Change is inevitable, whether it’s brought on by ourselves or an unexpected surprise. No matter the reason, change will challenge you to learn more, test your limits, and accept feeling exasperated for the duration of it.

2016 was my biggest year of change. It was the year I quit my job for full-time self employment, tested the waters of wedding photography (not for me!), drove to Mass every weekend to visit Grandpa as he was passing away, established my marketing business, moved into the studio, bought a house, and got married. Praise da LAWD that’s over with.

And while I’ve definitely handled change since (this summer it was Patti moving out of the studio and completely rebranding my businesses), I fortunately haven’t had a complete uprooting of my life since 2016.

Some of the change I went through was deeply saddening and really hard, but other change built the foundation of where I am today. 2016 was a true juxtaposition of good and bad. And through both, I have certainly grown.

But how do you stay sane when all you want to do is take a nap? Here are five ways that will help you effectively deal with change.

Take it one day- or task- at a time.

I know this sounds simplistic, but it holds true. The easiest way to overwhelm yourself is by looking weeks ahead at everything you have to do. Instead, focus on what’s going on today and be present in each moment. This will allow you to live your day with ease, and less is likely to fall through the cracks.

When it comes to to-dos, break a project down into tasks and schedule them in. I use a planner to write in my to-dos for each day, color coded by the type of task they are.

Find the lesson.

Oftentimes there are lessons in change, and change is our greatest opportunity for growth. Take a moment to ask “What am I meant to learn from this” and wait for an answer. You’re likely to get through the change that much faster when you learn your lesson.

Think from the end.

If the change you’re enduring will lead to a positive result, hold that thought in your mind. Visualize yourself having gone through the change and imagine all the ways your life will be better for it. Your end goal will be the motivation you need to get through the change.

Focus on what you can control.

It’s common for change to leave us feeling like someone- or something- else holds power over our lives. When you’re feeling like your life is out of your hands, focus on what you can do. We always have complete control over our reactions, and when you start acknowledging the little things that are in your realm of control, you’ll begin to feel much more empowered. (And there’s nothing wrong with delegating, so many times it’s a good lesson for us to have the ball in someone else’s court!)

Reach for the positivity.

This can be super hard, but it’s been proven that focusing on our negative emotions hinders our ability to adapt. Be sure to acknowledge your negative emotions, but refrain from being a broken record about them. Try to find a positive element in every situation, and if you’re struggling, focus on what you can do to solve a problem instead of dwelling on what you can’t. This doesn’t mean you have to force cheer on yourself, the goal is to shift the patterns of your brain towards the positive.

I’d love to hear from you! Have you experienced a massive change? What tips or tricks got you through?

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