So as you may have read in my last blog, I’ve just started a new job after nearly 4 years at my last (wonderful) job. It’s a huge change for me. I’ve gone from being comfy, happy and confident in my job to uncomfortable, constantly nervous and doubting myself. It’s a pretty common thing, sure; but when you have anxiety through the roof and the natural lack of confidence that comes with depression it makes things even more difficult to manage.

Here are a few things that I’ve been doing to manage a time of lots of change.

1. Give Yourself A Break

In a new job, you’re obviously going to work as hard as you can and I definitely have been working as hard as I can to get to grips with everything. But change is tiring. I’ve been finding it hard to stay awake in the office and difficult to fall asleep . It’s warm, comfortable and quiet in the office. So to combat this fatigue and the nerves of passing out from exhaustion, I’m making sure that I’m having plenty of breaks. I’m making sure I take my full hour for lunch and as the weather is so nice, I’m going outside and sitting somewhere else, in the afternoon I pop out to the little garden and text some people and chill in the quiet for a few minutes. It might seem like a small thing but it’s exactly what I need to get through the day!

2. Don’t Beat Yourself Up About It

It’s so hard to go from something that you’re comfortable and confident in to something brand new where you know virtually nothing. You are naturally going to feel a bit shit about not being as quick, as knowledgeable or as productive as you’re used to. That’s okay. It literally happens to everyone who makes a big change. In my case, a new job, they expect this. They don’t expect you to know everything from day one. In other cases, new town, new country, new course, new school, other people will be feeling the same as you. Don’t get annoyed at yourself for not being 100% straight away. It takes time to become comfortable in a situation.

3. Do What You Love

So when you’re battling with increased insecurities throughout the day, often doing things you’re not used to or you don’t enjoy yet, it’s important to make sure that you do what you love. I’ve been coming home and doing some extra freelance work each night and then sitting down to play some video games, do some music or bingewatch some videos on YouTube. For me, that’s what I love to do with my evenings, but for you, it could be something else entirely. Gardening, art, calling a friend, dancing in your underwear. It doesn’t matter, you do you.

4. Celebrate The Little Things

So yeah, it’s not going the smoothest. Like I keep saying, change is hard. But there is always something great that happens in every day. Having my first call with a volunteer, surviving lunch with a new colleague without having a panic attack, not offending anyone with poor taste jokes. I’ve been trying to make sure that I appreciate all the little successes in each day. You need to make sure that you celebrate all the little successes too. Sometimes making it outside is tough enough, but if you’re in a new situation? It’s terrifying. But if you’ve managed to pop out to the shops, celebrate it. If you managed to sit for a coffee, celebrate it. If you managed to try something new, celebrate the fuck out of it!

So yeah, change is hard. But often change is also amazing and exciting. It is often the doorway into a fantastic new chapter in your life. So until you’re comfortable with the changes, try your best to keep afloat. Follow these four things and go get that life you want.

A