Are you the scheduling type? I mean scheduling every day, down to the hour? You have to go everywhere with a planner? You have your calendar filled with appointments, dates, meetings and lists? Then boom, your car doesn’t start or you get into a fender bender and have to get your car towed. You freak out because now your whole day is ruined. You can’t even focus on the fact that thank goodness you’re okay and that things like this happen, simply because you weren’t in control of what just happened.
As humans, we like routine. We wake up, go to work, eat, come home, eat, and sleep. You plan out your schedules, sometimes down to the hour. You don’t ever factor anything that could happen in the blink of an eye and throw everything off. Risk-taking is scary and routine is normal. We do everything in our power to make sure we can control our situations. When you’re 18, you stress about life after highschool, getting into college or getting a job, dating, all of it. When you’re a senior in college, you worry about whether you’ll get a job, how you’ll make money and what bills you’ll have to pay.
Picture your life being presented in front of you on a movie reel. From the moment you were born until the moment you die, you can see everything. Would you want to watch all the way to the end?
I got married at 26 years old and 2 weeks later moved to Latvia, a country in Eastern Europe. That was after a 3 yr long-distance relationship and I mean spanning across countries and time zones. We were in a small town in Latvia with nothing to do for 10 months. The closest major city was a 2.5 hr drive on a one lane road with no streetlights. There wasn’t even a McDonalds. I didn’t work for 10 months. Do you think I planned that? Prepared for that? No! I was even more unprepared for the toll it would take on me mentally. I lived each day in uncertainty of whether or not I would be able to stay there for another day.
We live our life in fear of not knowing how things will happen. But, have you ever stopped to wonder that it might be a good thing you don’t know the outcome? I’m here to tell you how to find the beauty in uncertainty.
Live in the moment
When’s the last time you truly lived in the moment? Have you ever taken a moment to just breathe in and out? Have you ever just done nothing? Stopping and pausing for a moment allows you to truly take in the life you’ve been given and all that it has to offer. Simple things such as breathing in fresh air and noticing the world around you is beautiful. Put your phone down and go for a walk. Put your phone down and talk to someone you care about. Just be present. Don’t worry about what might happen, just enjoy the moment you’re in.
Focus on your thoughts
Living in the moment goes hand in hand with focusing on your thoughts. We all know how negative thinking can truly cripple us. Allowing our negative thoughts to dictate our lives, emotions and actions can be harmful and take away from the beauty of life. Take a moment and focus on what you’re thinking. Write them down in a thought journal if you have to. Either way, be aware and change them immediately if they’re negative.
Trust the journey
No matter what you’re going through, you have to trust the journey. Whether you’re struggling to get a job or going through a hard breakup, trust that everything will be okay. Be thankful for this journey and confirm to yourself that all of this is happening for a reason. Focus on what your journey is teaching you and how it can make you stronger. Change the narrative and your outlook.
Accept change
The only thing constant in life is change. It’s inevitable and unavoidable. Everything and everyone changes. Seasons change, people change, time changes. Change isn’t going anywhere and it definitely isn’t something we can control. Every year we’re all getting older. Every day is not like the day before. When you accept change, you welcome all that is coming to you both good and bad. Changes can be blessings in disguise because changes shape who we are as people. Change shapes our experiences, our decisions and ultimately our future. How you choose to view and accept change is up to you.
There is beauty in uncertainty. You just have to change your view of it. Sometimes, no plans are the best plans. Sometimes, it’s better to not do anything on that planner so you don’t go insane rather than lose your mind trying to finish it all. I challenge you to make a day of no plans. Just wake up and let the day decide itself for you. Live in the moment, trust the journey and be grateful for change. Who wants to stay the same their whole life anyway?
XOXO,
K. Marie
Amen! So true, so real.
Thanks Kristin to share these beautiful thoughs and experiences. They are really inspiring ???
Strong mind for a strong life.