Uncertainty and staying present – I embrace the quote from A Course in Miracles “Trust would settle all things now”. If I could trust in the wisdom of the whole I am at peace. Meditation also helps me. xx
How appropriate this question. I’m currently struggling with this in the form of anxiety/panic. I haven’t experienced this level of anxiety for about 20 years. It all the sudden came on with a vengeance. So, I’m trying to stay present through breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, reminding myself that healing takes time. Talking with trusted friends. Listening to music. Hugging/petting my dogs. Exercising. Crying.
My faith and prayers. Going to Mass brings me much peace. My church has beautiful stained glass windows with a lots of light. Everyone is very upbeat, and the music ministry is wonderful . Of course I also love our Priest too, he is very down to earth and has a good sense of humor. Frequently the parishioners will clap at his homily. Otherwise close friends or family I confide in about my life’s worries.
I try to always see things as they really are. I have come to know that when emotions arise (fear, anticipation, etc.), I have got ahead of myself. Awareness of these feelings helps centers me. If they are strong, I sometimes just clap, and that physical action will be enough to bring me back.
I have an app called the worry tree. Stress management is part of scheduling enough time for myself everyday. Instead of taking the time away from falling asleep with worries and rummination about the next day, restoration of a good night’s sleep and feeling ready looking forward to the next day.
I’ve had so many times of uncertainty in my life. I am old enough now to be able to look back on those times and see clearly how God was guiding and growing my faith. All has unfolded with Grace. Now when I’m feeling shaky and anxious about uncertainty I can call on those remembrances and they help to ease my fears. God is present and has always been Presence in my life.
When that feeling comes over me,
and I feel the anxiety rising,
I just try to come back the the present
moment with a gentle reminder, that
right now, in this moment, I am safe,
and I have what I need. Resisting the
current, does not help. I must use the
current to safely get to where I want to
Go. I just realized that both meanings of
the word “current” work in this situation.
Interesting.
Experience has taught me that the only thing permanent in life is change so I’ve learned to go with the flow. As they say, “This, too, will pass” and ultimately so will I. This doesn’t mean that I do not struggle with anxiety but it helps me not to become the anxiety. My mentor taught me that there is a part of me that has never been afraid and encouraged me to call it forth.
Carol,
Love this! I’m currently struggling with the anxiety piece – haven’t for a good 20+ years but all of the sudden it’s hit with a vengeance. Thanks for reminding me of the saying. I’ll tell you my “history” with that saying. The saying “This, too, shall pass” was first said to me in college by a friend. He said it during a difficult time. Fast forward to the year 2020 when COVID hit. As the uncertainty of everything hit, I would drive up to the school and video tape my lessons to upload (we were all learning how to do “online” school in March 2020). Shortly after, I noticed a sign on a fence on a house that I passed that said that exact thing. By December of 2020, I decided to get the address of that house and write the owner. He sent me back the kindest note. Then in November of this year, I finally had to leave that school because of a toxic leader. Keep in mind that sign has been there the whole time. The day I went to the school to pack up my things, I noticed the sign wasn’t there (I had wanted to show it to my husband). I took it as a sign from God – I know longer needed that sign. Since then, I told that to a former student that I’m still tutoring. A few weeks back, they showed me a picture…the sign is back up. He had never been down since I found it except for the day I left that school. Gave me goose bumps.
Keeping it simple. Not trying so hard. I ground in my gratitude’s and allow life to present itself and a path always emerges. The trick is avoiding my pride and ego that I can “fix it” or “make it better.”
Mindfulness that I am experiencing anxiety, or fear, or ruminating, or worry in the mind and that the mind is connected to the body.
Acceptance of this reaction to the unknown: the desire to feel safe and secure whatever I imagine at the time that this looks like.
Remember that perceptions, sensations, cognition …, are impermanent.
Remember that I too want to run away from the unpleasant and run toward the pleasant.
Remember that I too ‘can do difficult things’.
Remember that I too have courage.
Sit with it , watch it.
An unknown can be of any flavor. A sense of responsibility and duty keeps me present when the unknown involves other people relying on me. If it’s something I’m anticipating and the outcome could be either positive or negative I’ve learned it’s a waste of energy to guess or run scenarios. All I can do is live the life that I’m living in each moment and wait to find out what’s going to happen, assuming there’s nothing I can do to affect the outcome I’m awaiting. My general tendency is to figure I’ll make the best of things, whatever those things are, once they arrive. Reflecting on this, I guess the underlying quality is one of an amount of patience I never would have guessed that I could have back when I was an impatient young teen.
This talk of patience reminds me of my father Barb C. When I was young my father had a picture above his work bench of two Buzzards perched next to each other on a tree branch. The caption read:
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Uncertainty and staying present – I embrace the quote from A Course in Miracles “Trust would settle all things now”. If I could trust in the wisdom of the whole I am at peace. Meditation also helps me. xx
Breathing consciously.
