3 Simple Tips To Embrace Change

Every passing decade brings our life new changes...

It can occur in the form of a new job, relationship, retirement, children leaving the nest, or children having babies of their own.

Change can be wanted or unwanted. But one thing is for sure, change in our lives is inevitable, no matter how we prepare for them.

Whatever changes you have in your life, we'd like to share a few tips to help navigate these new waters in the most joyful way possible.

1. Accept your feelings.

Have you ever noticed when you try to ignore your feelings they never seem to go away?

It seems to have the opposite effect as the more you try not to think about a certain bad feeling, the worse it can make you feel.

It's called denial and it's one of the most commonly used coping mechanisms

Although it can be useful in the short term to refuse to acknowledge how this change is affecting us, in the long term it leads to increased tension and anxiety.

Often times it's better to simply accept your feelings, you may find it can help soften them up a little, which makes it easier to find joy again.

To help this, you may want to try journaling about the change. It can be extremely therapeutic to write down how you're feeling, and what the change you're going through represents.

2. Keep a positive outlook.

You never know how things will turn out in the end... Think back on all of the changes you've faced in your life.

Were they all positive? Negative? Or were they a range of different outcomes- some more unexpected than others?

One of the many benefits of aging is knowing that we've already faced so many big life changes.

It allows us to have the perspective to know how things look today may not be how they feel tomorrow, next week, or years down the road.

When the hardest changes come, we can use the perspective to look beyond the immediate outcome, which allows us to reframe things in a positive light.

Staying positive and embracing change can help us when the hardest changes come knocking on our door.

It allows us to look beyond the immediate change and embrace the possibilities of tomorrow.

That could mean new friends, adventures, or even a romantic relationship you weren't expecting...

3. Take control of change (when you can)

There are many changes you can take control of...

When presented with these opportunities it's usually best to embrace change to the fullest.

Or in the words of the late great Yogi Berra- When you come to a fork in the road, take it!

Making a conscious choice in your life to not only accept change, but when you can take control of change it benefits you by helping you feel confident and in control again.

A trick is to make a change yourself during times you may be challenged with a change you can not control.

This may be a great time to pick up a new hobby or discover a new community that can help support you, regardless of the changes happening in your life.

By taking control of change it reminds you that many things in your life are still within control, and your life path is yours to direct. It allows you to more easily open up new avenues to explore for fun and pleasure.