When our world is shaken...

<< BLOG: Getting through your studies in good shape

It’s spring, the start of a new semester, a time for making new resolutions, so I actually wanted to write about change and new beginnings. About the hopes and fears associated with change. About the unbelievable difficulties we often face when we try to take control over our lives, even though we have almost endless possibilities at our fingertips. About the ways that we can make conscious change happen.

But then, just like that, everything was overtaken by events. The world – yours, mine, the world we share – has been shaken. Again!

The pandemic was bad enough, but at least we had the feeling that we were slowly getting to grips with the virus. But just as we were cautiously starting to breathe a little more easily, the next disaster struck: the war in Ukraine and its still unforeseeable consequences for the world we live in.

We have been personally affected to differing degrees, but one thing we have in common is a sense of uncertainty concerning the latest developments. It’s like everything has been turned on its head again, seemingly from one day to the next. Plans and perspectives are changing unbelievably quickly. Nothing seems certain any more. The bigger picture has such a huge impact on the structures in our personal lives that everything is called into question. Can I even take it for granted that...?

Change is a challenge for most people – even when it’s a minor adjustment that we choose to make ourselves, we have to take it carefully for that change to be accepted. But things get really bad if we don’t have any influence over events, when we’re overrun and dragged along in the wake of world affairs. And the same goes for our plans and dreams.

Over the past two years we’ve been repeatedly confronted by situations where we are at the mercy of external influences, which can bring about sudden and radical changes to our lives. Changes that force us to put our priorities on hold, and make questions – that only a short time ago were so important in the general scheme of our lives and those of others – seem so trivial and insignificant all of a sudden.

It’s unsettling when we feel we don’t have a choice, that change is being forced upon us. And we have to accept that our world will be rocked again and again. More often than we thought and far more often than we would like. We need to learn how to handle instability and think in terms of the wider picture. Become more resilient, more flexible. Enhance our self-confidence and nurture relationships. Look after the valuable things in life more carefully, the things that we take for granted so much in our everyday lives.

But there’s a positive side to all of this: although change can be scary, we have so many resources available to us when we have to adapt. And that’s something we can count on.

Adapting to new situations is a process of growing, and much of it takes place without us consciously doing anything at all – but we can foster this development and do a lot to make it positive. In turbulent times it’s easy to forget to look after yourself and your personal health – both physical and mental – but that’s when it’s most important to make sure we do.

It’s perfectly alright to feel despondent about losing your sense of security – anxiety is a natural response to distressing events and massive changes.

Don’t deceive yourself into thinking there’s something wrong with you when you react emotionally to changes – that’s a natural and also a necessary process that prepares you to deal with those changes.

Work on your relationships and talk about your concerns – just sharing your feelings will lighten the load and don’t feel obliged to find solutions straight away. You also need to be mindful of the way you get your news.

Try to avoid being constantly bombarded by reports. A few trustworthy channels are enough, and try scheduling specific times of day to catch up on the latest developments.

Think of all the challenges you’ve overcome and everything you’ve achieved in your life. In many cases, we treat things that actually set us apart as obvious and take them as read.

You should also remember that we only activate many of the resources at our disposal when we really need them. Whatever the future holds, you’ll find a way to deal with it.

Put your faith in a quality that’s fundamental to who we are: the ability to adapt to new situations.

Don’t let events ruin the plans you’ve been making – in spite of all the uncertainty, keep going but remember to be flexible. Having a plan B, C or D is now more important than ever. Make a conscious note of something that you’ve taken for granted up to now – stretch and enjoy how it feels to be able to move your body, feel the sun getting warmer as we head into spring, and sense the air around you.

It’s important to look after yourself – stick to regular mealtimes and eat food that leaves you energised; exercise but don’t forget to get enough rest as well. Don’t be afraid of distractions – no matter how bad things are, we all need to take a break now and then.

And if anxieties and fears start to take too great a toll, don’t hesitate to turn to other people for help.

The psychological consultation is only available in German - if you need counselling in English, please contact the Psychological Student Counselling Service of the Ministry: https://www.studierendenberatu...