10 Tips to Cope with Change
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It’s a well-known quote that “the only constant is change”. In the current climate everyone has been faced with some type of change, some of which was introduced almost immediately.
This blog provides 10 practical tips that can be adopted to help navigate through and embrace change.
1. Learn how to adopt a sense of control
A theory used in the world of Psychology is ‘Locus of Control’ introduced by Julian B. Rotter in 1954. This centres around the concept that there are some people who lean to having an ‘External Locus of Control’ and others who have a ‘Internal Locus of Control’.
Those with an ‘external locus of control’ feel that they have little to no control over life events, it’s very much based on luck or other external influences E.g. Government or other people controlling their life. Rotter’s studies showed that his personality trait had a tendency towards higher stress levels.
Those with a higher ‘internal locus of control’ felt that they were in control of their destiny regardless of the outcome. This personality type was deemed to have a high motivation personal trait and overall reduced stress levels.
In reality most people are likely to have a blend of both of these traits with a natural inclination towards one of them.
How do we adopt a sense of control?
Acceptance is key in understanding that whilst some things are simply outside of our control, not everything is! E.g we can be in control of our daily goals. If your goal was to improve flexibility you could incorporate 30 minutes of yoga and stretching into your daily routine. Small consistent changes lead to as sense of control and positive outcomes.
Stay present focused on the things that you can influence and make peace with the things that you can’t.
2. Develop a positive mindset
Self-talk is so important! Stop and reflect on what you tell yourself every day. Focus on what words you use and try incorporating some positive mindset techniques such as meditation into your weekly schedule. Some proven benefits of thinking positively include reduced stress levels, increased life span, improved mood and better cardiovascular health. Developing a positive mindset takes practice and may well involve creating whole new habits. Whenever you become aware of the negative self-talk creeping in, continuously make an effort to replace it with something positive. Over time this process will take less effort and become second nature! Source: www.mayoclinic.org
Refer to this blog for more information on how to incorporate meditation into your daily life. Furlearn Blog
3. Create a structured routine
Form some structure to your days. If you want to achieve a certain outcome, make sure you have it scheduled. This could be as simple as going for a 10 minute walk every morning. Having a structure can help create a sense of achievement and positive change when you achieve your objectives. It has also been shown to decrease stress and promote a feeling of wellbeing. Having a routine can also help maximise each day and create more time for priority activities.
4. Maintain physical health
Regular exercise is a great way to manage stress levels and release natural feel good endorphins. Make sure you incorporate some form of exercise into your schedule. If you can exercise outdoors and get some fresh air at the same time even better! Whatever your age there is some form of exercise for everyone and proven research to support the positive impact it can have on overall mood, improved sleep, reduction of health risks and improve overall fitness levels. So why wait?! Find what works for you and get moving!
Refer to this blog for some healthy recipe ideas Furlearn Blog
5. Feed your creativity
All of us have a creative streak if we dig deep. It’s often more noticeable in children then tends to reduce into adulthood if we don’t intentionally nurture our creativity. Find something that allows you to be creative and have some fun! Being creative also helps during challenging times. The fewer resources that you have the more creative you will have to be to problem solve. Try increasing your network of creative people for inspiration.
6. Re-examine perceptions of certainty and what is important to you
Stop and examine what things are truly certain in life. Now is a good time for some self-reflection to reframe what is certain and what is likely to change. Going through a process of self reflection can also help to increase self acceptance, analyse things from a different perspective and challenge your assumptions.
This is a simple guide to the process of self-reflection. Source: www.lifehack.org
STOP: Take a step back from life or a particular situation.
LOOK: Identify and get perspective on what you notice and see.
LISTEN: Listen to your inner guide, the innate wisdom that bubbles up when you give it time and space to emerge.
ACT: Identify the steps you need to take moving forward to adjust, change or improve.
The “wheel of life” created by Paul Meyer can give you a visual tool to think about what is truly important to you in each of the different areas. You can then use this process to facilitate your goal setting.
7. Practice gratitude
Practice focusing on everything that you do already have in your life rather than things that you don’t have. Having an abundance mindset will deflect from constantly feelings of not having enough. An abundance mindset will allow you to focus on seeing opportunities that surround you, and things that do work well. This in turn promotes more of the same as what we focus on expands. Try keeping a gratitude journal and recording one thing each day that you are grateful for! This is also very effective for some of the more challenging days, as you can flick through your journal and remind yourself of everything to be grateful for.
8. Create time for self-care
Take time out for self-care. This might be a home pamper night, a round of golf, a movie night with the family, whatever it is make sure you do it regularly. Lots of change can increase levels of stress and anxiety. It’s important to be aware of how you feel and create time and space for activities that will give you a boost and leave you feeling refreshed.
Refer to this blog for some tips on coping with stress. Furlearn Blog
9. Give back
Find a voluntary course that inspires you and give back. Helping others can give you a strong sense of purpose and achievement. Being kind to others can increase your self-esteem, sense of belonging and reduce feelings of isolation. The other positive outcome is that voluntary work can really help put things into perspective. It may help you have a more positive outlook about your current circumstances.
Source: www.mentalhealth.org.uk
10. Get support from others
Talk to others and get help. Not everything needs to be managed alone. Don’t suffer in silence find the right support to help you navigate through your changing circumstances.
Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels
“Not all storms come to disrupt your life some come to clear your path” Unknown
