Many of us can experience life transitions at various points in our lives, it could be moving to a new city, a redundancy, retirement, becoming a parent, a divorce or simply wanting to create positive changes in your life.
Going through a life transition can bring up a mixed range of emotions which can cause many of us to feel uncertain, question our identity or revaluate what we truly want.
If you are currently experiencing or considering a ‘life change’ below are some tips that can help you to get through it:
1. Use the situation as an opportunity to review the big picture
When going through a change it can sometimes be easy for many of us to operate on autopilot and choose to stick with what can feel safe and familiar to us without really using the time to consider what it is that we really want. Sometimes rushing into autopilot can be easier than allowing yourself to embrace the opportunity that a transition can offer. Using this valuable time to take a step back and assess what you really want, and consider your long-term goals is a great way to make the most of this transitional period so that you can reroute your life in a direction that makes you happier.
Some questions to help you get clarity include:
What is working well in my life?
What is not working so well?
If I could wave a magic wand how would I want my life to look?
2. Experiment
Transitional times in our life can be a perfect time to experiment and try new things. This could be your opportunity to do things differently, to shift your way of thinking, to chase after your dreams and tick off some of the things you may have always wanted to try.
Make a list of 10 things that you would love to do! Doing so, not only helps you to have clarity, but it also fuels you with inspiration to take action and make things happen!
3. Journal
Often when going through a life transition our emotions can move in waves whilst we adjust to a new way of being. Journaling can be a great way to assist you in any moments you may feel that things around you are shifting faster than you feel comfortable with or at times you feel overwhelmed; it is also a great way to release any fears or doubts onto paper to help make sense of your thoughts.
4. Get support
Reaching out to supportive friends or family is a great way to help you through a transition; you could also consider making new friends with similar interests by taking new classes or on meetup.com. Another great option is to consider hiring a life coach who can help you to navigate any bumps in the road, get clarity and plan your next steps forward. Sometimes it can be easier for us to move ahead if we have someone supporting us through our transition period.
5. Take care of yourself
Often when going through changes our energy levels can get low and we may experience highs and lows when we’re stressed we may feel drawn to having an extra glass of wine but this is actually the time to be focusing on taking care of ourselves. Healthy foods and exercise are great ways to assist you in keeping your emotions in check which can help you to think with a clear mind and provides your body with fuel to manage your state. You could also consider including mindfulness techniques to your daily routine to help you manage your thought processes, relax and re-connect with your intuition and inner voice. Alongside wellbeing activities and having a healthy diet, be mindful of what you are watching and listening to, are you watching soaps on the television that are full of doom and gloom? Or are you watching things that inspire you and make you laugh? What books are you reading? What music are you listening to? Remain aware of what you’re putting into your mind and the impact this can have on your state.
6. Boost your sense of humour
Often when going through a transitional period, our sense of humour can be the first thing to slip away. Maintaining a sense of humour can help you to reduce stress, cope with emotional pain, break out of a funk and can make you feel better. Spending time around people who make you laugh, watching humorous films or reading funny books, going to comedy shows or trying laughing yoga are all ways that you can add a dose of humour to your day.
7. Move at your own pace
Allowing yourself the relevant time to adjust to your life changes is vital. Often if we place a deadline on our feelings it can create frustration or stress if we haven’t reached a certain point by the time we may have liked to. Choosing to be kind to yourself and moving at your own pace can help you to maintain a positive state and feel at peace with your choices, creating longer-term benefits.
Life transitions offer us a great opportunity to reconnect with who we are and step into a new phase of our lives, being compassionate with ourselves and giving ourselves the relevant time to move through it can be the start of positive new beginnings.
I’d love to know your favourite ways to navigate through life transitions, let me know in the comments below.
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