We like things wrapped up in a tidy package with a bow on top, don’t we? But that’s not our reality. We live in constant uncertainty and many of us feel the effect of that. That’s because most of us are reactive to the bad news we see and hear.
There’s a better way to deal with uncertainty. And it’s pretty simple.
When we take in bad information, it’s easy to immediately go to what could happen in the future. Don’t.
Ground yourself.
Stay in the moment. Focus on what is in front of you. What you can see, hear touch, smell and taste. And we can’t minimize the value of taking slow, deep breaths to reduce anxiety. And focus on the joys in our life.
What can you control?
Focus on what you CAN control. You can’t change the world overnight. So stay in the present: What’s right in front of you. What actions can you take? How you can exert influence and make a difference. What choices in this day support your emotional well-being?
Make your own well-being a priority.
What self-care can you do? What activities bring you joy? Calm you? Relax and connect with others, but on benign topics, not those that will generate anxiety.
Here’s what I do:
I don’t consume any news, not anything in depth. Why beat myself over the head with the bad news? the frustrations?
Political action I confine to the app 5Calls, which allows me to learn talking points for what i want to say to my electeds and then can connect me automatically with my representatives in Washington. So it’s not that I don’t know what’s going on–I know enough to talk intelligently to whomever responds at the elected’s phone number.
Joy is all around me. I just have to look for it. I hang out with good friends. I focus on metaphysical work. I have some fun.
By the way, this is true of sitting with uncertainty of any kind.
Reality has always been a combination of joy and sorrow. Even as a child, there were times when my mother cried…someone had died, or she was “at the end of her rope.” A widow with three children, she had a lot to deal with, and though we tried, we were normal children…and we were out looking for fun and joy. My mother wanted that for us…and so we behaved as best we could. We wanted happiness for her.
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Reading this was a great way to start my Monday.
Sometimes we need to remind ourselves….
Reality has always been a combination of joy and sorrow. Even as a child, there were times when my mother cried…someone had died, or she was “at the end of her rope.” A widow with three children, she had a lot to deal with, and though we tried, we were normal children…and we were out looking for fun and joy. My mother wanted that for us…and so we behaved as best we could. We wanted happiness for her.
Reality sure can bite, at times.
Always good advice. So needed in these challenging times.
These are definitely times that challenge us!