Uncertainty is not knowing what will happen next ‘will I get a certain task complete in time for the deadline?’ ‘do I have enough hours to get my to-do list finished’, what will the economic future look like‘ will I have enough money to pay the bills ‘what will happen if my health deteriorates ’ how can I manage my work life balance’ the list goes on infinitum!
The research suggests the bottom line is we are not comfortable with uncertainty and our reactions to uncertainty may have made sense in evolution. The brain is constantly trying to predict what will happen next, allowing it to prepare the body and mind in the most effective way possible. In uncertain situations, that planning is a lot harder and if you’re potentially facing a predator or a human foe, the wrong response could be deadly. As a result, it could pay to err on the side of caution – either by avoiding the uncertainty altogether or by putting the brain and body in an aroused state that is ready to respond to a changing situation.
This above is most interesting! So what the hell can we do about the heightened state of anxiety and fear we have that’s often brought on by uncertainty? Believe it or not, we need to EMBRACE IT!
YES, it’s actually a gift to learn to go with the flow and know nothing is truly certain, life is uncertain, and if we can learn to sit with that discomfort and be at peace with it the anxiety and fear will dissipate.
Firstly I often share the three A’s Acknowledge, Acceptance, and Action.
MAKE time to acknowledge how you are feeling, it is imperative we feel the feelings and own them.
Then comes the acceptance of how we feel, we may not like it but it is our truth at that moment.
Finally the important part, is the action! What can we do about it? What choices have we got? ‘NHS Inform’ is a site that has some great solutions, but here are some of my tried and tested ones.
Talk about things with others and get another perspective.
Gather as much information as you can to ensure you can make an informed choice of what you can do.
Be curious and practice gratitude for the situation, there will ALWAYS be some great learning to be had!
BREATHE, practice slowing down you breath and being present.
Enjoy and Live life regardless of the uncertainty, as they had to do in the war years
Find what works for you and remember the saying ‘This too will pass’.
Often we find we can actually use the uncertainty fear and anxiety for good use, as we may be able to be more focused and productive. I was able to write this blog as a result of the uncertainty which led to fear and anxiety, so it’s been of help in some way to me, and hopefully to you too.
Finally, I would add, be kind to yourself and compassionate and remember, you are really doing the best you can and it is a natural state to be uncertain.
Understanding more about the challenges we have given us all greater insight into how we can help ourselves feel more in control of the uncertainty, and live in a happy more peaceful way.
How wonderful and enlightening that this years trends is really taking us back to who we really are
This is SO scary I am also really excited to be sharing some great new learning ( hopefully) watch this space and next months Vlog to see how it went.
This is MASSIVE for me and I believe a lot of other people in business that are self-employed and on the same boat.
We seem constantly busy, attracting new clients, networking, posting social media, not taking proper breaks, working too many hours, putting ourselves under great pressure to ensure we are successful and too fearful to relax and enjoy ourselves?
It’s like we are driven onwards to the next thing and the next thing, not being satisfied with what we really have now.
A client I recently worked with said, i’t never seems enough’.
How on earth can we really let go and trust we have done enough and its ok to take some down time?
I am doing something I have NEVER really done and that’s not posting for the next few weeks, no work social media or vlogs or blogs, wow it feels a bit scary but I have to ‘practice what I teach’ as my daughter in law shared with me ( preaching no one needs)
In a few weeks I will do a Vlog and explain why I have done this and how it might benefit us all if we ensure we have regular down time.
Our brains kick in when we try to let go of control and give us negative feedback, the negative self-talk comes rushing.
We won’t get new clients, we must carry on in case we get forgotten, how can we relax when we won’t get enough income etc etc.
My suggestion is to allow the feelings but remember if you are running on half empty your health will eventually suffer and ensure we take the advice we would give to others and that would be to take time out.
So my experiment begins today!
NO vlogs or blogs or work social media for the next 2 or 3 weeks On my return I will reveal the results!
See you on the other side!!
Do you suffer from anxiety? it really is a state that can make us ill if its prolonged. Check this weeks Vlog out and see if it can help you manage and work with your anxiety in a healthier more productive way.
So here we are in that interim period, not yet the ending of last year and not yet the beginning of a new one.
Perhaps it’s a time for reflection? what did we learn from last year? What would we like to bring into the new one? what do we need to change and how can we do that?
Many of us wake up each day and repeat the same behaviours but if we really want to improve our mental, physical and emotional health, we need to take stock of how we are doing.
Every new years eve I take time with my husband reflecting back on last year, its ups its downs and the learning.
We write down our aspirations hopes and dreams for next year and spend time discussing how we can make the changes to improve our health and wellbeing.
The bottom line is we all want to live in a healthy body free from disease for as long as possible and if the research is correct ( 90 percent of longevity is life style) we are personally responsible for making those changes for improved wellbeing.
Benefits
Self-reflection is key the to self-awareness; it allows you to look at neutrality at your thoughts, feelings, emotions and actions.
So as I end this last post for 2022 I wish you a blessed and healthy 2023 and remember Self-reflection will lead you to growth, positivity and happiness .
As always my focus is on balance and wellbeing, we all want the best health we can get… don’t we?
Yet we don’t always do the actions that support the best health, so why is that? I guess many reasons get in the way from excuses of… I don’t have enough time, I am not motivated, it’s not that bad at the moment, I will pay more attention in the new year or its not the highest thing on my list right now,or even,I just can’t be bothered!
Whatever your reasons are I GUARANTEE you that if you put yourself first, everything around you will improve.
So how can we set about changing habits of a lifetime? Bite-size small actions it the answer, don’t set yourself up for failure with a complete turnaround, just start with something small.
Also, it’s important to really notice the improvements however small they are and that will be your driving force for the next small action.
We would not buy a lovely care and not have an MOT, leave it with no fuel and not look after it would we? So, if we take care of our cars that are only material things how much more important is our health?
My three sons know my passion for radical self-care, I was chatting with one the other day and he mentioned he has just started practicing yoga regularly, he was so happy with how much better he felt and it was a joy to know he really does respect his wellbeing.
I have never preached to my sons (let’s be honest, who wants to be told what to do?) but they do see the benefits of a calmer happier and much healthier mum.
The simple truth is that self-care is neither a luxury nor an indulgence. It’s not even optional. Sooner or later, what you don’t give yourself willingly, the body and mind will take for themselves, whether in the form of burnout, physical sickness, emotional exhaustion, or mental illness.
So if you really are serious about improving your health long term, ensure your action plan has your needs put in first and the rest will slot in.
Mmm no clues this week just check it out…
yuk most people don’t like to be criticised but what can we do when we are and what can we learn from it?
Wow, can you believe how stress and anxiety can be calmed when you actually go with the flow and become more flexible, don’t believe me? well check out this week’s Vlog and see how
We all can suffer at times from mental health issues but whats really important is to own it and seek help