Big life changes—like switching jobs, moving, or dealing with health issues—can feel overwhelming. I’m sharing easy strategies to help you adjust. This guide explains why change can feel so hard and offers practical tips to help you through it.
What Are Life Transitions?
Life transitions encompass any significant change that disrupts your normal routine. Common examples include:
Career changes (promotion, job loss, retirement)
Relationship shifts (marriage, divorce, becoming a parent)
Health adjustments (diagnosis, recovery, lifestyle changes)
Location moves (new city, downsizing, upsizing)
Identity changes (new roles, personal growth, life stage shifts)
These transitions shape our life story and significantly impact our mental health, relationships, and overall well-being. Research shows that how we handle these changes can determine our long-term success and happiness.
Why Life Transitions Can Be Hard
Stress:
People typically experience stress in response to change. This is completely normal! Sometimes a person can experience something called, eustress, which is a form of stress that can drive a person to take steps that progress them towards a goal.
Sometimes, the experience of stress drags on for long periods of time. This can leave a person emotionally taxed, physically drained, and make change very difficult to navigate.
Disrupted Routine:
Change shakes up a person’s routine. Everyday things that used to be second nature may now require concentrated effort and energy.
Unprepared:
Change catches a person off guard and unprepared.
5 Strategies to Help You Handle Changes in Life
Strategy # 1: Practice Self-Compassion
It’s okay to feel disoriented and overwhelmed by changes in life. Remind yourself that you are doing the best you can with a difficult circumstance. Care for yourself like you would care for a friend in the same situation. How would you support that friend?
Strategy #2: Draw on Supports
Stay in touch with your support system. This can reduce feelings of loneliness and combat isolation.
Strategy #3: Tweak Your Self-Talk
What are you telling yourself? Is your internal dialog making it difficult for you to manage? Remind yourself that you’ve handled difficult life circumstances before, and you can handle changes now.
Strategy #4: Manage Your Expectations
Change is difficult no matter how experienced or prepared you are. If your expectation is that you will conquer change easily and without an emotional response, this expectation will likely lead to disappointment. Instead, adopt a healthy expectation that it is normal to respond emotionally to stressful changes in life and it will take time to adjust.
Strategy #5 Talk with a Therapist
Sometimes change in life can feel unapproachable. Planned or unplanned, change can be painful and take time. Talking with a therapist can help. Therapy helps you understand yourself and identify what you need and value. This relationship can be stabilizing and grounding in the mist of change.
Common Questions About Life Changes
Q: How long does it take to adjust to big changes?
A: Most people feel better within 3-6 months. Full adjustment may take 1-2 years.
Q: What’s the hardest part of change?
A: The hardest parts are feeling unsure about your identity and getting used to new routines.
Q: Can big changes help me grow?
A: Yes! Most people say they grow stronger and learn new things during life transitions.
Moving Forward
Life changes can be tough, but they also help you grow and learn about yourself.
Start Today:
Pick one tip to try this week.
Make a simple plan to follow it.
Track your progress with a journal or checklist.
If you are interested in learning about therapy or would like to setup an appointment with Person to Person Psychotherapy, serving New Jersey & New York residents, call 908-224-0007.
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