This is the first blog that I have written in several months. I’d planned to get it out last week, and even that self imposed deadline was missed. I think that reflects a lot of how I have been feeling lately.

Those close to me will know that the last few months have been a tricky time for my mental health. I’ve been dealing with a significant change in my life, particularly at work. This is something that has been handled very poorly and has been a really negative experience. But I’m here to write about something a little more positive.

Change can be really difficult for us to deal with. Even when the change is a positive, our brains are wired to see change as a negative. This is known as the negativity bias. And that can be really challenging to manage. Its why we can often feel negative before big positive moments in our lives.

One good way to process change is to assess and then focus on the routines in our lives that are not changing. By doing this we can ground ourselves as the change beds in. I’ve been doing this over the last few months. Through the bad times at work, I’ve focussed so much on my personal health and fitness. It has been the light during difficult times. I poured by focus into pushing my workouts and achieving results I never thought I’d see. I hired a coach who is really helping me in this area of my life. I’m not dieting, I’m being educated, and I am learning so much about myself through my fitness journey.

All the while this was happening, bad things were happening elsewhere in my life, but I’ve been able to positively find a way forward for myself by focusing on core positive routines during those changes.

In four months, I’ve lost 7kg, and I’ve given up alcohol (other than when on a holiday!). I didn’t have a problem, I only had alcohol once a week at home, but it felt like a pointless routine. I’m stronger than I have been before and have focussed on myself rather than others.

I wanted to share this blog to show that whilst change can be scary (especially when it’s caused by other people) there are ways to find a light in dark times.

Have a great weekend.