Keep moving
Sometimes, life is like a dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place.
Short messages on Positive change from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Sometimes, life is like a dark tunnel. You can’t always see the light at the end of the tunnel, but if you just keep moving, you will come to a better place.
Change can be frightening, and it’s important to avoid making decisions that are based in fear. Try to address your fears about the changes coming your way, rather than avoiding them.
Look for ways to feel more in control with change that is coming your way. For example if you are moving to a new house, research it as much as possible before you move. What shops are nearby? What things will help you to ease into your new environment?
Looking for opportunities to exert control may also help you to adapt to change. Try thinking of all of the little things that you can control in your daily life, such as what you have for dinner or what you do on your days off from work.
If you’re moving to a new town, view it as an open-ended adventure – do research on your new home, plot out your “visit”, and talk to new people for advice and tips on how to eat, play, and live like a “local”.
If you’re facing a serious illness, allow yourself to grieve for what has been lost (your independence, certain abilities, your long-term future, etc.), and don’t discount the coping releases of a hearty laugh and a shoulder to cry on.
If you’re starting a new job, try to prioritise completing tasks that complement your existing skills (so you can feel good about doing them well), and that allow you to build a rapport with your new co-workers.
You can’t change everything, but you can always change something. Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control brings frustration and misery. Invest your energy in the things you can control, and act on them now.
Tell the people you love how much they mean to you on a regular basis. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you can be everything to a few people. You don’t need a certain number of friends, just a number of friends you can be certain of.
Sometimes, you’ll take two steps forward, and one step back. That’s normal and healthy. Don’t judge yourself too harshly for slip-ups or backslides; rather, keep yourself focused on the positive steps you have made and will make next.