St Edmund’s College is a diverse school community with students and families from various backgrounds, each having their own experiences with change.
“The only thing constant in life is change”
– Heraclitus
Movement and change are part of our daily lives no matter what our background – whether it be a simple change in our timetable, our daily plans, or an expected change of seasons. Change affects everyone and we all deal with change differently. As humans we seek comfort in routine and predictability, it makes us feel in control of our lives. With change, we often feel uneasy and anxious because we are dealing with the unknown, something out of our control or influence. Being able to expect change is a way of bringing hope during challenging times or unexpected events in our lives.
I recently listened to a podcast via Culturally Ours with Yulia Denisyuk. Here are some points for adapting to change that resonated with me.
- Set small goals
When we have a singular goal, we put all our energy and focus into achieving that goal often causing stress. Breaking a goal into smaller goals or tasks reduces stress and resistance to change. - Know your limits
We each have our limits. We have a limited capacity both physically and mentally to handle change, even positive change. Take time for self-reflection, being able to acknowledge and know our limits is important. - Ask for help
No matter what situation, what challenge you are about to face, there is always someone who has done it before who can offer guidance or support. Reach out and ask for help. - Expect some difficulty
You may find yourself feeling upset or resentful of even positive changes, give yourself time to adjust to change. Acknowledge feelings of doubt, sadness, or resentment, and then open your mind to gratitude and seek positives from the situation. - Practice self-care
Self-care can be as simple as going for a walk, eating healthy, catching up with a friend, getting a good night’s sleep, being outdoors, or mindfulness activities. Self-care activities reduce stress and anxiety by channelling our energy into positive tasks.
Over time I have realised change doesn’t have to completely dictate how my life will go – instead how I choose to handle and react to change will. It doesn’t matter what the change is, how we look towards the future and embrace that change will impact how we are able to handle changes in our lives moving into the future.
Danielle Ridgway
Defence School Mentor