Change

I often find myself saying aloud how much I hate adulting. That I wish I’d known what it entailed back when I was wishing so hard to be an adult. It feels like different things are always pulling us in opposite directions and there is not enough sleep in the world to ever feel rested.

For me, one of the biggest challenges in adulthood has been change. For some reason, when I was younger, I could find the positives in new schools, new towns, new friends, new rules, whatever. It was normal to have to go with the flow. But now I find myself stressing out over changes in my life. Maybe because they are more important and leave a bigger mark. Or because many changes are my own decision and I don’t fully trust that they are the right ones.

My family has a big change coming, and I’m nervous as hell. We’re moving for new jobs and to be closer to family. It brings along opportunity and growth and excitement, but there’s a cloud of fear that’s been lingering over me. What if it’s a mistake? What if it negatively affects our kids?

So I’m taking it back to the old school way of weighing pros and cons and physically writing them out. I’ve accepted that there are far more pros, so I’m keeping that list handy for any moments of doubt. Instead of keeping everything private, I’m sharing the good news with others. Lord knows we all can use some positivity these days. I’m actively choosing to be grateful and happy instead of fearful. I express gratitude instead of doubt and optimism instead of fear with my daughter. And when I wake up and just don’t feel like doing any of these things, I do it anyway….it’s called ‘fake it til you make it’.

All of this is to say, the pandemic and social and political problems that we’ve all seen have left us all in a rut. Half of the time, I have no idea what day it is or what there is to look forward to outside of my family. This is the perfect time to practice accepting change. Pick up a new hobby. Earn an online degree or certificate. Consider a new career. Host a blog or vlog. Reach out and reconnect with old friends, or even strangers through a pen pal system.

Being stagnant is more comfortable for me for sure. No surprises means less anxiety and panic. But change is a healthy part of life and a great way to practice some new coping strategies for anxiety. Speaking of which Check out the ABC’s of Anxiety Help that I’m developing!

What do you do to cope with change and any anxiety associated with it? Share in the comments.