As October greets us with crisper air, golden light, and the deep hues of autumn, we’re reminded of the transitions that are an inherent part of life. These changes often bring new opportunities, which can be exciting, as well as challenging and hard to embrace. Here are four tips to help you navigate change with more ease:
1. Notice and name your feelings.
What is it about this change, or change in general, that inspires an emotional reaction in you? What is this reaction telling you? Do you feel feelings of fear, sadness, anxiety? Naming the specific ways you feel can help you to understand and accept these feelings, as well as provide an opportunity for you to dig deeper into your emotions. Do you have any surprising feelings? It is common to still feel excitement, hope, and anticipation in the face of change, even if many of your other feelings are negative. Name these feelings, too, and explore how to dive into them.
2. Take time to reflect.
Change is always difficult, and it is important to really reflect on what you have lost, and what you will gain, from a period of change. It is important to name the things that are lost in a period of change, and mourn that they will not be a part of our lives in the same way. It is important not to write off the things that have changed and ignore the role they played in your life. Instead, explore appreciating the things we have lost and paying homage to them. This is an essential part of accepting that things are different now, and preparing yourself to move on.
3. Stay connected to what comforts you.
Periods of change can make us feel out of control, as well as present anxiety about what a new and uncertain future may hold for us. In moments like this, it is important to give yourself comfort and practice self-care. Maintaining a bit of normalcy can make the moments of change seem more manageable, and can help us conserve our energy for the moments when we need to be present with the change. Maintaining a routine or returning to a comforting movie, book, or TV show can all provide some comfort to us that allows us to feel steady.
4. Look ahead with hope.
Change can be scary and unsettling, and it is essential to acknowledge those feelings. Change can also bring feelings of excitement and hopefulness. Naming these feelings is important, and spending some time reframing the change in a positive light can make coping easier, and help us lean into change, rather than resist it. Write down some possible elements of the change that might be good, and allow yourself to look forward and imagine what positive things might enter your life because of this change. Remember, just because something is scary, does not mean it is completely negative or unmanageable. Expanding your mindset might help you accept all elements of a change– the good and bad.