Change is the only thing that is constant
We know that change is the one thing that is constant. Your life is never going to be the exact same from one day to the next, or one year to the next. And if it was always the same, it would be SO boring! Sure, we all have our routines, traditions, habits, and preferences. But, there are also outside forces we can’t control that make our lives change.
We get anxious when we feel out of control
There are also really hard times when changes are coming. For example, there might be changes in your relationship status. You may have recently broken up or gotten a divorce or lost a spouse. Maybe you've had a child, become unemployed, or gotten a new job. You may have moved to a new city and had to learn your way around and meet new friends. There are all kinds of changes happening all the time. It’s hard because we just don't we don't pivot well when we experience change.
The process of change can sometimes feel scary and anxiety provoking. Those feelings are completely normal. Change is hard because we don't know what to expect. If we don’t know what to expect, we can’t control our lives. I don’t know about you, but I like to control my world. Even as an anxiety therapist in Houston, I still struggle with stress sometimes.
Tips to Deal with Change
Change is hard for everyone
The first thing to keep in mind when dealing with change is that change is hard for everyone. Don't judge yourself if you're having a hard time because we all do. I want to give you some concrete tips for changing your anxious mindset when dealing with change.
Nothing lasts forever - Not even hard times
You will feel better going through times of transition if you remember that nothing lasts forever. If you're going through a hard time, I promise it's going to get better. If you are going through something new and it feels like you are clueless and you're failing at life, that's going to get better too. You're going to get better at whatever it is that you're doing. You're gonna meet someone new. You're going to make friends in your new city. You're going to get better at your job - all of it is going to become more normal with time. Nothing lasts forever, if it sucks right now and you’re struggling, please know that it is almost always gonna get better.
Take Changes one step at a time
The second thing I want you to remember is to make changes one task at a time, one minute at a time. You don't have to have it all figured out immediately. It's a good idea to break things down into smaller sub-tasks. For example, if you are trying to figure out how to be better at your new job, you may want to write down your job duties and tasks first. Then you can tackle getting better at each task one by one. You don’t have to be a rock star employee on day one or even year one. Give yourself a little time to learn. You don't have to chew off the whole steak and try to swallow it all at once or you're gonna choke.
Your past is proof you can handle change
I want you to really think about the fact that you've done hard things before and you can handle the change going on in your life right now, too. You've been through times when you felt depressed or anxious. You have had your heart broken before and it sucks! Even though it is incredibly painful, you have the strength to handle this change in your life. You've done it in the past, so there is proof that you can do it again (even if it is painful or unpleasant).
Doing hard things will make you feel strong
Sometimes it is good to remember that doing hard things will make you feel strong. Something good will come out of this even if it feels like it’s the worst thing in the world. You are becoming more resilient. You have the opportunity to be a stronger, better, more compassionate person because of the hardships and changes you’ve gone through.
Surround yourself with your support system
I want you to hear this because it may be the most important tip of all, change is easier when you have support. It’s helpful to have people to listen to you when you need it and to hug you and tell you it's going to be okay. It is a relief to have someone who lets you cry on their shoulder. if you need to share your burdens with someone, don't feel like you're whining or being pesky. That's what friends are there for. A Houston anxiety treatment therapist can also be there so you can talk things out with somebody, get things out of your system, or if you just feel like you want to explode. There are times when you feel weighed down by all of the change. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support. There are people who care about you and who want to help you. It's a blessing when we give help, and it's a blessing when we receive help.
Maintain a schedule and routines when possible
When you're going through change, try to keep a normal schedule. People crave normalcy and predictability especially when something big is changing in their lives. Maintain a regular sleep schedule and a regular food schedule. Try to see the friends that you used to see whatever you can. Maintaining a routine in the areas you can control will help you feel like you don't have to redo your whole life. Just because one area of your life is changing doesn't mean everything has to change.
Self-care
I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but self-care is important to feeling good even in normal times and is VITAL during times of change. Self-care can be anything that feels energizing and life-giving to you. That can include eating well, meditating, or even reading your favorite books, or watching your favorite TV shows. This may be especially true for old shows you've seen before that you love. Familiar things make you feel stable and happy. Self-care for some people might be a hot bath or going to your favorite restaurant or whatever makes you feel you're being good to yourself. Often, it will strengthen you to take breaks from the hard stuff. If you're dealing with a big change in your life, it’s sometimes helpful to stop for a little while and vegetate. Take a break from everything.
Get off social media
It can be really helpful for many of us to get off of social media. When we're going through big changes, we can't help but compare our lives to the lives of other people on social media. It may feel like everybody's having the best time, that everything is great for them, but that MYa life is crazy and screwed up. You may start questioning, “Why am I not like them,” or “Why do I not have a marriage like theirs” or “Why do I not have a beautiful house like theirs?”
Social media makes us feel lesser than others a lot of times. The funny thing is that what people post on social media is not the whole truth. People’s socials are carefully curated to show only things that look good on the outside. Most people are not posting the nasty fight they had with their spouse, the ant infestation in their kitchen, or the time they yelled at their kid. Taking social media breaks, or getting off altogether while you are going through changes, may be good for your mental health.
You are stronger than you think
Change is hard, but you are strong. You can get through this. When you feel like you can't take a break, call a friend, or call your therapist. There are so many people who care about you and want to be there for you. You're going to be so much better off on the other side of this. Even when you can't see it, tell yourself that it's going to be okay. That kind of hope and optimism will strengthen you and make you fell so much better than assuming the worst will.
If you are going through changes, and need to talk to a Houston Anxiety Treatment therapist, contact us today! You don’t have to go through this alone.
If you have quesitons about anxiety counseling in Houston, check out this blog entitled. “5 Common questions about anxiety counseling answered by a licensed mental health professional.”
OTHER THERAPY SERVICES WE OFFER IN HOUSTON, TX
In addition to anxiety treatment, we have other mental health services that we offer at our Houston, TX counseling office. Our services are available for adults, children, and teens. For individuals, we offer Couples and Marriage Therapy, Family Therapy, Eating Disorder Therapy, School and College Counseling, Autism Therapy, Perinatal and Postpartum Treatment, and Infertility Counseling. As well as Trauma Therapy, PTSD Treatment, EMDR Therapy, and LGBTQ+ Counseling. Our caring therapists also offer Career Counseling, and LPC Supervision. All of these services are also available through Online Counseling throughout Texas.