middle of everything, where nothing is fully certain yet.

What “Home” Means to Me Now

Home, earlier used to be a place, a familiar atmosphere. But now its feels like something more fluid. It’s the sense of belonging because my husband is here. It’s the comfort we’re creating together. It’s knowing that we have each other to bounce back to. It’s the peace of having coffee together. Home now is an unexplainable feeling of comfort, peace, and belonging.

Living the Shriya Way

So, what does Living the Shriya Way actually mean?

It’s not perfection, it’s not about having everything figured out.

It’s about:

• Choosing growth, even when it feels uncomfortable

• Creating softness, even when life feels overwhelming

• Building a life that feels aligned, not just impressive

• Honoring where I come from while embracing where I am

It’s about allowing myself to move through this phase of life with intention.

To not rush the process.

To not compare my journey to anyone else’s.

To simply, Live it!

If You’re Starting Over Too

If you’re someone who has:

• Moved abroad in your 30s

• Started over in a new country

• Felt both grateful and overwhelmed at the same time

I want you to know this:

You’re not behind.

You’re not lost.

You’re in a phase of rebuilding.

And that takes courage.

More than we often give ourselves credit for.

A Soft Ending

I don’t have everything figured out.

Some days feel settled.

Some days feel uncertain.

But I’m learning to find beauty in both.

Because this journey isn’t just about moving from one country to another.

It’s about becoming someone new—slowly, intentionally, and honestly.

And maybe that’s what Living the Shriya Way is really about.

Building a life that feels like mine… wherever I am. 🌸