When you are in the process of moving house lots of things (not just your address and the contents of your bank account) are changing. The emotional upheaval is big too. Not all of these will register in your thinking. Many of them will happen in your subconscious (in fact it is common for people to have crazy dreams during the house move process)

Here are some of the things to look out for that could be causing stress to your subconscious mind during the house move:

• Uncertainty is processed by the subconscious. It creates a subtle feeling of unease. Until you actually have the keys in your hand the house buying process is uncertain. Almost anything can happen including sales falling through or banks withdrawing mortgages.

• You lose one set of neighbours and gain some more. Even if you are moving within the same town or even the same street your relationships and routines are changing. You will need to deal with new neighbours and find a new route to work or school.

• The familiar home environment changes. Whether you love the house you are leaving or loathe it your brain will have assimilated lots of information about it to make the automatic thinking you use to run your daily life. When you move your brain will start the process of assimilation and re-orientation again.

• Packing your belongings and moving boxes is physically and emotionally draining. You may be lucky enough to have a full packing service (a good idea in my book) but be aware that seeing your things go into boxes can trigger strange emotions and potentially lots of stress.

• Arguments are more likely to break out between couples involved in a house move so watch out for stresses in your relationships. Negotiating which house to buy and how to go through the process is often a source of tension for families.

Identifying the causes of stress is the first step in dealing with the stress itself. If that list hasn’t helped you to deal identify house moving stressors then try asking this powerful question:

What is the worst that could happen?

It will help you identify hidden fears and worries that are raising your stress hormone levels and causing you to experience stress in your body. I talk more about this question and how it can be helpful on the video.

The power of visualisation

The limbic system is the part of the brain that deals with emotional regulation. One of the features of the limbic is that it does not know the difference between the real and fantastical. That's why when you go to the movies you get sucked into the drama even though you know it is all made up. The limbic works from the inputs from the 5 senses: hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch.

How to use visualisation to crete a stress-free house move

Using your imagination visualise your moving day. Visualise your first night in your new house. Pay special attention to how you feel. Note down descriptive words for your feelings to use in the next step. Let the visualisation form in your mind. If you are new to using your imagination or have been taught it is bad or dangerous then you will need to be patient and pay careful attention to your inner world.

The aim of this visualisation is not to predict how the day will go or how you will feel but to allow the thoughts and feelings to surface and be expressed. They create a coherent experience of self for your brain which is stress relieving.

Spend anything from 2 to 10 minutes exploring the house move in your imagination and making the imagery as rich as possible. With practice, your visual world can become as vibrant as if you were seeing it on a screen at the cinema. Notice sensations, emotions, feelings, colours, shapes, fears, hopes, thrills and any other detail that your imagination shows you.

Repeat the visualisation daily for anything from 7 to 30 days. Look for the effect that these daily habits have on your inner world. You will begin to detect more inner calm and certainty amid the change and uncertainty externally.

And get in touch if you have found this article helpful. I love to hear from readers about their experiences.