I’m the type of person that loves to have a plan. I like to know what my day, my week, and even what the next few years of my life will look like. I think this stems from having the structure of being a student for so many years and always knowing what the next step looked like to some extent.

Since last fall Nick and I have been living with a pretty constant feeling of uncertainty about our future. Of course, just like everyone else, the pandemic only added more layers of this feeling and put a hold on our hopes for the year to come. Thankfully after many months we have reached some sort of clarity and have a pretty good idea of what at least the next six months will look like for us. Although it’s not what we had hoped for, it just feels good to have an answer and feel settled, even if it’s temporary.

So, with that being said, although I am far from being an expert on this topic, I thought it would be good to share some things that helped me move through a season of uncertainty in hopes that it can help someone else.

Let go of what you cannot change – It seems like the feeling of uncertainty is often accompanied by the feeling of a lack of control. When you are in the driver’s seat, you feel good about where you are headed but when you lose that sense of control it’s easy to feel anxious about the future. As hard as it may be, try to accept the things you can’t control and trust that what’s meant to be will be.

Focus on what you can control – On that same note, it may help to focus on what you can control. Can you improve your health and fitness, work a little extra on your side hustle, make a bigger effort to call your loved ones? Spending your time on these types of things will not only help keep your mind off of the uncertainty in your life but also help you feel like you are doing things to better yourself.

Set aside time to stress – If you could turn off parts of your brain life would probably be much easier. Since it’s not realistic to say “just don’t worry about it” instead try blocking out small parts of your day to address it. Set a timer, sit down, close your eyes, and think about the thing that is stressing you out or causing you to feel uncertain. When the timer goes off tell yourself that it’s time to stop thinking about it and move on with your day. This will help you avoid feeling drained and consumed by the situation while also improving your productivity.

Keep an open mind and find excitement in the unknown – When you don’t know what’s next that means there are endless possibilities. Sure, that can feel overwhelming, but it can also be very exciting! Maybe the resolution to your situation is a little scary or outside of your comfort zone but deep down it’s something you’ve always wanted to do. Maybe this season of uncertainty will open up new doors that you could have never dreamed of!

See the good in every situation – Even during the hardest chapters of life, there is always good. When you intentionally seek out positivity in life, you will be amazed at how much there is to discover.

Count your blessings – I know this is a cheesy saying that gets thrown around but if you actually say what you’re thankful for out loud or write it down, there is a likely chance that you will start to feel better. Be specific and truly acknowledge everything you have to be grateful for instead of wasting so much energy on the things you don’t have.

Be confident in your choices – If and when you do make a decision or if a decision is made for you, trust that you are exactly where you need to be. Having confidence and faith in your situation will help you move forward with a positive mindset and simply feel better.

Remember that things will change – this season of life isn’t forever, and you will have future opportunities to do the things you dream of. Imagine yourself a few years from now looking back on this time and having all the answers, knowing how it all turns out. I bet your future self wishes they could tell you to be present in where you are today and truly soak in this time of your life because it too shall pass.

Trust the timing of your life – It’s so easy to set expectations of yourself that may leave you feeling confused or even helpless if they are not met by the time you anticipated. Remember that life is not a race and that it’s definitely not a competition to get to certain milestones the fastest. The direction of your life is way more important than the speed of it so do what you can today to set yourself up for the future you want but also give yourself some grace along the way.

I hope you found these tips helpful. As always, if you have any advice to add to the conversation please feel free to leave a comment below. I’m going to leave you with the following quote that has helped me through this season of uncertainty in my own life and inspired me to write this post.

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