Change and uncertainty have been a way of life for the last year. Do you realise though, that the biggest impact of change comes from how you react to it?
How do I react to change?
For example, we might react to change by trying to block out difficult feelings or by getting angry by things we can can't control. This can cause a huge problem for our mental health.
We sometimes think that we are just programmed for life. That the way we react to something is the way we will always react to it. But, for the sake of our mental health we sometimes have to take stock of our thoughts and behaviours and change them. It's not to say that what you have been doing is wrong, just that it might not be the best way to deal with things now.
Change how your react to change
You might think it's impossible, but we work with people all the time who think they can't change. In order to think about change, the first step is realising what the unhelpful behaviour might be. It could be trying to control things you can't, or using unhealthy coping mechanisms. As a result you might feel angry, anxious or depressed. Whatever is causing you the problem can be changed.
There are some great exercises on this NHS website they will get you thinking about how you may be able to change things. And if you fancy doing a bit more exploring there are lots of helpful, free resources on our website.
If you feel overwhelmed don't rule out counselling. Sometimes having someone who will ask you the difficult questions you don't want to ask yourself is really helpful.
If you have kids you'll be helping them too!
One of the big things to bear in mind if you have children, is that they watch how you do things. If you react to change in an unhealthy way, that's what they learn. If you are anxious when you can't control things, you might see that in your children too. It's it worth helping your child too?
Keep safe and be kind to yourself.
