Coping with Change: How You Can Do So Healthily

Over the past few years, our nation has seen an unprecedented amount of change. The pandemic caused people to change the way they lived, working from home and attending school at home. Now, we’re being called to return to our lifestyles from “before”, but this switch back simply isn’t possible for many—at least not easily. An additional complication faced recently is economic unrest. People have lost jobs, and inflation has caused money to stretch less than it once did. 

Change is difficult—and as we launch into a new season, you may not feel completely ready for it. But change is also inevitable, and the easier you find, the less stress you’ll feel. With that being said, let’s look into some of the ways that you can better cope with change in your life.

Remember: Nothing is Forever

While you might initially be unhappy with some of the changes your life is going through, remember that the change itself is proof that nothing lasts forever. In fact, just as the seasons change, so does life—and you may want to look at life as seasonal, too. The season you’re going through right now is temporary, and it will either naturally pass, or you can do things to make it pass faster. 

Be Empowered

If you don’t like a change that’s occurring in your life, try to remember that you are empowered, and you do have ways to turn those changes around. Even if it takes longer than expected, you can take life by the horns to make a positive difference. When something in your life makes you unhappy, start out by making a plan. If you don’t like your job, you may not be able to immediately quit or find an alternative—however, you can slowly but surely start to revamp your resume and perhaps pick up skills and certifications that would make you appealing to other employers. Of course, that’s just one example. There is much more that you can do to get where you want to be in life.

Pay Attention to Your Health

It’s all too easy to neglect your health when you’re focused on stressors in your life. However, when you’re stressed about change, it’s a great time for you to re-center and focus more on your mental and physical health. Going to the gym and working out is a great way for you to de-stress and give yourself the endorphins that you need to put things in perspective. Additionally, activities like yoga and meditation will not only make you more physically healthy, but more mentally fit as well.

Always Reflect

Being in denial about change and how it is affecting you is not productive—additionally, if there have been unexpected positives coming with change you expected to be wholly negative, you might not appreciate them as much if you only dwell on the negative. Take time to reflect on the change that you’ve been through, how you feel about it, and the things you’ve learned from it. You’re a more powerful person for having gotten through change, and you should give yourself the recognition you deserve for it.

We don’t want to take away from the fact that change is tough—it certainly can be challenging. But you can get through this, and as we head into the holidays and the end of the year, give yourself a pat on the back for getting through the past few months of rapid change for everyone. We know you ‘ll be able to get through whatever comes next.