Dealing with change

Change requires adjustments. Having strategies to cope can help you become more resilient to stress and make it easier to adapt to the transitions in your life.

Change Isn’t Easy
Change, whether it's positive or negative, can create stress that affects both your physical and mental well-being. Sometimes this can even lead to unpleasant symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, and headaches. This is why you might find yourself struggling even after a positive change has happened in your life. Fortunately, there are steps you can take when dealing with change to help make those adjustments easier.

Evaluate your level of control. Sometimes it’s all too easy to become fixated on events over which we have no power, or people who might never change their actions or attitude. But rather than focus on blaming others or moving the unmovable, resilient people set their sights on what they can control. To evaluate your level of control over a situation, you can ask yourself, “What can I take responsibility for in this situation?” 

Be in the present. When you worry about what the future will bring or what mistakes you might make, you forget to be in the present and observe what’s happening around you. 

Focus on your values instead of your fears. Reminding yourself of what’s really important — family, friends, religious convictions, great music, creative expression — can create a surprisingly powerful buffer against whatever troubles may be ailing you.

Sometimes You Need to Contact a Professional
If you want to take steps to become more resilient, the company offers an Employee Assistance Program that has counselors available to support your efforts. This free program is confidential and offers up to 5 sessions per person, per year. To learn more about the EAP, click here.