Navigating Mental Health During Transition

Transitions in life are always occurring. It may be a new job, a marriage, or sadly a death in the  family. Although some transitions are welcomed and others are not pleasantly reviewed, change  regardless of the form can be difficult to manage. Understanding how to maneuver during transition can be instrumental to safeguarding your mental health. 

Why Change Can Be Challenging 

Most of us are fond of structure and predictable daily routines. This sense of predictability provides us with a feeling of being safe. Therefore, when faced with a life transition our stress  levels are elevated, anxiety is induced, and we feel emotionally fragile. Without the appropriate  tools, navigating these changes can be difficult.

Common Reactions to Change 

1. Fear: We may fear that this loss of control will be long-term or impact vital parts of our  lives.  
2. Sense of Loss: We long for structure, therefore, in its absence we want routine or what is  now missing as a result of the life transition.  
3. Excitement: Because not all transitions are negative, some changes bring joy and  positive energy.  
4. Resistance: It is a struggle to accept uncertainty into your life. Therefore, an urge to  resist the transition is not uncommon. 

Tips for Managing Mental Health During Change 

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings. Allow yourself to feel your emotions during times of transition. Be alright with any  emotion that surfaces and without analyzing its presence. It may be helpful to journal  and/or confide in a trusted support person.  
2. Focus on What You Can Control. Try to centralize your focus on aspects of the transition that you can control versus  components that are out of your ability to change. This approach allows you to feel  grounded and less powerless through the transition.  
3. Flexibility. Allow yourself to demonstrate flexibility. Being able to easily adjust to change will help  ease symptoms of anxiety.  
4. Self-Compassion. Practice having grace with yourself. Refrain from self-criticism and filtering only negative aspects, and instead be kind to yourself. 
5. Stay Connected. Connecting to your support system will allow you to feel love and comfort.