Change is never easy, no matter the situation. Going from something familiar and that you have been with for years to something new and unknown is going to cause some stress. Whether you are moving from one home to another or changing jobs at work, change is tough to deal with. Change is so stigmatized by us, that 80% of people would rather stay in their situation then change it. Change doesn’t have to be as hard as you think though. In fact, change can be one of the easiest processes you can go through with these pro-tips. Here are some successful ways to deal with change that I have learned over the years.
Find the Humor
Humor has proven to be one of the best coping mechanisms for a person. Laughter is often described as the best medicine and it’s true. You can probably think of a few times someone made you laugh resulting in you feeling much better. Humor can also help you deal with a change, no matter how big or small it might be. In fact, there is hardly a situation that doesn’t benefit from a little humor. Finding the humor in any situation is key to accepting it and moving on. Not only will it help you feel better psychologically, but laughing also comes with a ton of health benefits as well. Now be sure to laugh all the way through your newest change, it’ll make the process much easier to deal with.
Exercise is Key
Dealing with any change causes lots of stress and there is no better way to deal with stress than to exercise. In fact, psychological studies have shown that exercise has an amazing number of benefits for your mood and mind. This all helps with change as exercising helps you improve your mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and helps you relax more easily. If you are ever going through a major change, find the time to exercise a bit. Whether its an hour and a half at the gym or a quick jog around the block, it will help you deal with change immensely. Find time to exercise, even if it’s just for a half hour, every day if you are going through a change. It’ll make dealing with that change much easier then you can imagine.
Talk About It
Nothing is worse than having something wrong and bottling it up. Talking about your stress and problems are important for your psychological help. The same goes for change, especially change is never easy. Reaching out to a friend or loved one to let them know you are struggling or just need to vent will help you greatly. It’s also a million times better than internalizing all of your stress. Talking to someone has been proven to help you release tension, work things out, and, with help from someone, sort out your feelings. Never be afraid to ask someone to lend their ear.
Write Down the Positives
Even when changes are for the worse, there is always a silver lining to be found. One key to helping you find these silver linings is to write them down at the end of each day. It is a small and easy way to help yourself deal with changes in life. For example, if you moved into a new town and don’t know anyone yet, write about what you are excited to check out in the area. What you write doesn’t have to be major life altering positive things, even the smallest positives will help you feel better.
Eat Healthy
Eating healthy is one of those win-win situations. Not only does it make your body feel good, but it also makes your mind feel amazing as well. Healthy eating has been proven to have an astonishing number of positive effects on your mental health. Some of these effects include reduced chances of depression, enhanced mood, and a boost to self-confidence. While stress eating is famous for depicting someone gorging themselves on unhealthy things such as fast food or cake frosting, you should really be stress eating apples and leafy greens. Not only will it make your body feel better but you will feel better as well. Be sure to keep a healthy diet when going through changes, it’ll leave you feeling much better about it than diving into chicken wings every night.
Change is good but it also brings its own trials and tribulations along with it. Eating healthy, exercise, some humor, writing down what’s positive, and talking to someone are all some of the best ways to deal with change. Not only will they get you through it, but they will also help you feel better going forward in the future. These can apply to any struggles your going through. Mental health is important so do what you have to do to get through those changes and come out the other side feeling great.