Life Changes Don’t Have To Be Stressful

It’s true. Life changes can be stressful. You might even find yourself falling into depression. It’s hard when your life suddenly looks different. I wrote about a devastating event that affected my life in a previous post.   This is a followup on more ways you can manage the stress that comes with life changes. 

(NOTE: Just so you are aware of it, this post may contain affiliate links to products that I may or may not receive compensation from.)

While few things are more certain in life than change, that does not necessarily make dealing with change any easier. When change comes your way, you might need some stress management techniques to help get you through it. And maybe next time you’re coping with a life change it will be a bit easier to handle.

1. Let yourself feel. 

Feel the sense of loss, grief, hurt, anger, pain, or other emotions that the life change brings on. It may be a costly mistake in terms of your emotional and even physical health if you stifle your feelings, or tell yourself you “shouldn’t” be feeling the things you do. Go ahead and let yourself experience the emotions, and don’t judge yourself.

2. Don’t wallow in those negative emotions, either.

While honestly experiencing those feelings is healthy, dwelling on them for a long time (years, perhaps) and allowing them to make you bitter and angry is not optimal. If you need to, seek professional help in letting those feelings go after experiencing them.

You might consider keeping a journal or doing artwork to get through emotional difficulties. These creative activities can be helpful because you have to “feel” the emotion to write, draw, paint, or sculpt; but then the feelings are worked out and transformed into something tangible.

3. Try to see the life change in a positive light.

Go ahead and embrace the change rather than trying to hide or run from it. Accept it, and you may find a sense of freedom.

4. It’s okay to say “no” to some activities so you can get some extra rest.

Excessive sleeping can be a sign of serious depression, but getting some extra rest during a time of upheaval and change may actually be healthy and help you cope better.

5. Remember who you are.

Your identity, interests, life goals, and so forth are important to remember during times of change. They are like your anchors. A life change may actually bring on a reassessment of these things, and that can be healthy, too. Maybe you need to face some fears and anxieties you have about change in general. Now is the time to do it.

Things to Avoid

It’s also worth noting some not-so-healthy ways of coping with life changes and the stress that may bring. Some destructive coping strategies to avoid include:

* Drinking alcohol
* Smoking
* Spending money on things you don’t really need
* Gambling
* Overeating
* Starving yourself
* Procrastination

Instead find ways to fill your time that make you happy, tired in a good way, relaxed or involved. One of my favorite ways to relax when I begin to feel the signs of stress is to fill my aromatherapy diffuser with my favorite essential oils, grab my favorite cup of hot tea blend and spend a few minutes to an hour relaxing. 

Life changes can be stressful. It’s how you react to them that makes the difference.

P.S. I’d love to hear about your life changes. Connect with me here, on my Facebook page  or join my Facebook group.