Embracing Change

I know first hand the anxiety that can overwhelm you when you hear of a change of plans. It can feel like a punch in the gut – it can make your stomach drop and heart race – but why?

The short answer? Our brains crave predictability,

When we have replayed possible scenarios over and over, we feel prepared for the day to come, so when these plans change, it’s a shock to the system. We feel as though we have now lost control of the situation – and there are now new factors we need to account for. Our natural instinct in this situation is to prepare for any possible negative outcome.

However, by understanding why it is that we get anxious about a change in plans, we can work towards preventing such a turn of events in the future.

So, here are some practical ways to cope:

1. Acknowledge your feelings

An important first step is to accept that feelings of frustration, disappointment, or stress are normal reactions when plans change. These feelings don’t mean you cant cope – they just make you human.

Allow yourself to feel these emotions without judgement.

2. Pause and breathe

When things don’t go as planned, our initial reaction might be to panic.

A helpful first step is to pause, take a deep breath, and gather your thoughts. Here, you could practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique (inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds), in order to ground yourself.

3. Reframe the situation

An effective way to reduce anxiety in these situations is to ask yourself the following:

• “What’s the worst that could happen?”
• “What’s the best that could happen?”

By reframing your mindset, you can approach the situation encouraging the opportunity in change, rather than focusing on the disruption.

4. Focus on what you can control

Anxiety encompasses a lot of feelings of a lack of control – though it’s worth baring in mind, that although you may not be able to control the change itself, you can control how you respond to it.

Focus on smaller, more manageable tasks that you can handle.

Break the situation into smaller actions to prevent feeling overwhelmed. If you have to reschedule or make adjustments, do so one step at a time.

5. Challenge catastrophic thinking

Anxiety can often lead to catastrophic thinking; believing the worst possible outcome will happen. When plans change, it can be beneficial to ask yourself “Is this really as bad as I’m making it out to be?”. This balanced viewpoint can help break the cycle of anxiety and keep you grounded.

6. Reflect on past experiences

It may help in these situations to refer back to past experiences of changes in plans.

Think back to times when plans changed and everything worked out fine – remind yourself of your resilience and ability to adapt.

By reflecting on past situations, it can offer a reminder that while change is uncomfortable, you have the skills to manage it and move forward.

Remember that it’s completely natural to feel anxious when plans change, as our brains are wired to seek predictability and control.

By practicing self-compassion, reframing the situation, and focusing on what we can control, we can reduce the impact of those anxious feelings.

Change is not a threat – it’s simply a part of life that offers opportunities for growth and adaptability.