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10 Ways to Stay Grounded During Uncertainty
Deep breaths. While the world may seem atilt, this article will break down ten simple things you can do to keep your cool and invite a sense of inner peace into your daily life.
Are you tired of hearing the words COVID, lockdown, and pandemic?
I get it...really, I do.
But the truth is, we’re actually facing uncertainty ALL the time. The only difference right now is that the uncertainty is being highlighted and we’re experiencing it as a collective, which makes it feel heightened.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “the only constant is change”. Everything is always in flux. This time is teaching us so many important lessons and it’s dismantling our sense of stability.
But why?
Depending on how you look at it, it can almost feel like a cruel joke from the universe.
However, I promise you, it’s NOT.
Right now we are being shown what’s working and what's not in our personal lives, our communities, our countries and globally, so that we can move forward in a more intentional way. The systems and structures we have in place haven’t been working for a long time.
This is the breakdown before the breakthrough.
Understanding that all of this is actually serving the greater good is very important, but it doesn’t necessarily alleviate the emotional rollercoaster that comes with extreme amounts of uncertainty and adversity.
Here are some practical tools you can use to help you stay grounded during times of uncertainty. And who knows...maybe you will even adopt these into your daily routine!
1. Strengthen or Start Your Own Meditation Practice
If there’s one thing to try on this list, meditation should be it. Having a meaningful meditation practice is something that has changed my life for the better. Not only is it a great way to reset your mind and center yourself, but if you practice consistently you’ll notice that dealing with things like uncertainty won’t seem so daunting.
There are so many ways to meditate so find something that feels good to you. Whether you prefer sitting in silence, using a meditation app or free guided meditation on YouTube, or even want to try a walking meditation, there’s something for everyone.
If you’ve never meditated before try a few different techniques and stick with the one that intuitively feels right. If you’re a seasoned meditator, use this time of uncertainty to sink even deeper into your practice and to help you unravel any remaining parts of yourself that need healing.
Don’t know where to start? Check out my article explaining why we meditate. You can also try a free 21 day meditation that Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey put together focused on cultivating hope.
2. Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body
When we’re stuck in our heads, we’re blind to the wisdom that our bodies hold. Our minds can drive us crazy, our bodies bring us back down to earth. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, anxious or caught in a spiral of negative thoughts then it’s time to MOVE.
To get back into your body try anything from breaking a sweat, going for a walk, yoga, stretching, pilates, spinning, dancing...anything active.
This won’t just get you out of your head, but will also give you an endorphin boost and help you to stay physically healthy.
When you feel stuck, get moving!
3. Be Honest About How You’re Feeling
One of the most damaging things we can do in times of hardship and uncertainty is ignore how we’re feeling and keep pushing along as if everything is a-okay.
Yes, life must go on, but acknowledging your emotions and any thoughts patterns coming to the surface is a crucial step in your personal growth journey.
Oftentimes, our emotions just want acknowledgement in order for us to transmute them and move on with our lives. It’s when we reject our emotions and withhold this acknowledgement from them that they fester. This can lead to all kinds of emotional blocks, feeling stuck, empty, depressed, inauthentic, uneasy and can sometimes manifest as physical ailments in the body.
Ultimately, being dishonest with yourself about how you’re feeling only ends up holding you back. Face yourself and be honest with where you’re at because you’ll be able to work through whatever you’re experiencing that much faster.
4. Journal That Sh*t Out
Going along with number three, it’s time to grab a journal and pen and release all those thoughts that you just can’t seem to let go of.
Journaling is an effective way to see things for what they really are. There’s something about seeing the words physically in front of you that makes any situation seem much more manageable.
There have been countless times where journaling has allowed me to gain helpful insight and clarity. At other times it’s been a great technique to simply vent all of my negative thoughts in a healthy way.
There are so many journaling prompts available online, but when life feels really uncertain here are a few I like to focus on:
If I could create anything, what would I create right now?
How can I contribute to the greater good today?
What lights me up?