Despite what the movies might show you, major life changes aren’t always that cinematic. They’re often more confusing & uneven. Unfortunately, not everyone knows when they’re going through a major life change, but there are some signs of it.
Here are eight feelings that, if you can relate to them, could mean things are changing. What life changes are you going through now?
Overwhelming nostalgia
You’re constantly feeling drawn to old Spotify playlists & scrolling through photos from a decade ago. But it’s not for any clear reason. It’s likely caused by major changes in your life because people feel more nostalgic when their emotional compasses are recalibrating.
Research from the University of Southampton found that people rely on nostalgia during big life changes. However, don’t worry. It’s a normal way of looking for comfort at such a difficult time.
Tired of making decisions
A normal trip to the grocery store takes forever because picking what brand to buy feels like a lot of effort. It’s something known as decision fatigue. You feel tired from even tiny decisions, and that’s because you’re going through changes in your life.
Scientists have studied decision fatigue for years in different environments, including in the courtroom. What did they find? Your brain becomes overloaded more quickly when you have too many things going on in your life.
Lost sense of time
A single week feels like it lasts two months, while the following one disappears in three days. You might also find that memorable events feel out of order. Research has found that feeling as though time is “stretchy” is rather common when your life’s being disrupted.
People’s sense of time becomes rather wobbly during major life changes. They start seeing time in a non-linear, or differently ordered, way. Sadly, it can be quite unnerving to feel as though time isn’t happening in the right way.
Difficulty focusing
Each time you read an email, you have to keep re-reading the same two lines. They just don’t make sense. It was so easy for you to make sense of your routine in the past, but now, you’re unable to focus.
Stress & anxiety disrupt your mind’s ability to pay attention to things in your daily life. And what’s more stressful than going through huge changes in your life?
A strong urge to rearrange
You experience random bursts of energy, where you start reorganizing drawers or deleting emails. But you don’t plan it. It sort of just happens. Such a desire to find some physical space is often caused by you feeling crowded inside your head.
Throwing away old papers or moving your furniture around gives you a bit of control. You desperately need that when everything in your life feels so uncertain. Rather than trying to be tidy, you’re simply looking for a bit of breathing room. You want a break from it all.
Restlessness
Your whole body has a buzzing feeling that makes sitting still feel impossible. You’ll move around for no reason. You’ll also change tasks without finishing the previous one, and it’s because you’re feeling stressed & anxious.
Such feelings trigger a restless emotional state in most people. At least, according to research from health organizations like the Cleveland Clinic. Restlessness also affects your sleep quality, making the entire cycle feel much worse.
Guilt & relief arrive together
Sure, you might not think that someone can feel guilt & relief at the same time. But it happens. Going through major life changes could cause you to feel guilty because you know that something old is ending, yet also relief because you’re letting go of certain pressure points.
Research on grief and transitional periods has found that people often experience these two emotional states at the same time. It feels rather strange.
Irritability
Small things now feel a lot harder to deal with & your body reacts more quickly to them. Even the simplest things, like a little noise or someone speaking over you, are too much. It’s because you’re dealing with new things in your life.
Irritability is one of the most common emotional stresses people report when they’re dealing with high mental load. It’s the same for big transitional moments.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
Related Articles: