Are you going through a time of uncertainty and change?
Whatever you may be going through, during times of uncertainty and change the overwhelm of the unknown can take over. It’s scary not knowing what the future holds, or whether something will work out or not.
For those of you going through some kind of change or uncertainty in your life, below are some of the ways I keep myself calm and centred. These tools and strategies have helped me enormously and I hope they can offer you some support too.
1. Take a deep breath and welcome the unknown
In times like these, I find comfort in the saying “the only constant in life is change”.
Whether it’s an unexpected change in weather or a major life event, change is inevitable. We can’t completely predict or control what comes next. We can simply do our best to direct our life in the right direction.
Having this approach to change helps a lot. When you accept that change and uncertainty is inevitable and that it can be uncomfortable, it feels like less of a struggle.
Accept that uncertainty and change is inevitable and that you can’t control everything. Simply take a deep breath, and just focus on doing your best in taking one small step at a time.
2. Have a plan of action
It seems pretty obvious, but it’s worth pointing out – when you’re going through times of uncertainty and change, a plan of action is going to give you a lot of relief.
Sit down and come up with your plan. What are you going to do over the next week, month, three months, or year to navigate your way out of this challenging time?
Even if you aren’t 100% sure what you’re going to do, start somewhere.
Start by thinking about what you want. Then, brainstorm possible paths to get you there. List all the actions you could take to help get you to a better place. Then, look at all the actions and put them together a logical sequence.
Now you have a plan. Even if it’s not 100%, you can keep working on it whenever you like. I’m constantly pulling out my plan and making adjustments when inspiration or clarity strikes.
The important thing is to know what you want and to have a list of steps you need to take to start getting you there.
This way, during these times of uncertainty and change, you can refer back to your plan, and simply focus on that single next step you need to take. And remember, you can make those steps as small as is comfortable for you. Step by step, no matter how small, you’ll move in a good direction.
Having a plan gives you a guiding light to turn to when you feel overwhelm brewing. Forget the big picture and all the millions of things you need to do, and just focus on that one next small step.
3. Prioritise self-care
Taking care of yourself – mind body and spirit – is one of the best ways to support yourself during times of change. This way, you stay strong and can handle it better.
Self-care can mean something different to everyone, as we all have unique needs.
That said, there are some basic self-care activities that can benefit everyone – eating nutritious food, moving your body, spending time outdoors, getting enough sleep, and spending quality time with the ones you love.
All these activities will nourish you in different ways, and keep your mind body and spirit strong.
Personally, my morning routine is my go-to in times of change. This is how I keep myself calm, strong and centered. It’s honestly my pillar of strength. It changes over time, depending on my needs. But, during challenging times it looks something like this:
A warm drink – usually warm water with lemon, turmeric, pepper and coconut oil.
15-30 minutes of yoga
10 minutes of breathing meditation
Shower, coffee, breakfast, and writing down my goals for the day
Some days I do all of it and it takes about 1 hour. Other days I shorten it to 30 minutes, with just 15 minutes of yoga and 10 minutes of meditation. Some days I might mix it up with some journaling or positive affirmations.
A morning routine works particularly well for me – Doing it first thing in the morning empowers me because I know I’ve done something really important right at the start of the day. My warm drink cleanses and detoxifies my body. Yoga helps release tension and realign my body. Meditation helps quiet my mind and soothe my nerves. This 30-60 minutes of self-love in the morning has a huge impact on how I approach my day. And when I skip it, my anxiety can flare up, especially during challenging times.
This is what works for me, but there are many different ways you can show yourself some self-care.
What do you need to keep yourself feeling strong and high-spirited during challenging times? What does your body mind and spirit need to feel good? Brainstorm some ideas that work for you and commit to making time to nourish yourself. After all, if you’re not feeling your best, how can you possibly give your best to the rest of the world?
4. Make time for meditation
Meditation is often seen as airy-fairy and esoteric.
I used to think of meditation as something far-fetched – something a very particular type of people would do, going to other dimensions, leaving reality… I had a tough time welcoming it into my life – firstly because I struggled to sit still, but also because I didn’t like the idea of ‘ungrounding myself’.
