How I Cope With Uncertain Times

I have a lot of uncertainty in my life right now. With my all-consuming surgery on hold until my prosthetic joints are produced, summer plans dependent upon appointments for my braces, hotel hopping while my landlords finish renovations to my apartment, all on top of the regular stressors of living in this unpredictable world. The pressure is ON and the time to practice letting what’s out of my control go is NOW. 


I’m a planner. I like to do what I can to relieve current worries and prevent future stress. Setting plans to look forward to help push me through those harder moments, and not being able to do that has obviously made things harder. This has been a difficult time for me but I’m no longer the type of person who cowers in the face of tough times. I keep my cape ironed and clean in my closet for when I need it. This is the time to buckle up. To be my strongest self. To be my own hero, lifting my spirits high so I can see over these obstacles.


I want to wake up every day with intent. Live with a purpose, stay true to my morals, grow and mature as a human being but always find moments of joy. When something is out of my control I must push it out of my mind. As homesick as I am, I must not think about being back at home until it’s time. As agonizing as chronic pain can be, I must focus on the fact that a solution is coming instead of longing for the time when it arrives. As for that unpredictable schedule, I can plan things to look forward to on a day to day basis. Adjusting expectations is usually a reliable stress reliever in uncertain times like these. Finding joy from the simplest things can get me through any situation. 


As I sit here writing, I already feel lighter. Realizing how much more is in my control than I thought. It doesn’t take much for me to feel positive. I have so much to be grateful for always. So much possibility to be excited about. The warmth I feel when I think of how far I’ve come so far in my life fills me with new feelings of joy knowing the progress my current predicaments will provide me. Change and uncertainty have always been hard for me, as they are for most, but it’s those challenging times that create a sustainable life. A life that is always evolving, always interesting and meaningful. If I know I will look back on this time and appreciate the journey, I can choose to embrace that success right now.