Vignettes on Aging – Uncertainty

It’s the elephant in the room: life as we know it is uncertain on multiple levels.

A lot has been said already about the ill effects of our uncertain times, and multiple coping mechanisms have been provided in previous posts. Here are a few more suggestions for coping with uncertainty that weren’t discussed previously:

• set time limits on your anxiety – don’t deny, but make a deal with yourself to let go after 5 or 10 minutes.
• reward yourself for shifting focus to something else. Give yourself a self-care gift.
• seek religious or spiritual comfort – you don’t have to engage in faith practices to gain comfort and connection from attending services that provide a moment to see something greater than oneself.
• embracing the concept of “Mono No Aware” – a Japanese term that refers to the impermanence of all things. Embracing this theory can help foster acceptance and mindfulness in the face of uncertainty. (Google it.)
• practice stoicism – accepting what is beyond our control and focusing on what’s important in our lives can offer a practical framework for dealing with uncertainty.
• doing for others – okay, yes, I’ve said this before, but I’m saying it again because it’s often forgotten and it’s that important: doing something for someone else is the fastest way to relieve your anxiety, all the while providing a much needed and appreciated service to someone else.

Journaling, meditation, spending time in nature, and practicing gratitude have all been posed in previous posts as excellent ways to combat the ill effects of any stress, including the uncertainty of the times we are living in. Now when you feel yourself getting anxious, try any or all of the above alternative methods to cope. And let me know if you have other suggestions that have worked for you.

Hang in there!