Major Life Events

Major events in your life can be stressful, even if they are happy events. Consider one of the most stressful major events - planning for a wedding. A wedding is a happy event but it is still stressful. The planning period can last a year or more and during that time your life will be turned upside down.

Other major events that will cause significant stress in your life include moving to a new home or a new state or country, having a child or adopting a child, getting a divorce or breaking up with a long time partner, enduring a long-term illness, hospitalization or disease, changing jobs or careers, losing a job, and losing a friend or loved one.  

Any major event can turn your life upside down. Some of us handle these events better than others. Even if you are a very calm, objective person, if a major event occurs at the wrong time, it can throw you off kilter. While moving might not seem like a big deal, it will add significant stress if you are moving because of a break-up or divorce or because you lost your job. So, don’t be surprised if your reaction to a stressor is stronger than you might expect.

When you are going through a major event, you need to accommodate the life event. Don’t try to ignore it or pretend you aren’t affected. Though these major events often leave you little time to acknowledge the stress, it is important to do so.  

Find the time to decompress even if it is only five minutes of meditation. These small breaks will help you renew and recharge and get you back on track. Take the time to sit down and eat – do not eat on the fly. If you are finding it hard to sleep during this time, get yourself a CD of relaxing music or sounds, turn off the TV in the bedroom and do some deep breathing.  

You have to find ways to give yourself a break during these major events. The event will pass but if you do not take care of yourself during this time, your mental, emotional and physical health will suffer.