Navigating Change: What We Need Most by Kristina Schmitt Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about change. Every change brings a small grieving cycle filled with emo- tion. According to the Kübler-Ross Change Curve, we typically move through shock and denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally, acceptance. Unfortunately, there’s no clear milestone signalling when
new process, or even an exciting move, things will take time to learn. When frustration hits, pause: look for progress and celebrate the wins — even small ones. Take time to rest. Learning and adapting takes energy -- mental and physical. Our brains are wired to conserve energy through routines and automated responses. Creating new habits interrupts those and demands more effort. Add in stress and emotions, and your body can feel drained. Make time for true rest: a walk, quiet time, or a short nap. Note: Scrolling your phone or watching TV isn’t real rest — it actually taxes your brain more! Listen without fixing. If you’re supporting someone else, give them space to talk through emotions and frustrations, even if they don’t seem directly related to the change. Stress shows up differently in everyone, so notice shifts in mood or behaviour and ask gently about them. If you’re the one experiencing change, find someone you trust who can listen without judgment. What gets repressed eventually gets expressed. Talking with a friend, counsellor, or coach can prevent those emotions from surfacing at the wrong time. Avoid giving advice. It’s tempting to offer solutions, but unsolicited advice can make people feel defensive or inadequate. Instead, ask thoughtful questions, encourage brainstorming, and let them choose the next steps. It builds confidence and ownership. In times of change, we all need grace, time, and someone willing to walk with us — not fix us.
you’ve moved from one stage to the next. In fact, it’s common to bounce back and forth before finally settling into acceptance. The journey can be hard. It can be messy. But ultimately, it makes us stronger, more self-aware, and better prepared to face the next change. Whether it’s you or someone in your care, what’s needed most is a listening ear, support during struggles, and the freedom to say or do the ‘wrong things’. Even when the change is welcomed, there’s often resistance, grief, and internal chaos. The most important things anyone needs in times like these are time and patience. Here are practical ways to support yourself, or someone else, through change: Lower expectations. One of the hardest parts of change is accepting that you might not be the expert (yet). Whether you’re facing a loss, a
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