I’m visiting family in Australia where I grew up. I find it is the small differences that throw me. Yesterday I went into the city and the changes in the transport system made it a disorientating experience.
The bus had transformed itself from black and white to red. The number, which used to be 91, was 490 last time I was here: now it is M91. Not only have the colour and number been altered; both the timetable and the route the bus takes have changed too. I was still taking in all these modifications when the bus pulled into the bus stop. Imagine my surprise when I got out to find that some of the shops had disappeared and a bus terminal had taken their place, with four sets of traffic lights linking each side of the terminal and the new entrances to the train station.
By themselves these changes weren’t very large, but together they were enough to have me searching for recognisable landmarks and feeling a little unsteady and anxious about identifying the correct bus and time for the return journey. Once on the station, I saw that most of the processes such as purchasing tickets and accessing entry to the station were automated. This didn’t affect me so much, as some of these alterations had been underway on my last visit and they still fulfilled all the familiar functions, so it wasn’t really unsettling.
My reaction made me think of how we deal with change in our lives generally. We face many changes throughout our lifetime. Usually when they are gradual we adjust a bit at a time and integrate the modifications without much of a reaction and little stress. However, when the changes are sudden – whether we choose them or have them imposed on us through other people’s choices or changing circumstance – we can feel like we don’t recognise the landscape of our life. The identifiable features seem blurred and fuzzy around the edges and it takes time to adjust. Given time we return to a new sense of normality and become more settled again.
If you are facing changes, remember to give yourself time to get used to your new way of life. It helps to focus on something that is familiar and keep to routines as much as possible so as not to feel quite so overwhelmed. What have you found has been the best way to cope with changes in your life?
