You must cope with constant change at work and at home. Perhaps you’ve
got a seriously ill parent who needs care, or your child is graduating from high
school and you will soon have an empty nest, or maybe you’re getting a divorce.
This is life—constantly changing. How you deal with the changes
taking place in your life makes a great difference on your mental, emotional and
physical well-being.
When faced with change, you can be tense, stressed, depressed and
angry, or you can experience joy, health, and well being. It all depends on your
adaptability.
You can learn skills to confidently cope with change and live a healthy,
happy, and productive life, no matter what transition you’re facing.
Positive Coping
One of the first aspects of handling constant change effectively
is to learn to use positive coping strategies. These are behaviors, attitudes,
and activities that reduce your stress without compromising your health. For example,
playing tennis, taking a hot bath, meditating, or gardening are good ways of coping.
When you find enjoyable activities that help you deal with the stress of change,
you’re using positive coping behaviors.
Overeating, consuming caffeine, alcohol or other drugs, or becoming
a couch potato are negative coping behaviors, as are abusive behavior, constant
sleeping, or isolating yourself from others. Yet, many people use these behaviors
to avoid taking charge of their lives when they encounter difficult circumstances.
When you take charge of your life—the part that you can
control—you will find that the changes taking place don’t affect you
as seriously as before.
Fear. One of the greatest roadblocks to handling transitions is fear—fear of risk-taking, fear of the unknown, or any other fear. Allow yourself to feel
the fear, then let go of it, so that it won’t paralyze you. Fear is good
in small doses. It awakens you to a possible danger and signals that something
different needs to be done. But if you hold onto your fear, then fear makes your
life more stressful. Learn how to overcome the fear, so that it won’t or
stop you from making the choices best for you.
Risk taking. Taking risks to make pro-active changes will enhance
your ability to act in positive ways. When you view risk-taking with awe and excitement
rather than dread and worry, you will move forward. Making an action plan, taking
small steps, and getting the support you need are all part of confidently coping
with transitions.
Perspective. If you can change your mind-set to be positively focused, vs. negatively worried, you can make any decision a winning one. You can find
peace of mind as you discover the learning or “silver-lining” in a
dark time.
When you focus on where you are now, you find greater contentment.
When you concentrate fully on the task, discussion, or emotion at hand, much of
your stress will disappear. Stress expands as you worry about the “what
if” rather than deal with the “what is.”
Appreciate what you have now, without fear about possible negative
outcomes or comparison with others. Remember the small delights so that you can
feel good, even in turbulent times.
When you use positive coping strategies, overcome fear, and focus
on each moment, you will feel more accepting, appreciative, and joyful. PE