How appropriate this question. I’m currently struggling with this in the form of anxiety/panic. I haven’t experienced this level of anxiety for about 20 years. It all the sudden came on with a vengeance. So, I’m trying to stay present through breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, reminding myself that healing takes time. Talking with trusted friends. Listening to music. Hugging/petting my dogs. Exercising. Crying.
My faith and prayers. Going to Mass brings me much peace. My church has beautiful stained glass windows with a lots of light. Everyone is very upbeat, and the music ministry is wonderful . Of course I also love our Priest too, he is very down to earth and has a good sense of humor. Frequently the parishioners will clap at his homily. Otherwise close friends or family I confide in about my life’s worries.
I try to always see things as they really are. I have come to know that when emotions arise (fear, anticipation, etc.), I have got ahead of myself. Awareness of these feelings helps centers me. If they are strong, I sometimes just clap, and that physical action will be enough to bring me back.
I have an app called the worry tree. Stress management is part of scheduling enough time for myself everyday. Instead of taking the time away from falling asleep with worries and rummination about the next day, restoration of a good night’s sleep and feeling ready looking forward to the next day.
My breath.
Praying.
Mother Nature.
Taking a long, hard walk.
Listening to music.
I’ve had so many times of uncertainty in my life. I am old enough now to be able to look back on those times and see clearly how God was guiding and growing my faith. All has unfolded with Grace. Now when I’m feeling shaky and anxious about uncertainty I can call on those remembrances and they help to ease my fears. God is present and has always been Presence in my life.
When that feeling comes over me,
and I feel the anxiety rising,
I just try to come back the the present
moment with a gentle reminder, that
right now, in this moment, I am safe,
and I have what I need. Resisting the
current, does not help. I must use the
current to safely get to where I want to
Go. I just realized that both meanings of
the word “current” work in this situation.
Interesting.
Charlie,
Lovely poem. Something I needed to read today!
Experience has taught me that the only thing permanent in life is change so I’ve learned to go with the flow. As they say, “This, too, will pass” and ultimately so will I. This doesn’t mean that I do not struggle with anxiety but it helps me not to become the anxiety. My mentor taught me that there is a part of me that has never been afraid and encouraged me to call it forth.
Carol,
Love this! I’m currently struggling with the anxiety piece – haven’t for a good 20+ years but all of the sudden it’s hit with a vengeance. Thanks for reminding me of the saying. I’ll tell you my “history” with that saying. The saying “This, too, shall pass” was first said to me in college by a friend. He said it during a difficult time. Fast forward to the year 2020 when COVID hit. As the uncertainty of everything hit, I would drive up to the school and video tape my lessons to upload (we were all learning how to do “online” school in March 2020). Shortly after, I noticed a sign on a fence on a house that I passed that said that exact thing. By December of 2020, I decided to get the address of that house and write the owner. He sent me back the kindest note. Then in November of this year, I finally had to leave that school because of a toxic leader. Keep in mind that sign has been there the whole time. The day I went to the school to pack up my things, I noticed the sign wasn’t there (I had wanted to show it to my husband). I took it as a sign from God – I know longer needed that sign. Since then, I told that to a former student that I’m still tutoring. A few weeks back, they showed me a picture…the sign is back up. He had never been down since I found it except for the day I left that school. Gave me goose bumps.
Thanks for sharing your story, Amy.
By acknowledging the fact that there is a lot of life to live before the uncertainty is resolved.
Keeping it simple. Not trying so hard. I ground in my gratitude’s and allow life to present itself and a path always emerges. The trick is avoiding my pride and ego that I can “fix it” or “make it better.”
Yes…that ever present pride and ego! I’m learning to bring awareness to them and radical acceptance that there is very little I can control.
Mindfulness that I am experiencing anxiety, or fear, or ruminating, or worry in the mind and that the mind is connected to the body.
Acceptance of this reaction to the unknown: the desire to feel safe and secure whatever I imagine at the time that this looks like.
Remember that perceptions, sensations, cognition …, are impermanent.
Remember that I too want to run away from the unpleasant and run toward the pleasant.
Remember that I too ‘can do difficult things’.
Remember that I too have courage.
Sit with it , watch it.
Thanks…so helpful
Stop, breathe, and be grateful for what is.
An unknown can be of any flavor. A sense of responsibility and duty keeps me present when the unknown involves other people relying on me. If it’s something I’m anticipating and the outcome could be either positive or negative I’ve learned it’s a waste of energy to guess or run scenarios. All I can do is live the life that I’m living in each moment and wait to find out what’s going to happen, assuming there’s nothing I can do to affect the outcome I’m awaiting. My general tendency is to figure I’ll make the best of things, whatever those things are, once they arrive. Reflecting on this, I guess the underlying quality is one of an amount of patience I never would have guessed that I could have back when I was an impatient young teen.
This talk of patience reminds me of my father Barb C. When I was young my father had a picture above his work bench of two Buzzards perched next to each other on a tree branch. The caption read:
“Patience Hell!
I’m gonna kill something.”
Barb, Age does help when it comes to cultivating patience!