Sitting with the discomfort of Uncertainty
Emotional Regulation:
Setting up small achievable goals that feel like they are within the reach until the larger long term goal becomes more apparent in sight. This is how I alleviate my anxiety around the future or uncertainty in general. Making smaller steps to achieve the near term goals feels more manageable. This brings the mindfulness to the present moment which is in my control rather than something distant. Charting a long term plan along with chunking it down to manageable steps is how I break down the larger problem into risk embraced steps towards that long term goal.
Distress tolerance:
The discomfort of the larger problem with the long term goal is not so hard now with these smaller steps that are within my reach right now. Doing these steps over time helps me march closer towards that long term goal. That’s all I can do to feel committed towards the larger problem at hand. This helps mirror some of my own fears and anxieties in the moment of the long term goal that seems monumental in the moment. This is something I have faced with tests and exams as a child too. This is how I embraced the steps to prepare for the larger problem at hand ahead of me.
Coping Skills:
These coping skills help me ground myself in the reality of the present situation in light of the future long term goal. Breathing through the discomfort with smaller steps to prepare for the long term goals helps me alleviate the distress in the moment. Finding things I enjoy in the process to keep me afloat in the moment helps me know that there is still goodness aside from that larger problem I’m tackling. This can be anything like gentle music in the background or time to play with my kids. Here’s to managing larger problems in smaller chunks…:)