Preparing for change

Thursday, 17 August 2023

We face many changes throughout our lives. It can also be exciting, daunting, or exhausting.

No matter what we feel about it, change is inevitable and can’t be avoided. When we’re finding it difficult, often the problem isn’t the change itself, but how we deal with it.

Welcoming change into our lives

There are many changes we choose, and welcome with enthusiasm. For example, maybe we can’t wait to finish school and start a new job or go to college. But even if we look forward to a change, there may also be negative feelings involved.

Then there are changes that we don’t choose – maybe your immediate future doesn’t look like you thought it would and this requires shifting perspective.

For us to arrive at something ‘new’, we must first give up something ‘old’. It’s OK to have mixed emotions in these cases, feeling happiness and excitement as much as fear and sadness. Doubt about our decision can often creep in as well.

Being able to talk about and share our emotions can be helpful. Take time to acknowledge what you’re leaving behind. If you are having second thoughts about a change you made, talk these through with someone you trust. If it is affecting your day-to-day activities, you might need to introduce some ways to handle these feelings.

How to deal with change

Give yourself time to come to terms with the change. Reach out and talk to people around you about how you are feeling.

How you can handle the change ahead

When we anticipate a change, we often imagine the worst-case scenario. If you find yourself doing this, think about how you would deal with that situation, if it actually happened. Talk this through with a trusted friend or family member, and identify possible outcomes and solutions together.

Are there any positives in the situation? Focus on the positive outcomes no matter how small they may seem. Try to shift your attention from the negatives. Imagine how you would comfort a friend going through the same thing.

Bear in mind, once a change happens, even if we don’t agree with it, there will likely come a time when we grow to accept it. Remind yourself of something you may have been dreading in the past and how that panned out.

Uncertainty can often add feelings of anxiety. So, while the lead-up to the change can be difficult, once it actually happens you can begin to deal with it and it becomes easier with time.

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