Bob Dylan is regarded as one of the greatest ever musicians for a reason. The man put into words one of the biggest truths of life; The times, they are a-changing! If there is only one thing that we are allowed to remember for the rest of our lives, I think it should be that everything, and I mean everything changes; work, relationships, health, wealth.
And the funny thing is, we can do precisely nothing to stop that.
As harsh as that sounds, there is a two-fold degree of relief we can feel when we read this statement. One, while we can do squat to prohibit fluctuations, we can find ways to subvert the impact that it will have on our lives. Two, the sword is two-sided when we look at it. The best times will change and so will the worst.
However, give it all the positive twists you can, one feeling that usually accompanies changes is uncertainty, which makes handling it quite a task. But at the same time, embracing change is said to be a quality found in a multitude of successful people. Everyone has their process of coping with transitions, and today, we are enlisting some of the tried methods for tackling change.
Let’s jump in!
Assess, don’t multiply
Facing the unknown could be extremely overwhelming. The anxiety and panic that we experience is a classic example of the fight-or-flight response, and we are none the better for it. While most of the time, we are told “Follow your instincts”, in this case doing just the opposite would be a much better option.
Overthinking, also, is not a favorable modus operandi to indulge in. Granted it will be very instantaneous, calm your mind and judge the degree of change and its impact, instead of amplifying its detriments.
Contemplate the worst-case scenario
This sounds quite counter-intuitive, but hear me out. Asking yourself, while looking at the problems objectively, “What’s the worst that can happen?” can do wonders in achieving a balanced state of mind.
The prerequisite to applying this hack is detachment. Detachment is one of the easiest ways to deal with most situations. However, if detachment seems impossible, please don’t do this, or you might find yourself in a pit with the brim quite a distance higher from you.
Control what you can, relinquish what you can’t
The lack of grip over circumstances is another point of concern for us amidst the altered scenarios in our lives. Everything slipping out of our hands, just like grains of sand and the powerlessness with it makes it much worse.
During these times, the best thing we can do is to turn our focus inwards and ready ourselves to combat the uncertainty. Start taking care of yourself; work out, meditate, read more. Do everything you can to be a better version of yourself. Because a better you will be more prepared for the approaching chaos.
Give yourself a “Present”
Don’t you go buy that Rolex on a loan. There is word-play involved here!
Learning to be in the moment is probably the best advice we can follow when dealing with change. Anxiety and uncertainty are both feelings linked to the future, while sadness and grief are of the past. In the present moment, none of it can impact our lives.
Enjoy the current reality, without associating it with either of the other two tenses!
Execute YOUR plan
The words “Change” and “Chance” have only the difference of one alphabet, but the meanings and emotions they invoke are widely different. All the twists and turns that the forthcoming alterations have to throw at you will only impact one facet of your life.
The rest of your life is in your hands! You do you, my man! Go on that trip you had planned. Eat at the restaurant you’ve always wanted to try. This is yet another way to regain lost control and has tremendous impacts on your happiness and contentment levels.
It is a virtual guarantee that the changes that you are experiencing right now would, later on, turn out to be tremendous blessings for you. Meanwhile, try these tricks and make the most of the current time!
Read Also: 6 Simple Ways to Break a Bad Habit.