Career and lifestyle changes are often some of the most stressful events of a person’s life, leading a person to be filled with the potential for irrational beliefs. Even before the event begins, there is often anxiety about making the decision to do so and what the consequences might be if the “wrong” decision is made. During the adjustment period, there may be anger toward things not going as planned or anxiety about how unfamiliar the situation is. Once the change has been made, feeling depressed, and/or guilty may occur when a person begins to think that the wrong choice was made. Understandably, this discomfort may last a while, and may be great in frequency, intensity, and duration. Relief may be established by eventually accepting that a person made the best decision they could, that the consequences of it are not unbearable or awful, and that they are not a failure or bad person for making a mistake.

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