Transitional phases can be tough to overcome. It’s how your life is able to change during one short moment, and you’re left dealing with its aftermaths. Your lifelong commitment to being a parent, for example, is one of these – or even going through a divorce. These kinds of life-changing events causes major emotional turbulence and it’s good to have a few tricks up your sleeve to cope with them.
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The problem with major life changes is that we are taught to expect them. You’ll fall in love, have children, get divorced, and experience the loss of a loved one – but nobody shows us how to cope with them.
Here are a couple of strategies from psychologists out there so that you can face the changes like a boss.
Take one day at a time – or ten minutes
Feeling overwhelmed and unsure about the future? A classic stress coping strategy is to focus on one day at a time, and making an honest effort to not think too much about the future for now. When you don’t know what’s going to happen, it will only increase your uncertainty and fuel up under your anxiety – and you have enough to cope with as it is.
Reach out to family and friends or talk to a therapist about it. Taking one day at a time doesn’t mean you’re not supposed to talk about your emotions; it means that you shouldn’t let your inner monologue run wild out of stress.
A professional will be able to bring your stream of thought back on track, and it will feel good to have someone to talk to.
This first phase is all about taking care of yourself and allowing one day to pass before you address the next one. Make a cup of tea and wrap yourself up in a blanket.
Let yourself imagine
When your mind has overcome the anxiety of facing these life changes, it’s time to let yourself imagine what your life may look like next. To those who have experienced the loss of someone they love, this step often involves looking over finances and planning the funeral.
If your financial situation is keeping you from starting the planning process, it’s easier than ever to find some worthy but cheap funerals so that you can get back to living again. Those who have just welcomed a new baby into their lives may also want to map out their financial future and daydream of what their child will grow up to be.
It’s all about imagining, and it will help you to find more joy in the future.
Big changes are a part of life but it doesn’t mean they’re not traumatizing. It’s important to keep in mind that life-changing moments that are actually positive, such as having a baby, also can take a toll on your mental health – and many new parents beat themselves up for not feeling over the moon all the time.
Remember that your feelings are normal and that you just need some time to adjust; we’re not really that good with changes, after all.
