Dealing with changes.

A couple of months ago I made a move to a completely new place. I have a new job. I am (slowly) making new friends. I have a new rhythm of life in so many different ways. I don't wake up at 5am anymore, for instance. 

Changes are stressful. Even those planned changes that you have anticipated for months. Changes that have been meticulously considered and planned are still stressful. I am not so good with change. This is somewhat ironic, given the frequency with which I've been changing where I lived. I suppose I must have developed some tactics o help me dealt with changes. To make those frequent changes not so scary and not so painful.

1. Have a constant.

It can be a person, a thing, a place. For me, my parents and Mr Magic provide such a constant. They are always just on the other side of the phone line. I can always turn to them for comfort and advice. In this funny period between moving away from old friends and meeting new one, they provide me with all the love and attention I need.

2. Develop routines. Quickly.

Changes might mean that your old routines need to change too. But it is important to have a routine to fall back on. I retained the general structure of my daily routine, but had to make some alterations because my flat is different, my work is further away from home, Mr Magic is a much more frequent visitor over here. All of this meant that old routines developed over the last year no longer work for me. But I desperately need routines. I'm still not where I want to be with these, but I'm getting there. My days are becoming more organised each week.

3. Get to know the surroundings.

It really helps me if I know where everything is at home. It also gives me comfort to know where important places are in the area. The church, the shop, the dentist, the health centre, the pharmacy, the petrol station. I like to check the location of these on the map before the move to have a vague mental picture of where everything is. And then I try to memorise the way to those places as quickly as possible to stop using the sat nav. It gives a sense of being at home.

4. Have loads of food.

When I'm stressed, cooking is the last thing I want to do after a busy day. I have no patience for chopping vegetables, opening cans, peeling, simmering and washing up all the pots and utensils. But eating pizza or chinese every night is not fu either, despite its initial attraction.. So I like to have loads of delicious food at hand. It could be pizza, ready meals, loads of bread, eggs and baked beans. The key is to fill up the freezer or the fridge with food that is easy to reheat and that will bring you joy. I filled up my freezer with tartlets, bakes, curries, brownies, hot cross buns... I'm a big fan of batch cooking and I'm a freezer queen. It's a life saver.

5. Stop and relax.

Adjusting to a new environment is tiring. There is so much to do. It is also emotionally exhausting. What I have learnt in the past few weeks was that as some point I just need to stop and switch off. Stop cleaning, preparing, writing, reading, organising. Stop worrying. I just need to make a cup of tea and relax. Take a bath. Watch GBBO. Go for a walk. Whatever it takes to stay sane.

Changes are difficult, but you can make them a little more bearable with some planning and with a little down to earth attitude. Changes are temporary in the end. Not before long a change becomes a new normal. Let's just joyfully persevere until them.