Living with Uncertainty in This Challenging Time

This is a time like no other for us. Most of us have never lived through a pandemic such as this. We may have heard stories as kids about the polio epidemic, but they never really seemed real. Many people feel anxious and confused, and experience different emotions daily.

I think this a time of quiet, of thought-provoking moments with nowhere to run.

We are faced with ourselves, stuck in rooms with nowhere to escape. We can grow from this if we allow ourselves to.

Hurt from others, fear of the future, confusion, and living with uncertainty overtake us. We are scared to risk and live without control and in uncertainty. We are never really in control. We only have the illusion of it.

Letting go of this, having faith, and living in the present moment is precisely what we need. We are never in control of things beyond our control so we need to learn to let go. “There but for the grace of God go I”, meaning it happened to them it can happen to me.

All we really have is the present moment and what we do in it, and make of it. This is the reason that I added yoga to my counseling practice. I felt people needed to feel the present moment, not just talk about it, and see where that feeling takes them.

In the present moment we learn to face ourselves; we are no longer able to be distracted from out thoughts by running to TJ Maxx, the local bar, the bookstore or mall. In this era right now, we must sit with ourselves and all parts of that self.

When we look at our raw selves we are face to face with:

  1. Who am I? What defines me? Do I like my behavior and/or myself?
  2. Am I overly fearful and anxious?
  3. Am I comfortable alone? Why? Why not?
  4. Can I motivate myself? Am I interesting?
  5. Can I structure my day with my own hobbies and interests?
  6. How do I fill up my time?
  7. How do I interact with people with lots of together time? What choice do I make daily?
  8. How do I handle relationships?
  9. Do my kids like me?
  10. How do I define myself without a job or another person? Back to who am I?

So, our goal is to use this time to get to meet ourselves, in all forms. Let all parts of you come to the table. Use this time to create who you want to be, not being defined by the outside but from the inside. “Stay Inside”, takes on a whole new meaning.

If you are having trouble examining yourself in close quarters give Sacks and Associates Counseling a call – 978-486-8046. We are here to help.

In peace,
Sally

Photo by Ümit Bulut on Unsplash