Ready to learn how to thrive during life’s transitions?
Whether we feel as if we’re ready or not, change happens to all of us. And while big transitions often come with fears (“What if I lose what I have now? What if this isn’t the right choice? What if I can’t hack it?”) they also come with new opportunities to thrive!
Learning healthy and productive coping mechanisms to get us through times of significant transitions, and spending a little time adjusting our mindset to open ourselves up to these opportunities can make a huge difference. Suddenly we can go from just managing them, to thriving!
And even if we don’t feel like we can get to “totally thriving” just the practice of trying will help cultivate a more positive environment during this stressful time period.
Do big changes make you feel anxious? Apprehensive? Maybe a little bit afraid? That’s okay! It’s totally natural and there is NO shame in that.
Big changes can throw us from a life where we felt comfortable and experienced into a brand new environment that we suddenly have to navigate without any preparation! Of course we’re going to be a little scared!
The point is not to eliminate the fear that comes with transitions, but to acknowledge it without letting it rule you.
If we can accept periods of transition as both a little frightening AND an opportunity for growth, learning, and a chance to explore a new path, then we can start to thrive.
Big transitions bring on even bigger emotions.
Fear, anxiety, and excitement can overwhelm us. But just because transitions are big and (sometimes) scary, doesn’t mean we can’t thrive during them. No matter which big emotions your transition is paired with, you can still find ways to thrive!
Here are 3 ways you can prepare for & thrive during major life transitions:
1). Don’t ignore your feelings (but don’t let them rule you either):
Take some time to really sit with how you’re feeling. Is it excitement? Fear? Whatever it is, packing it away so that you don’t have to deal with it WON’T work. (Spoiler: it will just crop back up at another inconvenient time). There are no *wrong* emotions here. If you’re afraid, that’s okay! Try to detach shame from it. Instead of beating yourself up for being scared or nervous, explore that feeling. Talk through it with yourself, or a friend, or spend some time journaling. Really get to the root of the emotion. Figure out why you’re feeling what you’re feeling. When you do this you’ll learn a LOT more about yourself and your needs–which will make you more equipped to meet + prioritize them as you go through this transition.
But also: don’t let them rule you. If you’re afraid, explore why, but don’t let it stop you. All feelings are fine, but it is important to remember they aren’t facts. If your fear comes in the form of “I’m not going to be able to do this” don’t feel bad–that’s completely normal to feel that way. But remind yourself it’s just a feeling and it doesn’t actually determine how capable you really are.
2). Try to stay in the moment:
Working through transitions can be extremely hard–we get caught up in fear about the future, and grief over the loss of the past. These emotions are hard to manage, and can often leave us feeling like we’re not making the right choice. Once you’ve given yourself the space to explore what you’re feeling, try to stay in the present. Remind yourself why this change is necessary, and deal with it one step at a time. You can’t rewrite what has already happened and you can’t predict the future. Staying focused on what you can control (your actions in the present) will help the change seem a little less out of control or chaotic.
3). Prioritize self care:
Big transitions are hard enough without letting our self care fall to the wayside! As you ease into whatever big change you’re making, take stock of your needs and make sure they’re covered. Consider things like sleep, food, movement, or a creative outlet. No matter how stressed you feel, try to make sure you get your 8 hours of sleep, food that fuels you and feels good (and makes you happy! Nothing wrong with a little indulgence!). If exercise is an important part of your self care, spend some time each day moving your body; or if you feel better when you get to be creative set aside time for journaling or art, or however you best find that outlet. When we care for ourselves first, big changes are easier to deal with.
“Those times of transitions are great opportunities to look for recurring patterns in your life and make adjustments to build on the good and reduce the bad.” -Dan Miller
