I’m waiting for my flight from Texas back to the UK. As always, leaving feels more emotional than I expect. Not because I am leaving somewhere I love for somewhere I don’t. Quite the opposite.

It always feels like I’m leaving home to go home.

This afternoon, leaving Texas, the familiar things felt unusually vivid: the last hug, the heat outside, the road stretching towards the airport and the loudness of the trucks. Perhaps we notice the texture of home most sharply when we are about to leave it.

I’ve spent much of my life moving between the United States and the United Kingdom. Different chapters of my life have unfolded on both sides of the Atlantic, and over time I’ve developed deep roots in each place. Family, friendships, memories, opportunities and a sense of identity are spread across both countries, which means every departure carries a mixture of gratitude, excitement and sadness.

When people ask where home is, I often struggle to answer. The truth is that home isn’t one place anymore.

Texas feels like home. Sussex feels like home. And while that is a privilege, it can also be surprisingly difficult.

As I sit here reflecting on this trip, I find myself thinking about the people who make a place feel like home in the first place. The friends who have known you through multiple versions of yourself. The family members who don’t need an explanation because they already know the backstory. The people who remain a constant presence despite the years, the miles and the busyness of life.

As an organisational psychologist, much of my work focuses on helping people navigate change. We talk a lot about resilience, adaptability and courage. We celebrate those who embrace uncertainty and step into new challenges. Yet what I’ve learned, both personally and professionally, is that our ability to navigate change is often strengthened by something much quieter.

Connection.

The strongest people I know are not necessarily those who stand independently. They are often the people who are deeply rooted in relationships that sustain them. They have people who celebrate their successes without envy, challenge them when needed and remind them who they are when life feels overwhelming.

As women, particularly those balancing careers, businesses, family responsibilities and personal ambitions, we often place enormous value on our ability to carry things alone. Strength can become synonymous with self-sufficiency.

But increasingly, I find myself questioning that idea.

The older I get, the more I realise that resilience is rarely a solo act. Behind most successful people is a network of family members, friends, mentors and communities providing encouragement, perspective and support. The stabilising force of familiarity allows us to step into uncertainty with greater confidence.

Perhaps that is why driving to the airport never gets any easier either way. Whether I’m leaving Texas or leaving Sussex, I’m not simply departing from a location. I’m stepping away from people who matter enormously to me. The conversations over coffee. The familiar faces. The shared history. The feeling of being known.

Yet there is something reassuring about knowing those connections endure, regardless of geography. For much of my life, I assumed that growth came from moving forward. Chasing the next opportunity. Taking the next leap. Beginning the next adventure. I still believe that.

But I also believe growth comes from understanding what grounds us along the way. The people we return to, the places that restore us and the relationships that remind us what really matters.

As I head to my gate shortly, I know I will feel the familiar pull between two worlds. Part of me is already missing Texas. Part of me is relieved to return to Sussex and see my family again.

For a long time, I thought I needed to choose between those feelings. Now I realise I don’t. Having more than one place that feels like home isn’t a conflict to solve. It’s something to be grateful for.

Because if leaving feels difficult, it’s usually because we’ve been fortunate enough to build a life filled with people worth missing.