Every Fall, the leaves turn yellow, orange, and red. But, it’s a little bit harder for people to undergo changes. This is because we get used to what we know. When we identify with what we do, it can be hard to do things differently. Change is inevitable though. Learning to prepare yourself for transitions can help you to be more well and happy. Get on the same wavelength as the beautiful Fall leaves and embrace change! Read our tips below for making this process easier.
Gain the skills you need to make the change easier
Part of why change is hard is because you might not feel equipped to handle a new way of doing things. But, if you can prepare yourself for change, you are more likely to handle it well. Maybe your workplace is asking you to use a new software system. If so, try spending some extra time learning it on your own, ahead of the update. That way, when the switch is made, you will already have had some time to get used to it. It sounds simple, but many people will resist change. Once the switch is made, they are unprepared and that makes the change scarier.
The same goes for life changes. If you are moving to a new neighborhood, take some time to look up all of the places that you’ll need to go once you live there. If you already know how to get around for daily tasks, it will help you to feel more settled once you arrive. In other words, you can ease into new routines. This will help you feel more equipped to tackle the change once the time comes.
Try to find empowerment in the change
If you can find ways that the change provides you with opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise had, you may be more likely to feel positively about it overall. Feeling empowered by new ways of doing things helps you to recognize possible gains. It might be hard, but usually getting out of your comfort zone helps you to grow. Maybe you are being asked to manage people for the first time. While this might be intimidating and may not be what you saw yourself doing, it is a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills. If you focus on how shifts in situations move you in a positive direction, you are more likely to appreciate them overall.
Similarly, in life, thinking about how change might help you is also crucial. Let’s say your kids are moving out to go to college. While this might be really difficult handle, try to focus on the free time it gives you to explore career or life opportunities. Having more time for yourself, might help you to really develop personally. It’s ok to feel sad about changes for a bit. But, try to shift the focus to the ways in which they will enrich your life whenever possible.
Build your resilience – even when change isn’t happening
It’s really important to make sure that you are preparing for change, even when it isn’t occurring at the time. Change is a constant. So, you should always be thinking about how to grow your agility. Resilience plays a big role in driving positive emotions when things are in flux. These positive emotions then lead you to be more committed and happy about transitions over time.
Some people are more naturally resilient than others. But, the good news is that you can build your resilience by spending time with positive people. So, try to make sure that you are carving out enough time to spend with family, friends, and coworkers who truly help you to feel good about yourself. Having positive people to lean on during times of change will help you to be able to get through it.
You can also practice mindfulness to help prepare yourself for ongoing shifts. Mindfulness has been shown to predict positive emotions during times of change, which affects how you feel. We have talked about mindfulness before and the reason it works is because it helps you to pay attention to the present. That means that, when you are going through changes, you can focus on the reality of the situation. This will make you less focused on how things used to be and less worried about what the future will hold.
Hopefully these tips help you tackle change, learn more about yourself, and grow from new opportunities! How have you coped with change before? How did you maintain your health and wellness during major life changes? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!
