Change is hard.
I say this as someone who’s currently trying to change certain aspects of my life. Some of them, as of this post going live, have already changed one way or another. There’s so much going on in my life- a new job, new freelance clients, making better habits, improving my body, and a whole lot more.
Needless to say, I have a lot of stuff going on. I wish I could tell you that I’m taking it all in stride and am not worried about what’s to come. But I’d be lying. It’s a stressful time for me right now, and I’m not coping well. I’m continuing a horrible emotional eating habit and am crippled with so much fear that I can barely get any work down. To say that everything’s okay would be another lie.
So, how does one adjust to change in a healthy manner?
One truth I can admit is that I’m trying hard to get used to all these changes that either have happened or will be happening in time. It hasn’t just been eating crap and being a massive ball of stress. There are a few other things that I’ve been doing to keep my sanity somewhat in check. Perhaps one or more of them will help you out, too.
1. Talking to someone about my feelings
This sounds super corny and incredibly obvious to most people. But I’m the kind of person that hates to divulge how I feel to others- friends, family, you name it. I have to be either extremely close to someone or in a really dark place before I’ll finally confess what’s going on in my head. Now that so much stuff is happening, I’m finding that opening up more to those closest to me has helped significantly.
2. Taking a break when needed
This may sound like a lazy thing to do, but hear me out! I’m a self-confessed workaholic in many aspects, meaning that breaks are typically far and few between. Despite having to work a little on the weekend, I still go out of my way to find several hours to try and relax. I’ll work out, shop and/or go out to eat (either with friends, my mom or alone), and/or spend time at home away from my laptop. It helps distract me from all the insecurity I’m feeling, and I have an excuse to try and have a good time!
3. Being optimistic about what’s to come
I personally struggle with being an optimistic person. I consider myself to be a realist- a person who will accept a situation as is and hande it appropriately. But having such a mindset has caused me to be more of a pessimist. So when change begins to occur, I find myself becoming a pessimist more and more. Instead of becoming trapped in there, however, I try to focus more on all the positives that come with change (i.e. earning more money from a new job or client). This is probably the hardest thing for me to do, but I have noticed a slight difference in my attitude when I do so.
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Adjusting to change can be hard. You may not know what exactly to expect, or you may feel scared out of your mind. Believe me, I’ve been there! But change is inevitable in a number of ways for better or for worse. If there’s just one tiny thing you can do, take a deep breath and try to hold on for the crazy ride that is life.
xo,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Sarah Larkin 