Today’s blog was written by Freya Love, Assistant Psychologist at Headspace Guildford.
Today is the first day of my new job here at Headspace Guildford. While January is traditionally considered the time of resolutions and beginnings, I think for many of us September is truly the month of fresh starts. It might be a new job, like me, a new class, or even a totally new school. The long summer days are coming to an end, and we are taking new steps that might cause us some excitement and nervousness in equal parts.
It is very easy to feel daunted in the face of big changes, but I think it is important to remember that each journey is made up of small steps. If the change in front of us feels too big, and is causing us some stress, it might help to break it into more digestible parts. For example, when I was considering my new beginning here at Headspace Guildford today, it made me quite nervous to consider all of my future responsibilities I might undertake during my employment here. This could have caused me to be a little overwhelmed, just like if someone is starting a new school, and is thinking about all of their new classes, new people, and new environments. It was helpful for me to break it into little sections, each of which felt more manageable, and reduced my worry over the day. I knew that to get to work, I would take the bus, so I made sure to note the time of it, and when I would need to leave my house to pick it up. This felt very easy to achieve, and once I had this under my belt, the day started to feel much more under my control. I then considered the tasks that I would be completing today, and addressed them one by one until I was confident on each of them.
Another important thing to remember when we are making new starts, is that there is always someone we can ask for help. I knew that if I was unsure about any of my new tasks today, I could talk to Ellie or another staff member here at Headspace Guildford. A lot of worries we might have about something new can be alleviated by talking to someone else. Everyone can relate to the nerves of new beginnings, and often would love the chance to help ease the transition for someone else. It might be a teacher, a parent, a friend, or someone entirely new themselves, and you both can share in the start together.
So, if you are feeling nervous about a September start, take reassurance in the fact that many of us are feeling something similar at this time of year, break down anything that feels unsurmountable into small achievable steps, and always, always, ask for help if you need it.