“The only constant in life is change.” – Heraclitus

As true as the above quote might be, it doesn’t give us any suggestions for how we might make change any easier. Sometimes change is just plain hard, especially when it’s something big and personal. But if you’re anything like me, change is something that you look forward to – difficult or not.

Change is something that I value. For me, as things change I have the opportunity to grow and evolve. Yes, there are times when things feel so good that I don’t want them to change… but I also firmly believe that something even better and more magical is waiting for me at every turn. A more awake, alive and engaged me is waiting to be discovered.

If that discovery comes at the price of wading through some pretty gnarly stuff, I’m willing to do it. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that avoiding and trying to by-pass the difficult things in life usually means you’re going to run into those things again and again and again. Sometimes the only way out and beyond is through.

The past couple of weeks have been humbling for me. The words, “I want to give up” even passed my lips on more than one occasion. And there were moments when I felt like I was “in hell” – really. If we’re honest with ourselves, experiences like this can and do happen. Life throws curve balls our way, and if we forget to duck, it can be a relatively painful experience.

So what can we do when we want to give up? When we feel like we’re in hell? When, for whatever reason, things just feel really, really difficult? Here are my top 6 tips for navigating through change with dignity and grace.

1)  Feel your feelings. This may make complete sense to you as you read it, but it’s the very thing most of us avoid. We can get pretty creative with the ways we avoid our emotions. They can feel overwhelming and scary at times, and it’s normal to want to run away from them. But running actually takes a lot of energy and it wears us down. When we turn to face and feel our feelings completely, their power over us diminishes and our confidence in ourselves grows. The truth is we are stronger than we think we are. Our emotions are here to inform us, not overpower us. What are your emotions telling you?

2)  Sleep. Adequate rest – at least 8 hours of sleep a night – is essential to being a strong, resilient and powerful woman. Think about how it feels when you’re sleep deprived. Your ability to make clear decisions, come up with creative solutions and feel good about who you are is diminished when you haven’t gotten enough sleep. When you’re in the midst of change sleep is essential to feeling capable. And your dreams may even give you valuable insight into your process.

3)  Support. Asking for and receiving reliable support can be one of the most important things you do during time of transition and change. Sometimes just being able to talk to someone about what you’re going through can feel incredibly good, even if there aren’t any immediate answers for what you’re going through. And remember, asking for and receiving support are incredible signs of your resilience and strength. It demonstrates your willingness to reach out and get your needs met.

4)  Move your body. Yes, the whole endorphin release can be really great when you’re feeling bombarded by life. But there’s something more that happens when we move our bodies. Movement is a great way to move stagnant energy, life experiences, memories and emotions out of our tissues so that we are free to experience every moment from a clear and powerfully present place within ourselves. Walking, running, yoga, dance, even kickboxing can be great ways to move our emotions so that they aren’t ruling us.

5)  Laugh! They say the small act of smiling can change your entire mood. The act of laughing takes that to an entirely new level. Laughter is the best medicine of all. When we are in the midst of transformation remembering to laugh can be a beautiful way to put things into a larger context and remember that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. Laughter can be a powerful antidote to taking life too seriously. Giggling can be an empowering act where we choose to lighten the mood and continue to live our lives according to our choosing. Ask yourself if you’d choose to live without laughter. If you said no, I invite you to laugh at the notion that you ever could, even amidst upheaval and change!

6)  Choose healthier food options. What? Isn’t this the perfect time for eating ice cream by the pint? Chocolate bars by the pound? Potato chips by the bag? I used to eat all of those things in massive quantities when life got hard. It was how I comforted and soothed myself when I was freaking out. But I also know that I was anesthetizing my feelings because they felt foreign and completely frightening. By eating junk during times of change, I was actually keeping myself stuck. Eating a clean diet and steering away from foods that forced me into mood swings and blood sugar highs and lows has served me very well. It’s not to say I don’t enjoy sweet treats and comforting foods, because I definitely do. I simply prefer healthier versions of those foods because they don’t sabotage my desire to keep moving forward. Instead, they support it.

Yes, change can feel like a strong current that is determining your course in life. However no matter the direction you are being taken in, I invite you to remember that how you react to your life and everything in it is the key. No matter the situation or scenario, you have the power to choose how you will handle things. This is what you do have control of – yourself! Change will be change, but through it all, you get to decide how you will be you!