Over the years I’ve developed a much better perspective of meditation and have opened up to its incredible benefits.
Firstly, remember, there are many different types of meditation. So, before you form an opinion, go and do some research. And then experiment and see what resonates with you.
Personally, my favourite kind of meditation is breath-awareness meditation. This kind of meditation is simply focused on deep breathing. Sometimes I listen to a guided meditation online to keep me focused, but most of the time I just enjoy sitting in the quiet and focusing on my breath. If you’re new to meditation, head over to YouTube and try out different guided meditations – they are a great way to experiment and find what you like.
The simple act of mindful deep breathing is so powerful. When you breathe mindfully and deeply, you activate your parasympathetic nervous system. And this essentially slows down your heart rate, relaxes your body, and ultimately calms your nerves.
So, you can use breathe-focused meditation to relax your body and clear your mind. First thing in the morning is a great time to do it, even just for 5 or 10 minutes. But, if the morning doesn’t work for you, do it whenever you can and you’ll still enjoy the benefits.
5. Journal for clarity
I think of journaling as free therapy.
This journaling ritual started years ago after reading the book “The Artist’s Way” where Julia Cameron recommends Morning Pages – three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning.
Getting all the stuff swirling around in my head out onto the page is therapeutic. It not only gets the thoughts out of my head, but it also helps me work through them. By writing them down, and thinking on paper, I start to find solutions and clarity.
I don’t do specifically three pages every day, but instead, I use journalling as and when I feel like it. I have my A5 journal in the house, and just write when I feel like it. And, especially in times of uncertainty, when overwhelm and anxiety start knocking at my door, out comes the journal.
If you don’t journal already, I encourage you to give it a go. When you’re going through challenging times, make yourself a pot of tea and sit back with your journal. Don’t think about it, just write. Write down whatever pops into your mind, even if it’s “I really don’t know what to say right now” or “I’m feeling so irritated and have no idea why or what to do…”. Just let it out. And, when you feel like you can’t write any more, I challenge you to push yourself to keep writing for one more page. I’ve found that by pushing myself to keep writing when I feel like I have nothing else to say, often leads to mini breakthroughs of clarity.
6. Practice gratitude
When you’re going through transition and not sure what comes next, negativity can start to creep in. And that’s a dangerous place to be in because it can completely take over.
And, when you’re going through challenging times, mindset is a huge factor – A positive or negative head-space can completely change your experience.
A great way to develop a positive mindset is through gratitude.
As humans, we often focus a lot on the future we want, and not on the present moment we’re in. It’s so easy to focus on what you don’t have, and everything you still need to get and do. And that can lead you to lose sight of everything you already have in your life to be grateful for.
You can practice more gratitude in your life by simply writing down three things you’re grateful for every day. Either in the morning, just before you go to sleep or any time that feels good for you. I have a little gratitude journal where I write down what I’m grateful for as and when I feel like it. And, just by bringing awareness to what I already have in my life, I start to feel grateful throughout the day.
Another simple way to bring more gratitude in your life is to simply take more pleasure in the small things. It may be the warm sun on your face, a delicious home-cooked meal, quality time with someone you love, your soft warm duvet cover, the sound of birds, a pot of tea and a good book… There is so much to appreciate in life!
This practice of acknowledging and appreciating all the wonderful things you have to be grateful for right now, shifts your mind from uncertainty and fear to positivity and abundance.
Are you feeling ready to face those times of change and uncertainty?
I hope that this post has encouraged you to keep working through your times of uncertainty and change. As they say, this too shall pass, so take a deep breath and know that you can do it.
Author: Sian Lloyd
I'm a traveling health coach and content creator, on a quest to live my happiest, healthiest life! After 10 years in creative communications and a lot of soul-searching, I decided to listen to my heart and follow my insatiable passion for health and self-improvement. This led me to study and graduate at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and become an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. Now I use both coaching and content creation to empower people to be brave and take the necessary steps to live lives that truly light them up inside - lives FULL of health, happiness and purpose.
