Monday, July 20, 2015

How To: Change

Change. I have never been one to be excited about change. Now, that's not to say that I like routine. But I love that comfort you get when you are really happy and safe during certain times in your life. For me, my comfort was my senior year of high school. Yes, there are always ups and downs in life. But, for me, I was completely, fully and utterly happy during my last year of high school. My friends made me happy. My school made me happy. My family made me happy. And then: change.

Next year I will go off to college. And this terrifies me. It terrifies me because why would I want change when what I have now brings me so much joy? To think that in a very short amount of time I will never live the life I have been living for 18 years now again is unbelievable.

After graduating, I wanted to do a post on change. However, I realized that I was totally unprepared to confront my feelings on moving on from my current life. I wasn't ready to deal with my emotions and overall wasn't ready to say goodbye. And, to be honest, I'm not so sure I am 100 percent there yet even as I write this now. However, I have made a lot of progress, have dealt with many of my fears and have finally accepted this change.

How I Dealt With Change

1. Tears. Many tears. I am a firm believer that a good cry can really help you release your emotions and heal, even if it's just a little bit. :)

2. Music! I have always loved listening to songs like they are a soundtrack to my life. My advice: Avoid all songs about home. I also tried to avoid songs that I listened to a lot this past year. Instead, I was drawn to songs about the future or hope, as dramatic as it sounds haha. Try to find new songs to accompany your new chapter of your life. My choices: Time Will Tell by Gregory Alan Isakov, Landslide by the Dixie Chicks, Life is a Highway by Rascal Flatts, Smile by Mikky Ekko, Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole, Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves, You Get What You Give by the New Radicals, Everything Will Change and I Don't Want To Be and Chariot by Gavin DeGraw! Let yourself dissolve into the music and set your mind on the new, the future. :)

3. Appreciate the past but don't live in it. It is extremely important that you don't dwell on the past. Yes, it feels amazing to look back on what you had. Appreciate and be thankful for the "good old times." But, look to the future. Think about how you can make new memories, experience new things and meet new friends.

4. Keep yourself busy. Don't let yourself have too much alone, down time where you will probably end up sobbing over a photo album while listening to "I'll Always Remember You" by Miley Cyrus. Do anything to take your mind off of these thoughts. Be productive!

5. Live in the moment. Every second of your life is precious. So, although it is easier said than done, don't live in the past, don't worry about the future. Focus on "the now." Put all of your energy and passion into your everyday, current life. :)

And, there you have it. Of course, I'm no expert. These were what worked for me, or I guess still are working for me. Change isn't easy. The truest but hardest way to deal with change, I would say from experience, is time. So, to those of you who may be going through a difficult time in your life due to some change, please listen. I know it is hard right now. It's painful and feels like nothing will ever be better. But soon you will realize that as every day passes, the pain gets less and less and soon enough, you will find that comfort, that happiness and that security that you once had. I promise.


That's all, for now.
-m






6 comments:

  1. Sometimes I'm dying for change, but when it finally comes I can't help but cower in the corner. The stress hits me hard and I'm the weird one who can never make decisions and can't confront new people without messing up some how. Living in the moment and not dwelling on the past is one of the main tips in this post that I need to practice.

    -M
    The Life of Little Me

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    1. I agree it is so hard sometimes to meet new people and get over the stress of change. Living in the moment and not dwelling on the past is something I need to work on too. :)

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  2. I am one to hide from change and I often live in the past. Thanks for this post, very thoughtful, it helped me a lot!

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  3. This is a really great post, I wish I could remember to think these things and be a little bit more open to change myself. Congrats on graduating! I really disliked high school so I was excited to go to college but "I will never live the life I have been living for 18 years now again is unbelievable" this really scares me as well.

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    1. thank you! yes i know it is definitely a scary thing and something that reminds me to be more open to change since it really is unavoidable. thanks for the comment. :)

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