How do you handle a major life transition? This may be a death in the family, job loss or a natural disaster. You may have heard each of these before, but they have a whole new meaning when you are going through a major life transition and it feels like everything’s falling apart.
You aren’t alone during a life transition
Yes, it sounds cliché. But everyone goes through challenging times, they just don’t tend to advertise it. You can rest assured that your friends and family understand your feelings and will be willing to help you in any way they can.
It’s okay to cut yourself some slack
There’s no doubt that you will need time to experience all of the feelings that come about with a major life change. Give yourself a break from all the unimportant or non-urgent things that tend to fill up life. Just take it easy and heal your heart.
Taking time for yourself isn’t selfish. If you don’t take care of you, how can you take care of anyone else? If someone you love went through what you are going through now, wouldn’t you tell them same thing?
All things are impermanent
It feels like this confusion and pain will last forever, that you’ll never be happy again, but that isn’t true. Everything in life changes. Nothing is permanent. You can trust that this transition is just that – a change that will eventually settle into a new opportunity.
When you allow yourself to accept that everything changes, everything comes and goes and nothing in life is permanent, it’s easier to accept it when things change in a way that you don’t necessarily like.
Life is change
If you are familiar with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, you see that everything is nature. And in nature, everything changes. The winter gives way to spring. The flowers bloom and then hibernate. The moon wanes and waxes. Life will always have ups and downs that we can’t always see coming. True happiness is within, not tied to anything outside of us.
Learn to be flexible. Learn to flow with the current. This isn’t an easy thing. It requires practice. A regular yoga practice, including yoga nidra, can help you let go of attachments and allow yourself to watch the cycles and changes of life.
It’s okay to let go of things that aren’t serving you
We like to keep the status quo because it makes us feel safe. But, at some point, we must let go of people and situations that are holding us back from our highest good. Though it’s not always easy, it’s a natural part of life.
Think about how the person or situation makes you feel. Not how you’re “supposed” to feel, but how you truly feel deep down in your heart. If they cause you frustration or anxiety, that’s your Higher Self telling you that this isn’t what’s best for you. Listen to that message.
There is always something to be grateful for
Your life may look grim, but if you want to find goodness and beauty in your life, you can. You may not have the same life you had two weeks ago, but you have friends who love you. You can appreciate the beauty of the setting sun. Every life has wondrous things in it, we just have to notice them.
Make it a practice to find the positive in each day. Start a gratitude journal and start your day listing the things you are grateful for. These things will keep you in an optimistic frame of mind, even when you’re struggling with difficult changes in your life.
It’s okay to say no to negativity
While you surely have friends and family who are loving and supportive, it’s also possible that there are a few negative Nelly’s in your environment also. Especially now as you are dealing with a life transition, it’s a good idea to say no to their invitations to hang out. When you feel stronger, you can decide if they are someone you want to continue to have a relationship with. But for now, just say no – as nicely as you can.