Coping with change can be bumpy – no matter how prepped we are. Whether you’re getting married, changing careers, dealing with loss, or simply adjusting to a post-2020 ‘new normal’ – change can make us feel vulnerable. We ask: Who am I now? What’s my identity? What happens next? The experience of life transition can be made to feel better or worse – depending on how you approach it.
So, how to cope with change and come out stronger on the other side
Let’s try this…
Ask yourself how much you can control
How much of this changing situation do you ultimately have control over? If something is beyond you (say, a global pandemic), try to remember, you are NOT the CEO Of The World. You can only control what you can control. So don’t dwell or spend too much time on what’s simply beyond your reach.
Be gentle on yourself
Even if change is welcome, like moving in with your partner, getting married or scoring your dream job, change can still deliver unique challenges. Don’t assume to ‘have it down’ straight away and when you hit stumbling blocks, be gentle with yourself. Adjusting to a new life situation takes time.
Don’t abandon your self-care routine
Now is not the time to drop your yoga class or skip morning meditation. It’s not the time to forget to eat properly and go to bed at a reasonable time. It’s the opposite. Transition requires you to be fully present physically and emotionally and that means taking care of yourself. Make sure you ‘check in’ with yourself regularly and ask ‘How am I going?’ and ‘What do I need?’
Talk to someone
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed by change – even when we plan for it. Talk to family, friends, your support crew, or even a therapist, on the specific challenges you’re struggling with. People who are going through a similar situation will provide support – and practical advice to help make things smoother, or at least help you to feel less alone.
Remember, you’ve done this before
As you face your new life transition, try to remember the times when you’ve successfully coped with change before. A challenging new job, the death of a family member, overcoming sickness, moving house… Whatever your big life transitions have been, keep them in mind as proof that you can successfully handle this one too.
Use change for personal growth
This is the ‘come out the other side stronger’ part. Take this life transition or change as an opportunity to really focus on how you live your life. What’s working? What’s not working? Where do you need to build your resilience? What will you take from the past and merge into the Now? Write down what other changes you’d like to bring to your life, using this transition time to do it.
Give yourself permission to ENJOY it
So often we go through change hoping we’re doing it right and trying to make it easier for the people around us. Give yourself a moment to enjoy the process. Be flexible and accept the situation as it evolves. Embrace it. When we fully accept change we can navigate transition with an open heart. That doesn’t mean forgetting what has gone before, it simply means making peace with what is happening Now. This includes the post-2020 New Normal. Accept life as it is, and simply move forward, one step at a time.
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