With a new school year comes the reminder that we are starting our lives from a clean, fresh page in a new, trendy notebook. In the midst of fresh starts we also face less celebratory changes. Whether it’s an unplanned changed major, a newly “single” relationship status, moving in with a completely new set of roommates, or adjusting to the first semester of post-grad life the idea of unexpectedly “starting over” can be overwhelming for even the best of collegiettes. Here are some things to remember when life changes without our permission.
Just like the first day of classes, starting over means you are beginning this stage with an A+.
Something I like to tell myself when analyzing my syllabi for the school year is that because I haven’t done anything yet, good or bad, my grade is starting at the top and what I do throughout the semester will either maintain it or deduct points. This perspective can be applied to virtually all areas of our lives. We haven’t messed up yet because we’ve only just begun!
Every opportunity is unheard of until it finally happens.
The end of summer sometimes coincides with the ending of relationships or friendships. Or maybe that internship you thought you were going to advance in let you go after you put in three months of hard work. At this point, any of us could be feeling like we will never have what we lost again. But let’s remind ourselves, before we met that person – before we had that awesome opportunity – did we think we would have them? Did we think we would meet them the way we did? Probably not, and just as before it can and will happen again.
How we respond is what defines us
It takes many years to truly comprehend the phrase, “the only thing constant in life is change”. Once we finally understand what this means and accept the role change plays in our lives we have the power. Of course, we all have our natural reactions to unwanted losses or changes in our lives. In The Five Gifts of Failure, Jennifer Kromberg (clinical psychologist) points out how these setbacks in life give life to both wisdom and courage. Life experience will prove to be the greatest teacher.
Photo credits: Psychology Today and Moments Count