Cowritten by: Drs. Yvonne & Scott Rheinschmidt Ph D LPC

“Observe what is right, do what is just; for my salvation is about to come, my justice, about to be revealed.” (Isaiah 56:1)

Here we go again. Just when it seems we are somewhat settling into a new normal, we must adjust to change.  Either we find ourselves adjusting to a new school year, to a new job, to a new financial budget, to a new loss or heart break, we can say that adjusting to change can be difficult. 

We may question how I can best help myself to adjust or how do I help someone in my care to adjust to change. Change is difficult because it can challenge our thoughts, our emotions, our sense of security and life as we have known it. Change can be viewed as positive, but it can also be a negative experience. We can help ourselves or someone else to adjust by understanding the stages of “reacting to change” because change can be experienced as a loss.  Thus, we can experience shock, anger, and sadness. 

Do not be afraid to acknowledge your feelings, discover the facts of your situation, keep hope, lean on your support system, and especially give yourself time to adapt. Resistance is futile. We can’t change things to go back as they were.  We can only work through acceptance and reorganize our lives, so we can find a sense of security and hope that leads to a peaceful future.

Remember that: “the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (DT 31:8). Take time for movement (exercise), take deep breaths and calm your mind. And always recall the words of St. John Paul II who once said,

Only in Christ do we find real love, and the fullness of life. And so I invite you today to look to Christ. When you wonder about the mystery of yourself, look to Christ who gives you the meaning of life. When you wonder what it means to be a mature person, look to Christ who is the fullness of humanity. And when you wonder about your role in the future…look to Christ. Only in Christ will you fulfill your potential…”