Life Skills
3 Tips to Help You Adjust to Life Changes
Life changes a lot during young adulthood. Here are some suggestions to help you find peace.
Nothing throws me off quite like a sudden change in my routine, whether it be welcome or unexpected.
Change can be hard (even good changes!), and as young adults, we might face more changes during this point in our lives than any other. Navigating dating and marriage, returning from missions, getting new callings, moving, pursuing education or jobs, caring for children, or making covenants—all while trying to find steady ground in this ever-shifting world.
President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) once said:
“At one time or another we’ve all heard some form of the familiar adage: ‘Nothing is as constant as change.’
“Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not.”
Facing the smorgasbord of changes at this time of life can leave us feeling anxious and slightly disoriented at times. But thankfully there are some things we can do to help us find stability, comfort, and security through it all:
1. Take One Step at a Time
I’ve faced a lot of big changes in my life that really threw me off balance.
I had high expectations for myself to adapt quickly, and I would get frustrated when time would pass and I was still feeling out of sorts. However, I’ve learned that there is power in taking “baby steps” when embracing change.
Heavenly Father can help us adapt to newness, even if adapting is simply taking small steps forward to embrace change.
We don’t have to put pressure on ourselves to figure everything out at once. Instead, we can take things one step at a time! After all, “by small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6). Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you get used to your new normal.
2. Be Optimistic
Sometimes change can bring a sense of loss, displacement, or other difficult feelings. No circumstances stay the same forever.
In fact, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles recently testified that “it is the nature of all earthly things to grow old, decay, wear out, or become stale. But godly joy is eternal, because God is eternal.”
I am an optimistic person on most days, but my anxiety-prone brain likes to analyze a situation and jump to the worst possible conclusions—especially before or after a big life change. However, knowing that Heavenly Father has my best interests at heart helps me remember that whatever happens, things are going to be OK.
We have every reason to be optimistic about the future. Even if things aren’t going the way we expected, joy is always in reach because of Jesus Christ.
3. Focus on Your Covenants
When life is constantly changing around me, I find security in knowing that my covenants do not change.
They are eternal.
I know that God keeps His promises to me and reassures me that I have His power in my life to face everything that comes my way. Yes, shifts in our lives can sweep us off our feet, but remaining faithful to our covenants can help us find the traction we are searching for.
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified that we can have a special kind of reassurance through what he calls “covenant confidence.” He said, “This confidence is the quiet yet certain assurance of receiving the blessings that God promises for those who keep their covenants and is so needed amid the challenging circumstances of our day.”
Because of the blessing of temple covenants, we can have a firm foundation, a sense of stillness, and the strength to carry on, adapt, and adjust to the ever-changing world.
We might be creatures of habit, always longing for things to remain predictable and safe. But the truth is, change is inevitable—and that’s how it’s supposed to be! This is just a part of our journey in mortality. Because of Jesus Christ, despite the changes that might surprise us, we can continue to have joy, make progress, and feel optimistic in every season of life.