How to Cope With Change: 8 Practical Tips from Real People

Change is a natural part of life. From the transition of the seasons to new life opportunities, everyone will experience a range of huge and minimal changes throughout their life. 

Famously, change is one of the hardest parts of the human experience to deal with. Whether expected or unexpected, you have probably experienced a time where you found it incredibly hard to adapt to new life circumstances. 

You're not alone. Everyone, if they haven't already, will struggle with periods of transition. We used our monthly collaboration post to ask the CONQUERing Community how they handle change in their own lives. Their great advice paired with our findings will make you feel a little less alone the next time you're adapting to one of life's changes. 

What are Examples of Transitions in Life? 

A life transition is an internal journey one embarks on when going through a change. Periods of transition can be split into one of two categories:

1. Transitional periods you can expect
2. Transitional periods brought on by the unexpected

Transitional periods you can expect are natural milestones that occur over the course of a life. A few examples of these are: 

• Adolescence to adulthood: this period is defined by maturing and becoming independent. This usually involves going to college, attending a trade school, joining the work force, and/or taking full ownership over your life. It's usually a time where you're no longer living with your parents and are wholly responsible for yourself. 
• Marriage: this period is defined by learning to merge your life with someone else's. It's all about making decisions with another person in mind. It's leaning into the idea of codependency and learning what building a life with someone else entails. 
• Parenthood: this period is defined by uncovering what it means to be a parent. It's learning to become selfless and put the life of your child first. It's forever having a person to care for and adjusting your life to focus on your new reality. 
• Retirement: this period is defined by rediscovering who you are. It's finding new ways to feel fulfilled and reconnecting with passions you might have put aside for your career. It's all about learning to slow down and simply enjoy life. 

On the other hand, transitional periods that are caused by the unexpected are usually harder to adapt to. A few examples of these are: 

• Moving: this period is all about saying goodbye to places and people that feel like home. While sometimes unexpected, the decision to move is usually something that happens quickly and isn't always our choice. It's all about learning to adapt to unfamiliar places and finding community. 
• Unemployment: this period can feel aimless. Sometimes, you'll be required to seek out new career paths and explore opportunities outside of the industry you're coming from. It can also require adjustments to your current lifestyle and maintaining a regular routine to avoid feeling totally disjointed. 
• Loss of loved ones: this period is defined by grief. It's about learning to live without the people you loved and developing an understanding for how precious life truly is. 
• Global events: this period can be anything from economic uncertainty, war, pandemics, and more. It's all about finding a delicate balance between anxiety that comes from events out of your control and figuring out how to still live your life. 

There are many other transitional periods that can cause you to feel anxious, stressed, or unstable. Understanding how to cope with change and find constants in your life can make adapting to transitions a bit easier. 

Why Do I Find it Hard to Cope With Change? 

In general, we feel most stable when our normal routines are in place and when life feels predictable. Changes disrupt those routines and add a level of unpredictability to life that most of us are uncomfortable with. 

Even if a change is positive, there's a certain vulnerability that comes with the unexpected. When things feel like they're out of control, it can conjure up feelings of anxiety, stress, and an overwhelming sense of dread. 

Humans are creatures of habit, we aren't designed to cope with change well. There is some comfort in the simple fact that most people don't cope well with change. 

What is the Best Way to Cope With Change? 

The best way to cope with change is to embrace it. Find some excitement in the new opportunities that come with change. Allow yourself to fully feel your emotions. It's healthy to admit that a change—whether positive or negative—is making you feel stressed and anxious. 

It's good to give yourself some time to mourn what you might be losing with a change and to accept your new reality. Give yourself some grace and remember that you have the strength to get through the time of transition. 

What are 8 Coping Strategies? Advice from Real People 

From taking time to ground yourself to focusing on what you can control, we turned to real CONQUERing customers to share their advice for coping with change. 

These 8 coping strategies can help make the next transitional period you experience a little easier. 

Coping Strategy #1: Take Time to Breathe

Jennifer said that when she's faced with change, she takes 30 seconds to simply breathe and focus on what is still good about life. It's important to remember that at the end of the day, only YOU can control your own happiness. 

Coping Strategy #2: Remember "The Bear Isn't in the Room"

RL shared some advice her therapist gave her when she was having a hard time handling new changes. Her therapist told her to always remember that, "the bear isn't in the room."

Essentially, this means reminding yourself that you're safe and there's no immediate threat when you start to feel anxiety creeping up anytime your life is thrown off course. 

Coping Strategy #3: Detach Yourself

Ashley shared that when change gets to be too much and she starts to feel overwhelmed, she detaches herself from the situation. For her, this means stopping what she's doing and reading a book to distance from reality for a bit. 

This can also look like engaging in other hobbies you enjoy or simply walking away from the change for a bit. 

Coping Strategy #4: Establish a "Neutral Zone"

Stephanie shared that she creates what she calls a, "neutral zone." To her, this means remembering that not everything has to become new or different all at once. 

She focused on what isn't changing and allows the middle period to be messy. 

Coping Strategy #5: Keep a Routine

Reggie discussed the importance of keeping a routine and taking things one day at a time. Trying to keep as much of your regular routine the same as possible can introduce some stability to an unstable situation. 

Coping Strategy #6: Focus on Opportunities for Growth

Jenny told us that when she's faced with a change, she likes to focus on what opportunities for growth exist. She reminds herself that she's made it through every hard season before this and has grown to be a better person in the end. 

Coping Strategy #7: Create Anchors You Can Control 

Katie said she finds it helpful to use what you can control as an anchor to keep you grounded. She is someone who deals with constant change and has found having things just for her keeps her level-headed. 

Clothing, jewelry, fun treats & beverages, and music are all anchors that have worked well for her. 

Coping Strategy #8: Visualize the Change

Bair mentioned that she visualizes the change to make better sense of it. She'll create a list of positive and negative reasons that caused the change to understand why it had to happen in the first place. 

All of these coping mechanisms emphasize the importance of keeping regular routines and focusing on what you can control. As much as many of us may wish to control every aspect of our lives, we have to learn to let go and lean into change when it happens. 

Interchangeable Jewelry for Coping With Change

Interchangeable fidget jewelry can be a tool you have on you at all times that can help you cope with change. Fidget jewelry is proven to help ease feelings of anxiety by acting as an outlet for excess energy that builds up when you feel anxious. 

"When stress spikes, clicking my CONQUERing Elements gives me a small way to pause and reset."—Reggie, CONQUERing Customer 

Interchangeable Elements can always act as an anchor since they're compatible with many different bases and can be swapped in and out to fit the wearer's specific needs. You can collect as many Elements as you'd like without ever needing to get a new jewelry base. Having the choice to pick an Element to match any outfit, occasion, or season gives you a level of control over your life that can keep you grounded through transitional periods. 

"I find myself reorganizing my collection when I need to have control over something and it helps calm me when I look at all the beautiful pieces and put them in their new place."—Bair, CONQUERing Customer 

CONQUERing's interchangeable jewelry also features empowering messages that remind you of the strength you possess and feature crystals whose healing properties are believed to act as a powerful tool for dealing with change. 

These pieces of jewelry would all be great to have when you're entering transitional periods: 

Breathe	YOU GOT THIS	New Beginnings SoulStack™	Howlite Worry Stone