One thing about it, two things for sure, we can always count on life being unpredictable. We experience highs and lows, love and loss, joy and sadness, and all of them can happen within the same week, sometimes the same day. We are constantly bombarded by so many things happening in our own personal lives, our family and friends’ lives, what’s happening in the news, on social media, at work, and so on…It can be exhausting right, sis?
Our brains have evolved to just take it all in, getting overloaded, and the smallest things start to send us into a tizzy because everything is changing so much all at once. And our emotions? Don’t even get me started. We don’t even truly know how to deal with them because sometimes we are going through the extremes simultaneously. Have you ever felt excited but also grieving, had peace in one area of life while another is being turned upside down, or been hopeful about the future but also anxious? Yeah, you know what I mean. It’s ALOT.
We can’t avoid these changes. It’s just the way life goes. But we can cope in a healthy way when unpredictability comes our way:
Give Yourself Grace:
Many times, we downplay how we are feeling instead of caring for ourselves like we would a friend. Be kind to yourself sis. Change is challenging and there’s no sense in beating yourself up more just because you aren’t handling it like you think you “should.” There’s no right way. You can give yourself grace and show gratitude for the season that you’re in, knowing that things will look up eventually.
Take a Break:
You don’t necessarily need to take a vacation, although sometimes an escape might be exactly what you need. Take a few days off of work (yes, use the PTO girl. Work will be there when you get back), take a break off of the constant flow of information from social media, turn off the morning or evening news, and silence the outside world. You may just emerge with some clarity about how to move forward and if not, at least you can rest so that you have the energy to keep going.
Ask for Help:
Why in 2022 are we still trying to do it all by ourselves? Get some help sis! Whether it’s help around the house, help with the kids, help in your business or at work, help with a counselor, whatever it is, get it for yourself so that you can free your mind from having to take care of everything. Pay for the convenience and the support. It’s worth it and not only will you get more done, you’ll feel better knowing that you didn’t have to hold everything.
Care for Yourself:
When change happens, you may not be able to control everything, but there are some things that you can control. Stay hydrated, get out in nature to take a walk, keep your support circle close. Treat yourself even if you feel like you don’t deserve it. And then know that you do deserve it because you’re amazing and whatever you’re going through doesn’t define you.
Channel Your Thoughts:
I don’t know about you, but when something goes differently than I anticipated, I can spiral out and my mind goes in a thousand different directions of what ifs. Stop this. Easier said than done, but the faster you can stop the spiral, the easier it will be to get out of it. Try to see if there are any positives and if there aren’t that’s okay (every situation doesn’t have positives). Focus on being the most present that you can be and avoid the what ifs, or the shoulds that pop up. Most times, we are safe in the moment we are in and don’t discount saying that to yourself if you feel yourself getting worked up.
Unpredictability will pop up out of nowhere, but remember that it’s a part of life. We can’t control it, all we can do is cope with itl. Offer your best, because your best is enough, and carve out the important time to DateYourselfGirl!