Anxiety before starting new job

[maryjg]

I recently accepted a new job offer and gave 4 weeks notice of resignation at my current job. I have been at my current job for more than 2 years.

Ever since that day I have been feeling anxious and having obsessive thoughts about changing jobs and worrying that I’ve made a bad career move, or that I will hate the new job or be bad at it, and then lose the job and be unemployed. I’ve been crying at lunch time and constantly talking about it.

It’s partly a fear of change; even though I didn’t love my current job it became familiar and I knew what to expect and knew what I was doing.

Its partly a fear of the uncertain/unknown because I won’t know exactly what the job will be like until I start. And as it is a newly created position no one really knows at this stage. Also I won’t know I am secure in the job until after the 6 month probation.

I have a month until I start this job! I don’t want to feel this way for 4 weeks and then potentially have it get worse when I start!

[Peppermintbach]

Hi maryjg,

I hope it’s okay if I give you a gentle welcome to the forums, and congratulations on your new job offer 🙂 That said, I understand that you have been feeling very anxious, fearful and uncertain about this upcoming change...

As you said so yourself, the fear of change is a huge part of your recent teariness and anxiety. I feel there’s often great comfort in the familiar so no wonder you’re feeling so nervous and on edge...

I wonder if it would help to gently remind yourself that there must have been a reason(s) that you started looking for a new job. Maybe try to remember what those reasons were and hold onto those reasons.

As in, I feel if things were perfect in your current role, you wouldn’t have started looking elsewhere...I was thinking maybe you could even write down those reasons as a reminder e.g. to personally challenge yourself, better career prospects, etc.

As for coping strategies, I wonder if you might like to take a look at a thread called Self help tips for managing anxiety. It can be found either by typing “self help tips for anxiety” in the BeyondBlue search engine or vision the Anxiety forum where you will find it pinned at the top. There’s a wealth of ideas and suggestions in that thread.

It would be lovely to hear from you again if you’re feeling up to it. There’s absolutely no pressure or rush of course but just know you’re most welcome to write any time you like and as often as you like.

Kind and caring thoughts,

Pepper

[quirkywords]

Hi Maryjg,

I too welcome you to the forum. peeper has shown you what a friendly place this is with her helpful suggestions.

I can and I am sure many others can relate to worry about a change that is probably for the best but means leaving a familiar routine. I can understand both you fear of living the known routine of your job and th eu known quantities of the ne wine.

I wonder do you know any one who works there at the new job or if you could contact someone at the new place and find out more about the organisation . I realise the job is a newly created one and this means they saw that you had the qualities needed to work in this new position.

Also as a newly created job, I am sure you will be given help and guidelines and maybe asked for your input about what will happen in the job. I see it as being a collaboration between you and the people you work with.

As a mature student I returned to study to be a primary teacher. I really wanted to do it after being a teachers aide for years but when I finally qualified I was really worried how I would go. I tried to work out why ‘I wanted to be a teacher.

The first few days of teaching were difficult and as I was doing casual teaching I wasoften at a different school several times a week with a different routine. I learnt to ask questions if I was not sure what to do.

I know this is different to what you are experiencing that the same doubts were there .

I am not sure if this helps but wanted to know you are not alone.

Pepper has suggested helpful articles to read.

i am also interested in hearing your thoughts if you want to share them.

Congratulations on the new job and on writing your first post which will help others in a similar position.

Quirky