As a species, we humans are notoriously resistant to change. Whether it’s something as trivial as a new supermarket layout or as monumental as a major life event or a challenging physical transformation that our bodies are going through, we often find it difficult to navigate the transition.
We react to this difficulty in various ways, depending on our personalities. For instance, as our minds grapple to cope with the new way of things, a wave of troublesome emotions may rise up to engulf us. We might find ourselves becoming frustrated, confused, angry, afraid, or even depressed, depending on the scope of the change we are facing.
At the root of these strong emotions is a desire to keep things the way they are – a preference for the status quo. There are several powerful reasons why we may feel this way – not least, an understandable fear of the unknown.
However, the fact remains that change is unavoidable. But wait; there’s good news. Even if you find yourself facing a significant transition of some kind, there are things you can do to help you weather it and emerge stronger and more resilient. Let’s dive right in and find out what they are!
As you embark on your new transition – whether it’s related to your health, your career, or your personal life – one of the most important pieces of advice you can follow is to be patient and gentle with yourself. Even if you find yourself experiencing that flood of negative emotions mentioned above, it’s important to remember that those feelings are perfectly natural. They don’t mean you are weak, or inadequate, or incapable of change. They are a normal psychological response to something new and potentially unnerving or challenging.
As you go through the period of transition, treat yourself as you would a close friend. Remind yourself that it’s perfectly fine to have these uncomfortable feelings, but that they are only temporary. Remind yourself, too, that thoughts and feelings are just that – thoughts and feelings. They aren’t binding truths, and they don’t necessarily reflect what’s really going on. Nor do they define you.
Sometimes, we face a transition out of necessity – whether because someone else has told us it’s required or because we ourselves have realised that it’s important. For example, maybe you have been told by your GP that you smoke too many cigarettes or that your blood pressure is too high and you need to make some lifestyle changes. This kind of news can be understandably scary, and the resulting fear and anxiety can make the alterations we face seem more daunting or difficult than they actually are. In this kind of situation, it’s important to think of ways to make the changes as gentle and as simple as you can to bring down your stress levels and help you acclimatise.
For instance, if the problem you have is that you need to quit smoking – which you may have used as a form of self-soothing for many years – then you can opt to do this gradually by initially switching to vaping instead. Elf bars and vape pens, such as those provided by Grey Haze, can help you slowly but surely reduce your cigarette use and nicotine intake to healthier levels, while making the change less stressful and dramatic.
While you’re learning how to embrace change and reframe it as more of a positive thing, you can find enjoyable ways to manage your feelings by getting creative whenever possible.
Creative activities such as drawing, painting, dancing, photography, cooking, and even gardening can help us cope with difficult times, including big transitions. There are various reasons for this; for one thing, dedicating some time to tapping into our creativity can provide a welcome distraction from what’s going on around us.
Creative pursuits also help us channel our feelings in healthy and often beautiful ways. In other words, being creative can be a highly effective tool that allows us to find new ways to adapt and make the best of a major transition, even if it’s a particularly challenging one.
Not sure what creative activities might suit you the best? It can help to think about what you most loved to do as a child. Maybe you used to spend hours drawing as a kid, or maybe you loved messing about with paint and creating bold, bright, vivid paintings that brought a big smile to your face. Chances are that the creative outlets you enjoyed in your younger years may still resonate with you today, so don’t hesitate to give them a try!
If the big life change you’re facing is the result of your own decisions (for example, maybe you’ve quit a steady job to pursue a different, more fulfilling career path), then you may feel under a lot of pressure to pull off your big transition with ease.
Pursuing your dreams can definitely be scary at times, especially if you find yourself without the safety net of a secure job or a significant relationship. Because life is – well, life, you will also probably encounter a few stumbling blocks along the way that may dent your confidence and make the transition seem even harder.
There’s no denying that these setbacks can be difficult and make you feel thrown off course. However, you should try to remember that mishaps are a part of life and that it’s not what happens that’s necessarily important, but how we react to it.
Finally, just because something went wrong, that doesn’t mean that you’ve failed or that you can’t achieve your goals. By consciously cultivating helpful qualities such as persistence, perseverance and fortitude, you will help yourself to weather any storm and emerge tougher and more resilient – with more confidence in your own abilities. As a result, the next time you face a big change, you’ll know that you have the grit and the guts to get through it, no matter how daunting it may seem to begin with.
©2022 by Laudee Group