Planning a US Exit Strategy: Its Psychological Benefits & 3 Ways to Get Started

Plan for it regardless of whether you are serious about it or not

As the U.S. political nightmare continues, more and more Americans are considering leaving the US, for either Canada or somewhere else in the world. As I’ll explain, it’s hugely psychologically valuable to contemplate an exit strategy, even as you engage in resistance and protest, and even if you may never actually leave. It’s neither defeatist nor unpatriotic to work on a Plan B, and it may in fact give you the mental strength to keep up the fight. So whether you are serious about moving, or just want to explore the idea, I encourage you to start planning and explain why. In addition, I’ll discuss three different ways to get started.

Photo by Jake Weirick on Unsplash

Stress, Control, and the Power of Planning

Stress is a natural response to uncertainty and threat. Americans are witnessing their country being dismantled, and daily news brings new evidence of harm coming to them or those they love. The stress is made worse by daily feelings of moral outrage, and the sense of powerlessness to immediately stop this train wreck in action. And as we know, chronic stress, the kind that’s humming beneath the surface for many Americans today, can cause genuine harm: from sleep disruption and inability to focus, to undermining your immunity and mental health.

One of the most effective psychological tools for managing stress is regaining a sense of agency, even in situations you cannot control. That’s where planning your escape route comes in. It gives you control and choices back.

Imagining a concrete alternative interrupts helplessness and restores hope.

Contemplating, or better yet planning, an exit strategy activates the problem-solving parts of your brain, rather than the doom-scrolling ones. It’s a cognitive shift from rumination about “I’m trapped in this crazy place” to functional thoughts around “I have options.”

Here envisioning matters, and the more details the better. Let your mind start to picture yourself in place where life feels less unpredictable and threatening. Maybe you can imagine walking each morning through a cozy neighbourhood in Victoria to your favourite coffee shop, or taking a martini mixing class on a beach in Costa Rica. Maybe you’re researching how the Canadian Super Visa works, looking at jobs on line in Ireland, or checking the exchange rate to see if your retirement savings can stretch farther in Portugal. This is escapism, but it is also a form of replenishing your depleted resources, which can make you more resilient for the lingual. It doesn’t mean you’re giving up on your country but rather that you’re healthfully tending to your well-being while continuing to fight the good fight.

Why the Journey (Even Mental) Matters

Studies in trauma psychology show that having a plan, even an imperfect one, is protective. Having a plan helps your mental wellbeing even when you do not opt to execute it. For example, one study found that refugees who simply had a roadmap out of danger reported lower levels of depression and PTSD. Of course, what many of us face isn’t remotely comparable to war or displacement, but the underlying emotional mechanism still applies. So don’t dismiss the spreadsheet you made of expat cities or feel silly for bookmarking immigration pages. Instead, keep doing it!

What Now?

If you’re still reading, you probably fall into one of these groups:

• You’re seriously considering a move to Canada or elsewhere, and need practical guidance.

• You’re not sure if you’ll ever actually do it, but you need to feel like you could.

• You just want to keep one sane place in the world in your back pocket and mind.

  

  Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Some Planning Strategies

Regardless of which group above you fall into, you can start to develop an exit strategy. Below are a set of three approaches you can take. It should get you started, but I’m confident you will also add to these lists. These three approaches vary by how much time you want to give it, from casual exploration, to more serious time investment. I am focusing here on Canada but the same principles of planning an exit strategy can be applied to any country of your choosing.

Option 1: Light & Easy Exploration

There are things you can do right now that will increase your sense of agency and give you some control and positivity back:

• Book mark the Canadian Immigration website (or google and save your favourite country immigration site)

• Read my articles on pathways to Canada: General, Seniors

• Read some of the links in those articles that are relevant to you (or google some similar blogs for your country of choice).

• Start a savings folder labeled “Plan B.”

• Join expat forums or follow people online who’ve made the move.

• For Canada, start learning about different provinces and cities and what daily life is actually like in each.

• Begin a checklist of things you'd need to do or learn if the time came to leave.

• Try out Canadian content, such as CBC, to get a feel for the country

None of this commits you to anything. But all of it reminds you that you have options.

OPTION 2: Virtual Planning

If you want to dig a bit deeper and go into more specific plans, here are some suggestions.

• Order your passport if you do not have a current one.

• Learn about immigration pathways for the country of your choice. For Canada, figure out which pathway(s) you might take into the country: Go back to school? Seek a job to get a work permit? Apply for the one of the provincial entrepreneurship programs? I cover many of these in my past article.

• Look at cost-of-living comparisons with websites such as Numbeo or Expatistan

• For employment in Canada, look at Indeed or Glassdoor or the equivalent in other countries of interest to you.

• Another great source of info is Reddit where you can read more firsthand accounts from expat residents or recent immigrants to your country of interest. Pro tip: Every online location forum attracts naysayers, meaning you’ll find every location has people who love to tell you how much they dislike it. So first look at a forum for a city you love so that you can appreciate how high the ‘whine factor’ is online, then you can adjust according to places you are interested in.

• Don’t forget about Youtube. Search “[city] walkthrough” or “[city] expat life”.

• Consider Facebook groups, such as “Americans in Canada” or “[City Name} Housing” or “Expats in [Country]”

• Create a folder on your computer named Canada or country of choice, with Scanned ID documents, updated resume adjusted for that country, list of target cities with pros/cons, health and financial documents you will need

OPTION 3: In-Person Exploration

For those with the needed time and resources, consider a stay in the country you are considering.

• Consider at least 1-2 weeks in each location. Some good value accommodations can be found on Sabbatical Homes (you need not be an academic to use it). Other affordable options include HomeExchange, PeopleLikeUs, and TrustedHouseSitter.

• Take notes when there: How you feel when there, what locals describe rest of year’s climate like, transit options, housing costs, price of groceries, access to healthcare, neighbourhood feel and safety, community connections (e.g., LGBTQ+, BIPOC, activist, or professional groups)

If Canada (my personal favourites):

• Vancouver (mild climate, very high cost of living, West Coast culture)

• Victoria (smaller city, more affordable that Vancouver, slower pace)

• Toronto (our version of NYC, colder weather, high job density)

• Halifax (smaller, lower cost of living, growing tech and health sectors)

Final Note

You don’t need to make life-changing decisions today. But preparation gives you choices, and choices give you relief. If you’re overwhelmed, do one small thing this week: join a group, read up on a city, or price out rentals. You’ll be glad you did if conditions worsen but you will also find psychological benefit from doing so even if the future improves.

Thanks for reading!
Canada Resists