181. How To Deal With Uncertainty
What To Do When Life is Uncertain (It's Always Uncertain)
2024 has been quite a year for me personally, and I’ve realized, talking to friends, and seeing people share their stories on the internet, that it’s been a wild year for a lot of people.
Uncertainty seems to be a theme in my life at the moment, and that leads to more worry, more anxiety and a desire for more control. None of these really help with dealing with uncertainty.
So Sammie and I wanted to delve into how to deal with uncertainty in this week’s episode of Build a Wealthy Spirit.
We highlighted a few steps that resonated with us:
First, make a list of what’s on your plate and what’s not. Sammie shared that focusing on her relationship with her family, exercising and PA admin tasks are on her plate right now. Worrying about her next job is not today’s problem. For me, I also created a list of everything uncertain in my life. This includes where I’m going to live next year, working on friendships, my career and the worst hurricane season ever. This helps me see and appreciate how many parts of my life are uncertain. It allows me to have more self compassion if I feel like my foundation isn’t stable right now.
Second, make sure to invest in yourself. I know that if I get stressed, I can let basic things slide like eating lunch or exercising. This means I’m tired, dysregulated, and moody which makes me feel even worse. If I can focus on taking care of my health, setting boundaries and self care, I can make sure that the foundation I do have is strong. It’s tempting to let everything slide, but it only makes the uncertainty worse. For Sammie, this means having a schedule and a routine. In a time of uncertainty, removing the paradox of choice for little things during your day can help alleviate stress and overwhelm.
Next, stop looking for someone to rescue you. This one can be tough for me to hear depending on where I am in my uncertainty spiral, but I find it to be so important. When I’m deep in my grief, I want a magic fairy to come and solve all my problems. However, here’s a great quote in the piece by Christine Carter, Seven Ways to Cope with Uncertainty.
When we take responsibility for our lives, we trade the false power of victimhood for the real power that comes from creating the life we want - Christine Carter
Grieving is important and feeling my feelings is important. Then, when I can step into my power and respond to what’s going on, that’s when the meaningful change can happen. I do have power and responsibility in my life. I’m not a victim of my circumstances. Yes, this may mean I have to do uncomfortable things like be vulnerable, ask for professional help and, the hardest for me, have tough conversations. However, when I can do those things, I feel lighter afterwards. The magic fairy coming to save me is also me.
Finally, see if you can find meaning in the chaos and uncertainty. When life hands us bad times, it’s easy to find yourself in grief, anger and stress. At the same time, things are always out of our control. Byron Katie of The Work often highlights that we are in Earth School. We learn through challenge, as much as that sucks. Gratitude and seeing if there’s a lesson in the uncertainty can be very helpful.
If you have any tips for dealing with uncertainty, respond to this email or feel free to leave a comment below!
Show Notes:
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