Managing Life Changes: How to Cope with Life Transitions

Lauren Miller
6 days ago
2 min read

Change will occur for all of us. Some life transitions can feel more stressful than others. If you are experiencing a relationship ending, moving, starting a new job, graduating, having a baby, parenting, turning a year older, friendships shifting, you may feel like you’ve lost your footing. Here are some tips to help you stay grounded.

Healthy Habits for Balance

Nothing can replace a good night's rest, healthy nutrition, and moving your body. Maintaining these key habits to keep physically healthy as your emotional health is affected will make responding to changes easier.

Acknowledge Your Feelings

Give the transition a name. Even if this transition seems like a small change, such as working at a different time of day or not seeing a friend as often. These differences affect your sense of normalcy. Take some time to reflect on what’s changed and name it. When you know what you’re facing, you’ll be better able to address it.

Listen to Your Emotions

Emotions are communicators. Be curious about what you are feeling as your life transitions. Try journaling about what you are feeling. What might these emotions be trying to tell you?

Find Your Anchors

Find a few constants in your life that can anchor you. Maybe you start your day off with the same routine, or listen to the same radio station in the car. These moments can help you feel a sense of stability, even if everything else feels changed.

Chunk Large Changes into Smaller Groups

A move or a relationship ending can touch every aspect of your life. Try focusing on how it impacts you one aspect at a time. One week: focus on finding new routines on your own or in your new place. When you feel ready, move on to finding a new community. Breaking things down lets you explore your emotional responses to individual scenarios rather than being emotionally flooded by the entire situation.

Reach Out

Humans are social beings. We are wired for connection. Reach out to loved ones and talk about what you’re going through. It’s okay to talk about discomfort with a transition. We heal by expressing our feelings and perspectives.

Be Patient with Yourself

Adjustment takes time. Think back on your past and all of the adjustments you’ve made over the years. It surely felt difficult as you went through the growing pains, but you came out stronger and wiser. Trust yourself that you’ll make it through this too. Give yourself time to feel, understand, and process what this change means to you.

Remember, change means you are growing and evolving. It can be uncomfortable and painful. If it feels too overwhelming, there are many options for support. If you or someone you know needs more support, a professional counselor can be a great resource to help process these life transitions.