Change Is Coming - Here’s What Helps Me Most

Change can be scary.

There’s so much unknown: What will happen after the change? How will we feel? What will life look like- and what will it bring?

There’s also the doubt: Am I making the right decision? Am I choosing the right thing?

Sometimes change is something we choose.

Other times it just happens.

Right now, I’m about to go through a really big change in my own life: I’m pregnant with my second child.

It brings a mix of curiosity, stress, and excitement- and it’s made me reflect a lot on how I can best prepare myself for it.

That’s why I decided to write about it. To share how I personally prepare for change, and how I support myself when the unknown is about to knock on my door.

Here are a few things that help me most when facing change:

Talk about it- A lot.

For me, this is number one.

I talk to people close to me about how I feel, what I’m worried about, how I imagine it might go, or how I hope it will turn out.

Something about speaking it out loud already softens the tension.

It reminds me I’m not alone. And more than once, just putting things into words helped me understand what I truly feel or want.

Make space for all the feelings.

I’m an optimist at heart, I usually believe things will turn out well.

But even so, big life changes stir up stress and doubts, and that’s okay.

I’ve learned how important it is to give all of it a space: the hope and the fear, the excitement and the worry.

So even if you tend to look on the bright side like I do, it’s helpful to also think of the harder scenarios that might come.

Thinking through different outcomes can make us feel more grounded, and more prepared, no matter what happens.

Believe in yourself, and the change.

This one is especially important when the change is something you chose, but I think it also helps when the change just happens to you.

Trust yourself.

Believe that you’ll handle it, that it will help you grow, that you have the strength and tools to go through it and come out stronger on the other side.

Break it down into small steps.

Whether it’s a move, a new job, becoming a parent again, or any other change- looking at the whole of it can feel overwhelming.

So break it down. What steps can you take to support yourself through it?

What will help you feel more in control?

Small, simple actions give us a sense of direction and confidence, and that’s so valuable when things around us are shifting.

Step outside your comfort zone.

Change will probably ask you to do something differently.

It might feel uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or even scary, but that’s okay.

If you expect that in advance, it becomes easier to face.

Leaving your comfort zone often brings new insights and personal growth.

It’s part of the process, and it’s worth it.

Create a support circle.

Surround yourself with people who make you feel safe and supported.

Whether it’s a partner, a close friend, a coach, a parent group, or even an online community- knowing you have people to lean on makes a big difference.

You don’t have to do this alone.

Let others be there for you, even just to listen or remind you that you’re doing great.

Change will always bring unknowns, and we can’t fully control that.

But we can prepare ourselves.

We can talk about it, imagine different outcomes, believe in ourselves, take small steps, leave our comfort zones, and build a circle of support.

Be brave and take the jump.

Make the change you desire, or learn to flow with the one life brought you.

You might just discover how much strength and wisdom you already have within you.