Learn to see change as a positive force

Life is full of changes. In business, in families and in relationships with friends, nothing ever stays exactly the same.

While most change is gradual and easy to accept, sometimes people face a major transition, often unexpected, that can be potentially frightening and stressful. It doesn’t have to be. It’s a choice whether to view a change as an opportunity, or whether to try desperately to maintain the status quo and stay within a comfort zone.

One step in making the most of change is to see it as a chance to add to or improve the world. Maybe it is a time to learn something new, to take a class, to improve skills or to explore a hobby there hasn’t been enough time to enjoy.

A big transition can also go easier when living healthfully. Some change can be emotionally depressing, and when a poor lifestyle adds to it, everything can seem much worse. Fight back with a healthy approach to life. Exercise, eat well and don’t give in to habits like drugs or alcohol as a means of hiding from the change being faced.

A major transition is a time to turn to a personal support network. If this change feels sad, confusing or overwhelming, it’s a time to ask for help from others. Talk to close family and friends who can listen in a non-judgmental way. Simply explaining how things are affecting someone can often help them to move forward and sometimes to find assistance coming from unexpected places.

Adding small changes is another way of working through a major transition. Maybe it means volunteering or taking some time to do things alone. It can help to make a list of all the stable things still in their life, despite the big changes being faced.

Keep a daily journal and write down feelings and needs and the personal effect the transition is having. It can be a place to grieve a little if the transition is making someone lose things important to them.

Change can be difficult, but it can also provide opportunities that otherwise might be overlooked. Approach change as a positive experience, and it may just be.

Counseling Corner is provided by the American Counseling Association. Send comments and questions to [email protected] or visit the ACA website at http://www.counseling.org.