ESSENTIAL
CONVERSATIONS
WITH GERONTOLOGIST
DR. AMY D’APRIX
MAINTAINING EMOTIONAL
BALANCE DURING A LIFE
TRANSITION
RELY ON THE FAMILIAR
Finally, focus on the things that aren’t going to change. Research has
shown that when we recognize that a change—even a major one—
doesn’t impact every area of our life, it can improve our resilience.
You may find that big changes in your life—like a
If you are going through a major change, remember that you have
move to a retirement residence—can stir up a
been through changes in the past and thrived. And you can do it
mixture of emotions that can make you feel a bit
again! With a little attention to maintaining your emotional
off-balance, even when the change is a positive one.
balance, you may even find this change is easier than those in
The degree to which a move or other change can feel
the past, and that you settle into the next chapter of your life
disruptive varies greatly from person to person. Some
quickly and with a sense of adventure.
of us regain our mental equilibrium very quickly, while
others go through a longer process of adaptation.
The good news is there are things we can we do to lessen
the impact of a major change and speed up regaining our
equilibrium. Below are some tips to help you navigate a
life transition with less disruption to your emotional balance.
SELF-REFLECT
You can start by asking yourself what you did in the past that
helped you feel better when you experienced a major change.
Likely there were things that gave you comfort, reduced your
stress, and helped you adapt more quickly. You can use those
strategies as touchstones as you go through this and other tran-
sitions in your life.
LEAN ON TRUSTED FRIENDS
Giving our feelings a voice may be the very thing that releases
them. That’s why you want to call on your emotional support squad!
These are the people or person you can turn to when you are having
a tough day; the ones who remind you that you’ve gotten through
big changes before and thrived, and will again.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Don’t forget self-care when going through a big change! It can be more
challenging during these times to make sure that we are getting enough
rest, eating well and getting exercise, but all of these are necessary to
maintain both our physical and emotional balance.
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RENDEZVOUS | WINTER 2018/2