Coping With Life's Transitions

Coping With Life's Transitions

Human lives are marked by the passages from one stage of life or one way of living to another. These life transitions are chances for growth, change and self improvement. Life is a process of beginnings and endings. Life transitions are challenging because they force us to let go of the familiar and face the future with a feeling of vulnerability. Most transitions begin with a string of losses: the loss of a role, the loss of a person, the loss of a place or the loss of our sense of where we fit in the world. Any significant loss makes most people feel fearful and anxious. We live in a culture that has taught us to be uncomfortable with uncertainty. However, the positive side of life transitions is they provide us with an opportunity to assess the direction our lives are taking. They give us a chance to grow and learn. Here are some ideas that may help the process go more smoothly.

Accept the fact that change is a normal part of life. Individuals who have this attitude seem to have an easier time getting through life's transitions.
Identify your values and life goals. People who know who they are and what they want from life are more likely to see the change as just another life challenge.
Learn to identify and express your feelings. While it's normal to try to push away feelings of fear or anxiety, these feelings will have less power over you if you face them and express them appropriately.
Focus on the payoff. Think about what you have learned from other life transitions. Transitions can provide a productive time to do some important self-exploration.
Don't be in a rush. When our lives are disrupted, it takes time to adjust to the new reality.
Expect to feel uncomfortable. A time of transition is confusing and possibly disorienting. These feelings are part of the process and will pass.
Stay sober. Using alcohol or drugs during this period is ill-advised. It can only make the process more difficult.
Take good care of yourself. Transitions are stressful, even if the transition is a pleasant one. Find something fun to do for yourself, get plenty of rest, exercise and eat right.
Build your support system. Seek the support of friends and family members, especially those who accept you without judging you and will encourage you to express your honest feelings.
Keep some things consistent. When you are experiencing a significant life change, it helps to keep as much of your daily routine consistent as possible.
Acknowledge what you are leaving behind. Before we can welcome the new, we must acknowledge and let go of the old.