4 Life Changes That Are Harder Than You Anticipate
Life is all about change. We are constantly changing our minds, changing our perspectives, and changing our appearance. Some changes go...
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major life changes
Life isn't stagnant...
and change represents an essential part of growth and self-discovery. While many milestones feel exciting, they can also seem overwhelming and scary. Both planned and spontaneous changes often cause massive disruptions to your sense of stability, and you might worry that things will never feel normal again.
Change is a part of life, but it doesn't have to be so hard.
Any change, even positive changes like getting married or receiving an exciting promotion, can make you feel stressed, uncomfortable, or unsteady. It’s easy to discount these feelings, telling yourself that you should be grateful or know how to figure it out all on your own, but the good news is you don’t have to. Therapy can be an important means of support to help you counteract any adverse emotions or negative thinking, so you can navigate transitions with less stress.
During a significant life transition, it’s easy to overlook self-care or personal boundaries. You might find yourself in survival mode, doing whatever you can to cope or get through the day, the hour, or next ten minutes. This mentality may work in the short term, but it often results in feeling exhausted, insecure, and anxious in the long term. That’s where therapy comes in.
"pain is inevitable. suffering is optional."
- Haruki Murakami
with significant life transitions can require letting go of what was familiar, building self-esteem, learning how to set new boundaries, and prioritizing self-care. Therapy can help you feel more confident and stable during this time, so you’re able to put your energy and focus toward making a smooth transition. Most importantly, therapy can help you to understand that the complex emotions and thoughts you experience during transitions are healthy and natural. Accepting and acknowledging the ways that life’s changes impact you allows you to process these effects in healthy ways, so you can continue to move forward into this new stage of your life.
coping..
When Is It Time To Seek Help?
If you're experiencing any of these struggles during a major life change, therapy can help:
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You feel paralyzed or “stuck”
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You’re struggling to make life decisions
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You are shut down and ignoring important parts of your life
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You can’t seem to make yourself take action
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You’re struggling to make progress toward a goal
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You miss “what used to be”
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You’re excited (and scared) about the future
Maybe you’re on the fence about making a new change. You keep going back and forth, feeling skeptical and frightened to make the first move. Or, you might not even know exactly where to start. We can work together to explore your concerns and evaluate the steps needed to continue progressing. While changes are a part of life, when you work with a therapist, you can learn healthy coping strategies to maneuver them with more ease. If you’re navigating significant life changes, therapy can help you find a sense of stability and set and achieve goals, so you can maintain a sense of normalcy and calm through any transition. Use the link below to schedule a consultation to determine if therapy during a significant life transition in our San Diego practice is the right next step for you.
Read more about major life transitions
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