How you manage emotions and feelings during times of change may affect how long the transition process takes and the success of your transition to a new normal after a life-altering change. Take these steps.
Learn to manage emotions
Begin by understanding your emotions. Read more about Emotional Intelligence and then make decisions about how you will handle your emotions and feelings.
Surround yourself with supportive people
It takes a village to successfully navigate any life transition. Set yourself up for success by surrounding yourself with positive, supportive friends and family.
Stay positive
At least three times per week, write down 5 things you are grateful for. This will help you focus on what you have instead of on what you have lost.
Read my blog posts Handling Negativity With Gratitude And Grace and Gratitude Exercises for more ideas.
Practice self-care
Choose healthy foods. Get the right amount of sleep for you. Avoid drugs and medicating with alcohol, which can deepen depression.
Look at both sides
Every transition has both positive and negative aspects. By looking at both, you can move from negative to positive feelings and manage emotions more effectively.
Pause
One of the best ways to manage emotions is to pause and refrain from acting on intense emotions for two or more hours. This respite may help you feel calmer and more rational or just differently.
Remember
You are not your emotions. You are only experiencing them. There is a difference. The emotions you feel in times of change and transition are normal. You are not alone.
We are creatures of habit. Change and the transition that follows any change can cause emotions and feeling we haven’t experienced in a long time to surface. Know this is only temporary as you work through the transition. Manage emotions and feelings with understanding, the help of supportive people, gratitude, self-care, objectivity, and time out to think things through and remember that there is life after change.