There’s no doubt that there has been a huge push when it comes to mental health awareness over the last few years. Once upon a time it was a subject that was almost stigmatized – and those suffering really didn’t know where to turn. Now, it’s a much more open field, with various initiatives ensuring that everyone appreciates the severity of the problem.

Of course, some people are more susceptible to stress than others. At the same time, some people go through more “major events” that can ultimately cause stress. As the title might have already given away, today’s post is all about showing what these events are and just how they might impact your stress levels.

Life event #1 – Retirement

Let’s start with one of the most surprising life events. After all, retirement is meant to be one of those events in life which should be celebrated, right? Well, as you will soon find out, a lot of the stress-inducing events are so-called happy ones.

The thing about retirement is that it initiates a lot of change in your life. From a financial perspective, you are left without a stable income, whilst you have a whole host of other expenses to think about which you might not have come across before (with elderly care and even pre-paying for a funeral being a couple of examples to note).

Of course, all of these things are going to happen regardless. The best approach is to understand them fully until the time itself, whilst preparing as best as you can financially. This might mean saving more, or even just understanding your outgoings long before you reach the retirement age.

Life event #2 – Moving home

This next one might not come as much as a surprise, as it’s been documented all over the press. Moving home might usually be a great thing for you and your family, but few would disagree that it’s a process which arrives with boatloads of stress.

This can range from the paperwork stress (including all of the tedious solicitor chasing), right the way to how you are going to move that giant wardrobe from a 6th floor apartment.

Just like all of the life events we are mulling over, this is something that can be eased somewhat with a little bit of planning.

Life event #3 – Starting a new job

Another time which you should be prepared to be met by heightened stress levels is when you start a new job. It doesn’t matter who you are, this is something that you will feel. The fact that you now report to different people, who probably have different expectations, coupled with the different responsibilities and fear of the unknown, means that this is something that really can trigger all sorts of stress symptoms.

This is one of the more difficult events to prepare for. Unlike the others, it’s hard to prepare for something that is completely out of your control. As such, the best advice is to accept that this is going to be a stressful occasion, and research the various coping mechanisms to help you along your way.