Take Your Time – 4 Tips for Dealing with Change

Greeting readers!

If there is anything we have learned in the past few years, it’s that we cannot take anything for granted. While we can plan for things down to the last minute, life can change from one blink to the next. Before we talk any more about change and how to cope with it, here are this week’s affirmations:

  • I can adapt to changes in my plans and expectations.

  • I can’t control the future, but I can meet its challenges.

  • I know taking breaks isn’t the same as giving up.

Changes can make us all uneasy, especially when they are something we never would have imagined. This can bring about feelings of worry, anxiety, and confusion to replace the happiness, excitement, and motivation we felt for the future. 

While it can be difficult to plan for something that you don’t know is going to happen, a change in perspective can be a lot of help. 

Here are a few ways you can put yourself in a mindset that can help you look at the future differently.

  • Be positive. While it can be tough to stay positive when life is giving you more than you can handle, find ways to look at the brighter side of life. Finding joy in small victories like finding a $5 bill in your jean pocket or being able to see your friends after a long time. If you are finding it difficult to keep a positive mindset, find friends or family members around you who can spread their positivity to you. 

  • Give yourself a break! It is okay to take a moment to allow yourself to recover from a loss or disappointment. Allow yourself to feel those emotions, ignoring your emotions or keeping them bottled up inside can hinder your goals in the future. Take the time to recover mentally and emotionally before attempting to try again.

  • Go with the flow. Sometimes the things you want are not always meant for you. Remember that even if one door closes, another one opens. It will be up to you to accept the door you wanted to be closed and be willing to go in search of another door that may be meant for you to open. Be open to the new possibilities that can come about from a previous attempt. Don’t consider a loss as a failure, if anything it will get you one step closer to your goal.

  • Take a step back. Look at your goals and see if there is a way that you can adjust to meet the needs you currently have. If this goal is something you wanted when your life was very different, it may be okay to adjust it to where you are in your life now. It’s perfectly okay to change your end goal and it’s also okay to take a different route with the same destination! Remember that at the end of the day, this is your life, and you should do the things that bring you happiness. 

Here’s how YOU can be a Prevention Partner: 

  • Join our Youth Leadership Council to meet with students that have a passion to make a change in their schools and communities. This can give you the opportunity to build friendships with like-minded individuals who are leaders in their own way. To learn more, contact our staff.

  • Check-in with your friends! Sometimes we may be too shy or feel like we are a burden to our friends, make sure to check in with your friends. It’s possible that you can lean on each other and give each other the support you need. 

  • Practice self-care. Taking care of yourself is important! Visit our website https://carecoalitionaz.org/cares-soothing-place/ to discover new or different ways that you can learn to take care of yourself. 

  • Take a look at these resources for more information: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/burnout-recovery#control