Navigating Uncertainty?

Maybe it’s a literal storm or the kind that just majorly shifts your life.

Last week, my husband and I went on vacation to Orlando, Florida.  Should be sunny and beautiful, right?  Wrong!  Hurricane Milton had other plans, and it was too late to change ours.

We witnessed SO many people coming in after evacuating from the Gulf Coast.  Leaving their homes…and life…behind.  Bringing their pets with them (thankfully we stayed at a resort that allowed this) as well as any belongings they could.

Talk about navigating uncertainty!! 😢

     

The stories we heard from those that we talked to were just heartbreaking.

As a dog lover, I loved seeing all of the adorable dogs.  But the reason why they were there was terribly sad.

Milton was supposed to hit the west coast of Florida as a Category 5 (maybe a 4…it kept changing).  Either way…it was going to be bad.  Especially since Hurricane Helene hit the same areas only days before.

As I thought of all of these families weathering the storm and navigating such major uncertainty, I reflected on my own life uncertainties.

Being let go from my job of 22 years and having to re-evaluate things has been pretty stressful (to read about that, click here).  Probably not as stressful as those families from the Gulf…I, at least, knew I had a home that was intact to go back to…but still uncertain.

So, how can we navigate life’s storms?

Obviously, potentially, losing a home due to Mother Nature and losing a job due to a layoff come with different emotions and challenges.  However, there are some similarities.

 

Tips on how to navigate uncertain times:

1. Acceptance.  It might be the hardest thing to do.  And it might take a while for the reality of the situation to sink in.  But, without acknowledgment and acceptance, you will not be able to move forward. So…feel your feels.
2. Focus on what you can control. Even though we may like to, we can’t control everything.  Especially not the weather or being laid off from work!  However, by focusing on what’s within your control can be very empowering. Shift your attention to what you can control, like your actions, thoughts, and behaviors.
3. Chunk things down. Break down challenges into manageable tasks. This helps take some stress off of the situation and gives a sense of accomplishment.
4. Practice mindfulness or meditation. There’s nothing that will bring you more fully present than either of these two practices.  Being present helps ease anxiety and overwhelm.
5. Maintain perspective.  Keep in mind that the challenge is only temporary.  Look at the bigger picture, remain grateful for what you do have, and know that brighter days are ahead.

And yes, that above picture was about as sunny as it got on our vacation in Orlando! ⛅️

If you are going through some challenging, or uncertain, times I hope these tips have been useful.  There are many apps you can use to help with meditation (I’ve used Calm and Headspace).  Or you can do like I do and go to YouTube.  They have a ton of guided meditations as well as meditative sounds/music.