Overcoming The Fear Of Change

I’M FINALLY BACK! Yesterday marked the end of my last exam and I’m now officially a free woman...apart from the two jobs I impulsively decided to take on during summer 🙄 How do I always do this though? I promise myself a relaxed summer with minimal hours of work, chilling by the beach with a cocktail in my hand... and without fail, every year, I end up working near full-time hours 🤷🏽‍♀️ Its almost like my body is resistant to the change of routine from scholastic hours to summer relaxation. I almost feel anxious to sit down doing nothing for more than 20 minutes.

And that brings me to todays topic; the fear of change. I had never realised just how much I hate the idea of change until I stopped swimming 3 years ago. Swimming is a sport that requires you to train 12 times a week, plus additional hours spent going to nutritionists, sport doctors and sport massages... don’t look at me that way, sport massages can be one of the most painful things ever! Having said that, swimming obviously taught me how to stick to a routine and use every spare second I had to my advantage, be it studying or socialising with my friends.

After about 3 months of retirement from my swimming career, I found myself feeling anxious almost everyday and this weird sense of loneliness (even if I was surrounded by my favourite people). Eventually I realised that it was due to the void that swimming left me with; ample free time and the freedom to do whatever I pleased, OH THE HORROR 🤦🏽‍♀️. As nice as those things might sound to anyone else, I hated every part of it. Eventually I resorted to endless nights of partying, binge watching series and dropping out of university. This is when I realised how scared of change I actually was. It scared me to the point that I tried to go back to swimming countless times, not realising how my love for the sport was not what i needed to make me feel better.

Around a year and half into my downward spiral I learnt how to be ok with planning my days as they come, not having the same routine day in day out. And ill tell you how I do this now in a minute..or two.

Ok, so now that I gave you a little insight as to how my fear began we can jump back to the present. With the first year of my Bachelors complete, routine will be different for the next couple of months and on top of that I should be leaving for an Erasmus exchange in Scotland at the end of august 🥶 CHILLS, literal CHILLS.

Don’t get me wrong, I really want to go as the course I’ll be doing is focused on Strength and Conditioning...the dream. BUT I am so petrified of starting a fresh, a complete blank slate, in a country i have NEVER been to with people Ive never met 😭 and lets not forget the worst thing, an obvious change in routine. This got me into a hurricane of doubt last night and I didn’t catch a wink of sleep. But it all boils down to having enough courage to say, if I try hard enoug, I can learn to enjoy the change in routine.

Here are a few things that help me get through the weeks that feel unstructured and unplanned.

1. Use A Planner

I bought this amazing planner that allows you to write down your aim for the day and plan hour by hour what you would like to do. Its called the Passion Planner and ill leave a link below to where you can grab one for yourself. It truly helps me to get a vague idea of the things I need to get done and makes me feel like I have a routine to follow.

https://passionplanner.com/

2. Think About ONE Thing You Want To Achieve

When I’m having breakfast on a day where I have seemingly nothing to do, or on the contrary WAY too much to handle, I try to think about one thing I would like to get done that day. It could be anything, going to the gym, clearing my room or painting my nails. Set a time for this event and make sure you complete it. It leaves a feeling of accomplishment and gives you a purpose for that day.

3. BREATHE

Try to remind yourself that change is something that is inevitably going to happen at one point of other. So instead of fearing it try to calm down and enjoy the new experience!

In the coming weeks I will have to decide if I will attend Erasmus in Scotalnd or not. I’ll keep you updated xx

Now this girl is off to the beach for a well needed nap in the sun 😍 Catch you all next week.

From one sports geek to the next,

Pia x