Changes come in a rainbow of different packages. Some are positive, while others can be downright devastating. Moving, getting married, getting divorced, switching jobs or losing a loved one are just some of the common changes we encounter throughout life.
Regardless of what the life change might be, chances are there will be a degree of stress involved in adapting to the new norm. This article will offer some coping mechanisms that will equip you to manage change as it comes – without throwing your entire life into upheaval to do so.
Types of Changes We Encounter
There are many different types of changes that might come along in life, but most fall into a few basic categories:
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Physical Changes – These changes might be as simple as coping with the effects of aging or as difficult as a diagnosis of a chronic illness or an injury that alters our physical abilities for the rest of our lives.
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Financial Changes – Your money situation may fluctuate as the result of other major life changes like getting or losing a job, getting married or divorced or having children. Even when financial changes are secondary to other life transitions, the stress of dealing with money issues can often be one of the most difficult to overcome.
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Relationship Changes – While many relationship changes involve a spouse, you might also have children, lose a family member or say goodbye to a friend who is moving across the country.
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Living/Housing Changes – Moving from one home to another is stressful enough, but when that new home is halfway across the country, the stress is magnified exponentially. Living changes can also result when someone in your family moves into or out of your home.
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Spiritual Changes – Many people experience spiritual changes as a result of other major life transitions. For example, you might join a meditation group to relieve stress or become involved in a religious organization in your search for answers to a significant loss in your life.
No matter what type of change you might encounter, many major life transitions are very difficult to manage. Change evokes fear, anxiety and trepidation over the unknown. It often requires us to step out of our comfort zones. It takes a constructive game plan to adjust expectations and come up with a coping strategy to make the changes more manageable.
Common Strategies for Coping with Change
Change may be hard, but most of the time, there is nothing you can do to stop it. Instead of trying to fight or avoid major life transitions, consider these common strategies for coping with change:
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Accept It – Change is inevitable in the majority of situations. Determine why the change is occurring and what it is for. By taking the time to accept and analyze the change, you will not only more effectively equip yourself to deal with it, but you will increase your odds of growing as a person in the process.
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Recognize the Loss – Many changes involve loss of some kind, and it is best to acknowledge and deal with the loss, rather than try to bypass it. If necessary, talk to a professional about the loss, who can give you constructive ways to work through this particular aspect of your life transition.
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Look for Benefits – Even the most trying changes may provide some sunshine through the rain. Positive changes offer more obvious benefits; a new job may bring in more money and a move may result in a bigger home or better schools for your kids. Acknowledge what the benefits of the change might be and then revel in them!
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Adjust Your Expectations – Our expectations shape what our reaction to life’s circumstances might be. The good news is that we can change our expectations to a more realistic level so we protect ourselves from the disappointment and frustration of unmet expectations.
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Let Go and Live – Once you have confronted and dealt with your change, let go of your past and be grateful for what used to be. Give yourself time to adapt and adjust to the change and then prepare to enjoy your new life circumstances to the fullest.
Dealing with major changes is never easy, but people manage it every day. In some cases, you will be able to work through the process on your own, given enough time and a supportive environment to do so. Others might need the help of a trusted friend or professional counselor to deal with the change constructively and come out positively on the other side.
