Dealing with Changes [An Exercise to Adapt]

By Sarah Carlson, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®

I love this time of year: the coolness, back to school, good memories, or perhaps because the turning colors are so beautiful. Yes, the days are getting shorter, and snow will be here soon. As a planner, I like to reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead.

This year, with covid still a threat worldwide, sometimes I feel like the pandemic will never end. I bet you, too, are looking forward to having more freedom than you have had over the past two years. I have noticed many people making strides with how to cope with changes, such as:

• Moving
• Shifting careers
• Retiring
• Finding a new partner

Dealing with changes and how to cope with changes can be tricky, but many times it's going to happen whether you embrace it or not. A significant lifestyle change can be stressful, but it can also indicate that you are in for some beautiful life experiences. It's all part of this beautiful journey of your life. 

Have you had a problematic change and are thankful you got through it and realized it was all part of your life education to grow and bring to a higher level in your maturity? I invite you to consider it just part of your education and something you should be proud of navigating.

Life with Challenges

Have you considered celebrating the change you see in your life and around you? There are not many things you can control in this world, but you can control how you respond to it. In a life with challenges, you get to choose whether you view an event as a negative or positive one. I invite you to reflect on the change in your life with a filter of gratitude and be thankful for the lesson. 

There are many quotes on life changes and my mother always told me, "Some doors need to close so that others will open." 

If you keep doing the same thing, with the same people day in and day out, how will you grow? I invited you to have gratitude for that angst about life changes.

An Exercise about Life Changes

Consider typing out two columns:

• The first one, how difficult and challenging the experience such as a break up with a partner or being fired from a job. Try to list every reason why it was so challenging.
• On the other column, right next to it, list the lesson you learned and how you are better today because of that experience. I think you will be surprised how much you will learn about yourself and that experience by going through this exercise.

Conclusion

Once you can realize the lessons of your life event, you can close that door and open a new door to your future, making time and energy for the unique experiences that lie ahead. There is so much gratitude for growth, and I hope you choose to join me in embracing change.

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Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

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