CHANGE

Due to my impatient nature and inability to say ‘no’, it isn’t uncommon for me to have a lot going on in my life! However, I must say, I think 2017 has been the busiest yet and we’re not even half way through!

So far this year I have finished planning my wedding and got married in March, put our house up for sale and sold it (also in March), was offered a new job in April, went on our honeymoon in May and had our offer accepted on a house a few days after getting back from our honeymoon. It’s fair to say we’ve crammed an awful lot into the first 5 months of this year!

I’ll be starting my new job next week, and will hopefully be moved into our new house by September (all things going well), so in effect, my entire life (including my already changed surname) will be completely different by the end of 2017 than it was at the start. It’s a scary thought really that life can change so much in such a short space of time.

All in all I feel I’ve been handling this busy period well. The last week has consisted of filling in multiple forms, gathering a million documents together and saying goodbye to some dear friends but I’ve come out the other side relatively unscathed!

Here are a few simple tips that I’ve found useful to successfully dealing with change and busy periods in life (although the occasional meltdown is totally to be expected!)

1. Write it down.

I live my life by lists. I am often ridiculed for it but I find it helps me immensely. Whether it’s at work or at home, I always have a list written down of what I need to do and when. I find it so much easier having it written down as opposed to trying to remember everything in my head. It definitely helps to clear my mind and crossing things off of the list is so satisfying.

2. Walk it out.

Going for a walk (even a short one) is an instant stress reliever, especially if we’re lucky enough to have some nice weather, and is a tactic I often use when I need to take a breather from the ever mounting responsibilities of adult life. It also helps me to get some extra steps in on my Fitbit which is a bonus!

3. Take a moment.

If I am feeling a bit overwhelmed I try to have a bit of ‘me time’ – a moment to myself to think things through, or simply just relax from all of the busy-ness. This definitely helps me to calm down when I’m feeling stressed and also means I don’t take my frustrations out on the husband (as much).

4. Give yourself a pep-talk.

I often do this when I am driving or walking alone to remind myself of everything I am lucky to have in life and that I am doing OK. Better than OK actually. It’s easy to get down if you have a lot going on and to feel that you aren’t doing well or aren’t good enough, when in reality we need to remember that everyone struggles now and again, and if things don’t always go according to plan, it isn’t the end of the world. A nice, friendly reminder to yourself of all of the great things you have achieved so far in life is a sure way to get you fired up to tackle whatever it is that was getting you down!

These methods may not work for everyone, but for me doing all of these things has helped me achieve all that I have this year (as well as having a supportive husband!).

Although I’ve been extremely busy and oftentimes left feeling a little bit frazzled and wondering whether the changes I am making are the best ones, I am so excited for everything to fall into place, to be moved into our new home and settled into my new job.

I’ll end this post with a quote that I’ve found quite helpful when it comes to dealing with change;

“If you are brave enough to say goodbye, life will reward you with a new hello.” – Paulo Coelho

Lots of love

Mrs Smith

xxx