What’s Inside Your Emotional Self-Care Tool Box?
By Janet Gallagher Nestor
I am in the midst of change. I just moved from one home to another, from one state to another. As I am writing his article, I am using a chair as my desk, the floor as my chair, and I’m taking a break from unpack- ing boxes and putting things away. Who better to share her thoughts on transition than me?
We all know that transitions are a natural part of everyone’s life. We make them every day, yet the idea of it is intimidating because concept of transition has a nega- tive thought field built up around it. Many of us believe that transi- tion means negative change, and it doesn’t. Transitions are often positive and all ultimately pro- vide opportunity for growth and beneficial changes in our thinking, beliefs, and behaviors.
Often, and in many ways, we choose our transitions. We change doctors, join a support group, begin the day with brown
hair and end it with red, join a yoga class, go back to school, re- decorate our home, take a better job, separate from our spouse.
At other times, life transitions come per-loaded with stress. They are unwanted or unex- pected, and we’ve been trained to react in certain ways to certain things that we tag as “high stress” events: Your only child begins first grade or leaves home for col- lege – you or someone you love is diagnosed with a serious illness – a loved one dies – your military spouse is deployed – a parent becomes disabled and needs help – you graduate law school and take your first professional job – your parents divorce – you get fired – you retire – your move to a new home.
Increased self-awareness can reduce anxiety and positively change your responses to chal- lenging life events.
October/November 2012
However change comes in our lives, welcomed our unwanted, we have an adjustment to make. Change forces personal growth: mental, emotional, spiritual, pro- fessional, and we find ourselves searching for a new normal. It is up to you and I, and all others going through a life transition, to define and design what that new normal will look like. Now is the time to be creative and experi- ment a bit.
“I am responsible for m perceptions, and right n well and how qu
My move is loaded with change: Rural vs. metropolitan, single fam- ily home vs. rental condo, inland living vs. coastal living, private practice counseling vs. working from home, grandchildren within driving distance vs. flying to visit,
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